Palm Springs weather by month: NOAA normals as plain golf advice
Palm Springs weather by month for golfers: NOAA highs, lows, rain days and wind, east-valley frost, Pass winds and summer heat, and what each means for golf.
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Palm Springs weather by month runs from about 69F afternoons and 46F dawns in December to about 109F highs in July, per NOAA 1991-2020 normals at the airport. November to April is golf weather, with 69F to 87F afternoons and only a few rain days a month. June to September tops 100F, so golf moves to first light.
Those averages hide two things that matter on the course: winter dawns are much colder in the east valley than in Palm Springs, and wind funnels through the San Gorgonio Pass on the west side. This guide gives the normals for both ends of the valley and turns them into plain advice on tee times, clothing and where to play.
Quick facts
- Station: Palm Springs airport (PSP), about 420 ft, NOAA 1991-2020 normals; Thermal airport for the east valley.
- Warmest month: July, 108.6F high and 79.4F low.
- Coolest month: December, 69.2F high and 46.2F low; 37.7F low at Thermal.
- Rain: 4.61 inches a year at PSP; at most about 3 rain days in any month.
- Wind: lightest in winter, breeziest in April and May.
- Golf weather: November to April.
Palm Springs weather by month
| Month | High (F) | Low (F) | Rain (in) | Rain days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 70.5 | 47.6 | 1.14 | 2.7 |
| February | 73.7 | 49.7 | 1.11 | 3.1 |
| March | 80.6 | 54.4 | 0.51 | 1.9 |
| April | 86.7 | 59.1 | 0.09 | 1.1 |
| May | 94.7 | 65.9 | 0.02 | 0.5 |
| June | 103.6 | 72.7 | 0.00 | 0.0 |
| July | 108.6 | 79.4 | 0.25 | 1.0 |
| August | 108.1 | 79.8 | 0.14 | 0.7 |
| September | 101.8 | 74.4 | 0.24 | 1.0 |
| October | 91.1 | 64.5 | 0.20 | 0.9 |
| November | 78.7 | 53.4 | 0.23 | 1.3 |
| December | 69.2 | 46.2 | 0.68 | 2.7 |
NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals at Palm Springs Regional Airport, about 2.5 miles east of downtown. Rain days are days with at least 0.01 inch. The Palm Springs co-op station beside it is within about 1F every month and slightly wetter, at 5.11 inches a year.
East valley: La Quinta, PGA West and Indio
| Month | High (F) | Low (F) | Rain days | Avg wind (mph) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 71.0 | 39.0 | 3.1 | 4.6 |
| February | 74.3 | 42.9 | 2.8 | 5.6 |
| March | 81.1 | 49.0 | 1.7 | 7.0 |
| April | 87.2 | 54.8 | 0.8 | 8.6 |
| May | 94.6 | 62.9 | 0.3 | 9.0 |
| June | 103.0 | 69.1 | 0.1 | 8.1 |
| July | 106.9 | 75.6 | 0.7 | 7.0 |
| August | 106.2 | 74.9 | 0.7 | 6.4 |
| September | 101.5 | 68.2 | 1.3 | 6.3 |
| October | 90.9 | 56.9 | 0.8 | 5.8 |
| November | 78.7 | 44.7 | 0.9 | 4.8 |
| December | 69.3 | 37.7 | 2.1 | 4.5 |
Thermal's airport, about 5 miles southeast of Indio and below sea level, is the nearest NOAA first-order station to La Quinta and PGA West. Wind is the mean of NOAA's hourly normals; no wind normals were returned for Palm Springs airport. The Indio Fire Station has nearly the same highs but much warmer nights than the open-desert airport, 46.8F against 39.0F in January, so a rental in town will feel milder at dawn than a course out in the desert.
Winter: cold dawns, warm afternoons
From December to February, afternoons reach about 69F to 74F everywhere in the valley. Dawn is the difference. The east valley runs 7 to 9 degrees F colder than Palm Springs: 37.7F against 46.2F in December, 39.0F against 47.6F in January. That is why frost delays hit the La Quinta, PGA West and Indio end more often, and why first tee times there can wait.
Plain advice: in December and January, book east-valley courses for mid-morning, and take the early times in Palm Springs, Cathedral City or Rancho Mirage. Dress in layers you can shed by the turn. Short December days also compress tee sheets, so a late start may not finish 18. More in Palm Springs golf in winter.
Spring: the breezy season
March is about 81F and drying out; April about 87F and nearly dry. This is also when the wind arrives. Average wind at Thermal climbs from about 4.6 mph in January to 8.6 mph in April and 9.0 mph in May. Palm Springs sits at the mouth of the San Gorgonio Pass, where west winds funnel through the wind-farm corridor along I-10, so north and west Palm Springs and Desert Hot Springs can be windier than the middle and east of the valley. There is no official wind figure for that side of town.
Plain advice: on a breezy spring day, play the north-side courses such as Escena and Mission Lakes early, and keep afternoons for the mid-valley, such as Desert Willow. See the Mission Lakes course guide and Palm Springs golf in spring.
