Sun Valley, NV climate
Sun Valley has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 25°, and about 33 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Sun Valley feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Sun 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 | 45° | 25° | 1.5" | 6.6" | 7 | 26° – 43° |
| February | 49° | 28° | 1.3" | 9.6" | 7 | 32° – 45° |
| March | 56° | 32° | 1.1" | 6.1" | 7 | 36° – 50° |
| April | 61° | 35° | 0.5" | 0.9" | 5 | 43° – 54° |
| May | 71° | 43° | 0.7" | 0.1" | 6 | 49° – 65° |
| June | 81° | 50° | 0.5" | 0 | 3 | 60° – 71° |
| July | 90° | 57° | 0.3" | 0 | 2 | 68° – 78° |
| August | 89° | 55° | 0.2" | 0 | 2 | 68° – 76° |
| September | 80° | 48° | 0.2" | 0 | 2 | 60° – 68° |
| October | 67° | 38° | 0.6" | 0.2" | 3 | 48° – 58° |
| November | 54° | 30° | 0.8" | 2.6" | 4 | 32° – 48° |
| December | 44° | 24° | 1.5" | 7.2" | 7 | 27° – 38° |
| Year | 66° | 39° | 9.2" | 33.3" | 56 |
“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 Sun Valley
Sun Valley gets 9 inches of rain and melted snow a year. January is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 56 days a year.
About 150 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 8 and the first one by October 12. That leaves about 150 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 81% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Sun Valley
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Sun Valley, 90% of that work is heating and 10% 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.
Sun Valley and its neighbors
Sun Valley borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.9°. Reno has the coldest January nights (25°) and Sparks the hottest July afternoons (92°). Sun Valley’s January low is 25° and its July high 90°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Sun 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 Sun Valley averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.6°). The shift is larger than in 76% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Sun Valley’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 32° to 48°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Sun Valley’s climate
What is the coldest month in Sun Valley?
December, with a typical high of 44° and a low of 24°.
What is the hottest month in Sun Valley?
July, with a typical high of 90° and a low of 57°. About 40 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Sun Valley get?
About 33 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Sun Valley?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 12, and the last spring frost by May 8.
What is the rainiest month in Sun Valley?
January, with 1.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 9 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Sun Valley itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Reno 1.4 Nne, NV (4 mi, snow) and Stead, NV (6 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.