The best times to visit Palm Desert for ideal weather are

February 5th to April 29th

or

October 22nd to December 9th

based on average temperature and humidity from NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Read below for more weather and travel details.

 

 


Other Palm Desert Travel Info

Weather in Palm Desert

Temperature

Average temperatures in Palm Desert vary drastically. Considering humidity, temperatures feel hot for about half of the year and otherwise nice with a very low chance of precipitation throughout the year. The area is somewhat temperate — in the 55th percentile for pleasant weather — compared to tourist destinations worldwide. Weeks with ideal weather are listed above. If you’re looking for the very warmest time to visit Palm Desert, the hottest months are July, August, and then September. See average monthly temperatures below. The warmest time of year is generally mid August where highs are regularly around 109.6°F (43.1°C) with temperatures rarely dropping below 80.4°F (26.9°C) at night.

Palm Desert Temperatures (Fahrenheit)

Key
High
Average
Low

Palm Desert Temperatures (Celsius)

Key
High
Average
Low

“Feels-Like” Temperatures

The way we experience weather isn’t all about temperature. Higher temperatures affect us much more at higher humidity, and colder temperatures feel piercing with high winds. Our perceived temperatures factor in humidity and wind chill to better represent how hot or cold the day feels to a person.

Palm Desert Perceived Temperature (F)

Key
High
Average
Low

Palm Desert Perceived Temperature (C)

Key
High
Average
Low

 

Average Palm Desert Temperatures by Month

Daily highs (averaged for the month) usually give the best indication of the weather. A significantly lower mean and low generally just means it gets colder at night.

Show Fahrenheit

Month Avg. High (°F) Avg. Mean (°F) Avg. Low (°F)
Jan 71.9 58.9 46.8
Feb 74.9 61.3 48.6
Mar 82.9 68.7 54.5
Apr 88 73.2 58.5
May 95.3 80.1 64.8
Jun 104.7 88.7 71.9
Jul 108.5 93.7 79.2
Aug 108.1 93.5 78.9
Sep 103.4 89.1 74.5
Oct 91.1 77.2 63.3
Nov 79.6 66.2 53
Dec 68.7 56.3 44.8

Show Celsius

Month Avg. High (°C) Avg. Mean (°C) Avg. Low (°C)
Jan 22.2 14.9 8.2
Feb 23.8 16.3 9.2
Mar 28.3 20.4 12.5
Apr 31.1 22.9 14.7
May 35.2 26.7 18.2
Jun 40.4 31.5 22.2
Jul 42.5 34.3 26.2
Aug 42.3 34.2 26.1
Sep 39.7 31.7 23.6
Oct 32.8 25.1 17.4
Nov 26.4 19 11.7
Dec 20.4 13.5 7.1

 


 

Precipitation (Rain or Snow)

If dry weather is what you’re after, the months with the lowest chance of significant precipitation in Palm Desert are June, May, and then April. Note that we define “significant precipitation” as .1 inches or more in this section. The lowest chance of rain or snow occurs around early March. For example, on the week of March 5th there are no days of precipitation on average. By contrast, it’s most likely to rain or snow in late January with an average of 1 days of significant precipitation the week of January 22nd.

When can you find snow in Palm Desert? Weather stations report no annual snow. Please note that a value of 0 for snow in the graph below may either mean there was no snow, or that snow is unreported.

Chance of Precipitation

The graph below shows the % chance of rainy and snowy days in Palm Desert.

Key
Days with precipitation

Snow on the Ground

The graph below shows the average snow on the ground in Palm Desert (in).

Key
Snow depth

Average Rain and Snow by Month

Show Inches

Month Daily Chance of Rain Average Snow Depth (in) Total Precipitation (in)
Jan 5% 0 0.8
Feb 5% 0 0.5
Mar 1% 0 0.2
Apr 0% 0 0
May 0% 0 0
Jun 0% 0 0
Jul 2% 0 0.3
Aug 2% 0 0.3
Sep 1% 0 0.1
Oct 1% 0 0.1
Nov 2% 0 0.1
Dec 6% 0 1.2

Show Centimeters

Month Daily Chance of Rain Average Snow Depth (cm) Total Precipitation (cm)
Jan 5 0 2
Feb 5 0 1.3
Mar 1 0 0.5
Apr 0 0 0
May 0 0 0
Jun 0 0 0
Jul 2 0 0.8
Aug 2 0 0.8
Sep 1 0 0.3
Oct 1 0 0.3
Nov 2 0 0.3
Dec 6 0 3

 

Humidity and Wind

Palm Desert has no months that would be considered humid, with some very dry months. The least humid month is June (13.9% relative humidity), and the most humid month is December (30.2%).