Summer: extreme dry heat
Normal highs are about 95F in May, 104F in June, 109F in July, 108F in August and 102F in September, and July and August lows stay near 79F to 80F, so even first light is warm. June is the driest month, with no measurable normal rain. From July to September, monsoon surges can bring humidity, dust storms and isolated thunderstorms, and very occasionally flash flooding that closes I-10 or valley-floor crossings.
Plain advice: golf is a dawn activity. Ride, carry far more water than usual, and finish by late morning. The Indio Golf Course par-3 is lit until 10 pm, so an after-dinner round is an option when it is cooler; see the Indio Golf Course guide. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, which climbs to about 8,500 ft, is the classic escape from the heat. More in Palm Springs summer golf.
Fall: heat easing, overseed starting
September is still about 102F, October about 91F and November about 79F, all dry. The weather turns pleasant just as courses close for overseed, which runs from the second half of September into December. October weather is fine for golf; the limit is which courses are open. See Palm Springs golf overseed.
Rain
The valley is very dry. Palm Springs airport gets 4.61 inches a year and Thermal and Indio about 2.9 to 3.0, because Palm Springs catches more winter rain spilling over the San Jacinto Mountains. The wettest months by count are December to February, at about 2.7 to 3.1 rain days. A rainout is rare, but if one comes, the Palm Springs Air Museum beside the airport and the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert are indoor options. See things to do in Palm Springs.
Weather off the valley floor
West of Palm Springs, Morongo at Tukwet Canyon in Beaumont sits at about 2,600 ft in the Pass, runs cooler and windier than the valley floor and is open year-round. Nearby Oak Valley does its aeration closure in September rather than October; see the Morongo Champions course guide. South in Borrego Springs, Rams Hill no longer overseeds, so expect dormant tan bermuda in midwinter. This guide has no NOAA normals for either area.
What to wear, by season
- December to February: a warm layer for a dawn start in the 40s (high 30s in the east valley), shed by the turn as afternoons reach about 69F to 74F. Sun protection still matters on a clear desert day.
- March and April: short sleeves by mid-morning at about 81F to 87F, plus a windproof layer for breezy afternoons.
- May to September: the lightest clothing you own, a hat, and far more water than usual for a first-light round that finishes by late morning.
- October and November: warm early in October at about 91F, then high 70s in November, with cooler mornings at about 53F at the airport.
Picking dates and a base by the weather
- Mildest overall: November and March, about 79F to 81F afternoons.
- Coolest golf: December and January, with frost risk at dawn in the east valley.
- Calmest: December and January.
- Hottest: July and August.
If you are sensitive to cold mornings, a west or mid-valley base suits a winter stay. If wind bothers you, avoid the north side in spring. For the full picture of prices and crowds by month, read the best time to golf in Palm Springs, and for bases, where to stay in Palm Springs for golf. To compare desert climates, see Tucson weather for golf and Yuma weather for golf.
Plan it on the map
Open the Palm Springs golf map to see every course across the valley, from the windier north side to the colder-at-dawn east end, with drive times from your base. The $30 plan puts early and late tee times on the right courses for the month you travel.
Courses in this guide
Questions golfers ask
What is the weather in Palm Springs by month?
NOAA 1991-2020 normals at Palm Springs airport run from about 69F highs and 46F lows in December to about 109F highs and 79F lows in July. November to March afternoons sit between about 69F and 81F, April is about 87F, and June to September are all above 100F.
What is the coldest month in Palm Springs?
December, with a normal low of 46.2F at Palm Springs airport and a high of 69.2F. The east valley is colder at dawn: Thermal, near La Quinta and Indio, has a December normal low of 37.7F, which is why frost delays are more common at that end.
How many days does it rain in Palm Springs?
Very few. Palm Springs airport averages about 2.7 days with measurable rain in December and January and 3.1 in February, the wettest months by count, and under 2 days in every other month. The annual normal is 4.61 inches; the east valley gets about 3 inches.
How hot is Palm Springs in summer?
Normal highs are about 95F in May, 104F in June, 109F in July, 108F in August and 102F in September, with July and August lows near 79F to 80F. Golf in summer means first-light tee times, a cart, far more water than usual and finishing by late morning.
Is Palm Springs windy?
Parts of it can be. Palm Springs sits at the mouth of the San Gorgonio Pass, so north and west Palm Springs and Desert Hot Springs can be windier than the mid- and east-valley courses. At Thermal, average wind is lightest in December and January (about 4.5 to 4.6 mph) and peaks at about 9 mph in May.
Is La Quinta colder than Palm Springs?
By day, no: afternoon highs are within about 1 to 2 degrees F across the valley all year. At dawn in winter, yes: the open desert around Thermal runs 7 to 9 degrees F colder than Palm Springs airport, at 39.0F against 47.6F in January.
What should I pack for golf in Palm Springs in winter?
Layers. A January morning tee time can start in the 40s, or the high 30s in the east valley, and finish around 70F. Bring a warm layer for the first few holes, sun protection for the afternoon and a windproof layer for spring.
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