Dry Valley, NV climate
Dry Valley has chilly winters and hot summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 19°, and about 12 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Dry Valley feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Dry Valley 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 | 46° | 19° | 1.1" | 2.9" | 5 | 27° – 41° |
| February | 50° | 23° | 1.4" | 2.5" | 6 | 29° – 44° |
| March | 58° | 28° | 1.3" | 1.8" | 6 | 36° – 49° |
| April | 65° | 33° | 0.7" | 0.2" | 4 | 42° – 54° |
| May | 74° | 41° | 0.8" | 0.3" | 5 | 51° – 62° |
| June | 86° | 49° | 0.4" | 0 | 2 | 60° – 72° |
| July | 92° | 56° | 1.0" | 0 | 6 | 70° – 78° |
| August | 90° | 54° | 1.1" | 0 | 5 | 70° – 76° |
| September | 82° | 46° | 0.8" | 0 | 3 | 61° – 67° |
| October | 69° | 35° | 1.2" | 0 | 4 | 46° – 58° |
| November | 56° | 25° | 0.6" | 0.8" | 3 | 31° – 46° |
| December | 46° | 18° | 1.1" | 3.6" | 5 | 26° – 37° |
| Year | 68° | 36° | 11.5" | 12.1" | 53 |
“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 Dry Valley
Dry Valley gets 12 inches of rain and melted snow a year. February is the wettest month and June the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 53 days a year.
About 142 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 15 and the first one by October 4. That leaves about 142 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 88% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Dry Valley
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Dry Valley, 88% of that work is heating and 12% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
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 Dry Valley 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 Dry Valley averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.0°). The shift is larger than in 75% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Dry Valley’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. February swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 29° to 44°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Dry Valley’s climate
What is the coldest month in Dry Valley?
December, with a typical high of 46° and a low of 18°.
What is the hottest month in Dry Valley?
July, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 56°. About 68 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Dry Valley get?
About 12 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Dry Valley?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 4, and the last spring frost by May 15.
What is the rainiest month in Dry Valley?
February, with 1.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 12 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Dry Valley itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Cathedral Gorge Sp, NV (8 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.