Wind in Palm Desert is usually calm. The windiest month is May, followed by June and April. May’s average wind speed of around 7.4 knots (8.5 MPH or 13.7 KPH) is considered “a gentle breeze.” Maximum sustained winds (the highest speed for the day lasting more than a few moments) are at their highest in late May where average top sustained speeds reach 18.8 knots, which is considered a fresh breeze.

Relative Humidity (%)

The graph below shows the average % humidity by month in Palm Desert.

Key
Avg. Relative Humidity

Wind

The graph below shows wind speed (max and average) in knots.

Key
Max Sustained Wind
Average Daily Wind

Average Wind Speeds

Show Wind Speeds

All wind speeds are in knots. 1 knot = 1.15 MPH or 1.85 KPH.

Month Avg. Wind Avg. Wind Feel Sustained High Wind High Wind Feel
Jan 4.2 Light breeze 10.1 Gentle breeze
Feb 4.5 Light breeze 11.5 Significant breeze
Mar 5.4 Light breeze 14 Gentle breeze
Apr 6.8 Light breeze 16.6 Significant breeze
May 7.4 Gentle breeze 17.5 Gentle breeze
Jun 6.8 Light breeze 17.6 Strong breeze
Jul 6.1 Light breeze 15.6 Gentle breeze
Aug 5.3 Light breeze 14.7 Significant breeze
Sep 5.2 Light breeze 13.4 Gentle breeze
Oct 5.1 Light breeze 12.1 Significant breeze
Nov 4.4 Light breeze 10.3 Gentle breeze
Dec 3.8 Barely noticeable 9.8 Gentle breeze

Show Relative Humidity by Month

Month Avg. Relative Humidity
Jan 22.5%
Feb 24.7%
Mar 18.2%
Apr 16.4%
May 16%
Jun 13.9%
Jul 18.2%
Aug 18.1%
Sep 18%
Oct 18.5%
Nov 20.3%
Dec 30.2%

 

Is it Safe to Travel to Palm Desert?

Our best data indicates this area is generally safe. As of Dec 04, 2023 there are no travel advisories or warnings for the United States; exercise normal security precautions. Check this page for any recent changes or regions to avoid: Travel Advice and Advisories. This advisory was last updated on Dec 04, 2023.


 

The Busiest and Least Crowded Months

The busiest month for tourism in Palm Desert, CA, US is August, followed by June and May. Prices for hotels and flights will be most expensive during these months, though you can save if you purchase well in advance. Tourists are unlikely to visit Palm Desert in November. Those willing to visit at these times will likely find it the least expensive month.

Estimated Tourism by Month

 

Most Popular Months to Visit

Key
Tourists Seeking Accommodations

Tourism graph is based on Google searches for services used by tourists relative to the rest of the year. Tourism data for this area is somewhat extrapolated based on nearby areas. Displayed data is calculated relative to the peak, so a score of 63.8 in November means 63.8% of the tourists vs. August.

 

 

Overall Palm Desert Travel Experience by Season

Spring (March through May)

Humidity and temperatures combine to make this season feel warm. Highs range from 100.4°F (38°C) and 75.9°F (24.4°C) with warmer temperatures in the later months. Rain is nonexistent with roughly 0 days of significant precipitation per month. Spring is the second busiest for tourism, which makes it a good time for those looking for things to do.

Summer (June through August)

The middle-year months have hot weather with high temperatures that are extremely hot. These months see moderate precipitation with 0 to 1 days of precipitation per month. June – August is the busiest season for tourism in Palm Desert, so lodging and other accommodations may cost more than usual.

Fall (September through November)

Fall daily highs range from 105.9°F (41.1°C) and 74.2°F (23.4°C), which will feel very nice given the humidity and wind. It rains or snows a barely noticeable amount: 0 to 1 days per month. Tourism is the slowest during these months due to the weather, so hotels may be affordably priced.

Winter (December through February)

Weather is somewhat cool this time of year in Palm Desert to be enjoyable for warm weather travelers. The average high during this season is between 76.7°F (24.8°C) and 66.8°F (19.3°C). On average, it rains or snows a smalll amount: 1 to 2 times per month. These times of year are fairly slow with tourists.

 

Best Times to Travel› the United States › Palm Desert, CA, US