Weather and Climate of

Death Valley National Park

Hottest. Driest. Lowest.

The lowest elevations of the park are significantly drier than the mountains. The Panamint
Range along with other mountain chains to the west block much of the moisture that
accompanies storm systems that move in from the Pacific. With colder air being more common
at higher elevations, snow falls with many winter storms in the mountains while it is extremely
rare at the lowest elevations of the park. During the summer, the monsoon season brings
thunderstorms, some which will unleash heavy rain in a short period causing flash flooding.
Gusty winds occur on several days each month from October through May, with the highest
frequency in the spring months. Dust storms can suddenly develop ahead of cold fronts. Death
Valley averages around 279 days of sunshine per year.

*Records are latest year of occurrence

All weather statistics shown above are for Furnace Creek and were obtained from the official National Weather
Service weather stations at Greenland Ranch and Furnace Creek from 1911 through 2024. Averages and normals
are based on the period from 1991 to 2020 and are provided by NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental
Information (NCEI).

Always be weather-ready before you venture out! You can get the latest weather for
Death Valley National Park at: http://www.weather.gov/lasvegas/recDV
or inquire for weather updates at the Death Valley Visitor Center at Furnace Creek.
 An Extreme Climate
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Why So Hot?
The depth and shape of Death
Valley influence its summer
temperatures. The valley is a long,
narrow basin 282 feet (86 m)
below sea level, yet is walled by
high, steep mountain ranges. The
clear, dry air and sparse plant
cover allow sunlight to heat the
Why So Dry? desert surface. Heat radiates back
Winter storms moving inland from the rocks and soil, then
from the Pacific Ocean must becomes trapped in the valley's Longest Hot Spells
depths. Summer nights provide The greatest number of consecutive
pass over mountain ranges to
little relief as overnight lows may days with a maximum temperature
continue east. As the clouds
only dip into the 85°F to 95°F of 100°F (38°C) or above was 154
rise up they cool and
(30°C to 35°C) range. days in 2001. 1917 had 52 days of
the moisture condenses to fall as
120°F (49°C) or greater with 43
rain or snow on the western side Heated air rises, yet is trapped by consecutive days with a high
of the ranges. By the time the the high valley walls, is cooled and temperature of 120°F or above.
clouds reach the mountain's east recycled back down to the valley
side they no longer have as much floor. These pockets of descending
available moisture, creating a dry air are only slightly cooler than the Highest Ground
"rain shadow". surrounding hot air. As they Temperature
descend, they are compressed and
Four major mountain ranges lie The highest ground temperature
heated even more by the low
between Death Valley and the recorded was 201°F (94°C) at
elevation air pressure. These
ocean, each one adding to an Furnace Creek on July 15, 1972.
moving masses of superheated air
increasingly drier rain shadow blow through the valley creating The maximum air temperature for
effect. extreme high temperatures. that day was 128°F (53°C).

Noteworthy Events
• 1911 Permanent weather station established at Greenland Ranch now known as Furnace Creek Ranch.
• 1913 Coldest temperature of 15° F (-10°C) recorded on January 8. Hottest temperature of 134°F (57°C)
recorded on July 10. 5 consecutive days reach 129° F (54°C) or above. 4.54 in. (115.3 mm) of rain held calendar
year record 92 years.
• 1917 52 days of 120°F (49°C) or greater with 43 of them consecutive.
• 1922 Only measurable snow to fall in Furnace Creek on record – a half an inch (1.3 centimeters) on January 29th.
• 1929 No rain recorded for the entire year.
• 1931-1934 Driest stretch on record with only 0.64 inch (16.3 mm) of rain in a 40-month period.
• 1933 National Park Service weather station established at Cow Creek, 3 miles north of Furnace Creek.
• 1949 Significant January storm drops 4 inches (10 cm) of snow at Cow Creek. Snow flurries at Greenland Ranch.
• 1953 No measurable rain at Greenland Ranch for the year.
• 1960 129°F (54°C) recorded at Greenland Ranch on July 18th.
• 1961 Weather station opens at new Furnace Creek Visitor Center. Cow Creek and Greenland Ranch stations close.
• 1976 Floods wash out Golden Canyon Road. Five days of rain bring a total of 2.37 inches (6.02 cm).
• 1977-1978 5.09 inches (129.3 mm) of rain from July-June. Spectacular wildflower bloom in spring 1978.
• 1989 No measurable rain recorded at Furnace Creek for the year. The last time this occurred.
• 1995 2.59 inches (65.8 mm) of rain falls at Furnace Creek in January, wettest month ever.
• 2001 Record 154 consecutive days at or above 100°F (38°C) which ran from May 6 to October 6.
• 2004 Flash flood on August 15th kills two and closes park for 9 days. Some roads are closed for months.
• 2004-2005 Wettest July-June on record with 6.44 inches (163.6 mm) of rain. Spectacular wildflower bloom.
• 2005 129°F (54°C) recorded at Furnace Creek on July 19th. Wettest year on record with 4.73 inches (120.1 mm).
• 2020 The temperature reached 130 degrees (54.4 C) on August 16, making this the first time since 1913 that the
high reached 130 degrees. The temperature also reached 130 degrees (54.4 C) on July 9, 2021.
• 2022 1.70 inches (43.2 mm) of rain falls on August 5
• 2023 Hurricane Hilary dumps 2.20 inches (55.9 mm) on August 20, making this the wettest day on record and
producing major flash flooding. Four hundred mile of Park Service roads were damaged or destroyed.