Joshua Tree, CA climate
Joshua Tree has mild winters and hot summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 97°, a January night drops to 38°, and about 2 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Joshua Tree feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Joshua Tree weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 59° | 38° | 1.6" | 0 | 4 | 45° – 54° |
| February | 62° | 39° | 1.9" | 0.7" | 3 | 44° – 58° |
| March | 68° | 43° | 1.0" | 0 | 3 | 48° – 61° |
| April | 74° | 47° | 0.4" | 0 | 2 | 54° – 65° |
| May | 83° | 54° | 0.1" | 0 | 1 | 61° – 75° |
| June | 92° | 62° | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 71° – 82° |
| July | 97° | 70° | 0.4" | 0 | 3 | 79° – 87° |
| August | 97° | 69° | 0.4" | 0 | 2 | 80° – 87° |
| September | 90° | 63° | 0.4" | 0 | 2 | 74° – 80° |
| October | 79° | 52° | 0.4" | 0 | 1 | 62° – 72° |
| November | 67° | 43° | 0.5" | 0.1" | 2 | 47° – 61° |
| December | 58° | 36° | 1.0" | 0.9" | 4 | 43° – 52° |
| Year | 77° | 51° | 8.1" | 1.7" | 26 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in Joshua Tree
Joshua Tree gets 8 inches of rain and melted snow a year. February is the wettest month and June the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 26 days a year.
About 255 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 14 and the first one by November 28. That leaves about 255 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 91% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Joshua Tree
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Joshua Tree, 58% of that work is heating and 42% is cooling.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How Joshua Tree compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Joshua Tree averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.7°). The shift is larger than in 88% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Joshua Tree’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. November swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 47° to 61°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Joshua Tree’s climate
What is the coldest month in Joshua Tree?
December, with a typical high of 58° and a low of 36°.
What is the hottest month in Joshua Tree?
July, with a typical high of 97° and a low of 70°. About 109 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Joshua Tree get?
About 2 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Joshua Tree?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 28, and the last spring frost by March 14.
What is the rainiest month in Joshua Tree?
February, with 1.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 8 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Joshua Tree itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Yucca Valley, CA (4 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.