Best Time to Visit Las Vegas: Weather by Season

The best time to visit Las Vegas is March through May or October through mid-November, when normal daytime highs at Harry Reid International Airport run from the high 60s to the 80s and the pool, the Strip walk and Red Rock Canyon are all comfortable. Summer is hot, with July normal highs above 104 degrees Fahrenheit, and winter is cool and dry rather than cold. Three big events can change the answer: the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, the Neon City Festival and the Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon.

Every temperature below is a 1991-2020 climate normal from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), measured at the Harry Reid International Airport weather station, which is the National Weather Service's official Las Vegas reading. A normal is a 30-year average, so any given day can run well above or below it.

What are the Las Vegas weather normals by month?

Las Vegas is a desert city with a normal annual rainfall of about 4 inches, and its normal high swings from 56.9 degrees in December to 104.5 degrees in July. Here are the NOAA normals, high and low in degrees Fahrenheit, with monthly precipitation in inches.

January: high 58.5, low 40.5, 0.56 in.
February: high 62.9, low 44.1, 0.80 in.
March: high 71.1, low 50.5, 0.42 in.
April: high 78.5, low 56.9, 0.20 in.
May: high 88.5, low 66.1, 0.07 in.
June: high 99.4, low 75.8, 0.04 in.
July: high 104.5, low 82.0, 0.38 in.
August: high 102.8, low 80.6, 0.32 in.
September: high 94.9, low 72.4, 0.32 in.
October: high 81.2, low 59.6, 0.32 in.
November: high 67.1, low 47.3, 0.30 in.
December: high 56.9, low 39.6, 0.45 in.

The number that surprises people is the overnight low. In July the normal low in Las Vegas is 82 degrees, so the city barely cools after dark, and a Strip hotel pool at midnight is a real plan.

Spring: is March to May the best time to visit Las Vegas?

Yes, for most visitors spring is the best time to visit Las Vegas, because normal highs climb from 71 degrees in March to 88 degrees in May with almost no rain. April is the sweet spot at a normal high of 78.5 and a low of 56.9.

This is the season for hiking Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, about 17 miles west of the Las Vegas Strip, and for walking the roughly 4.5 miles of the Strip from The STRAT to Mandalay Bay.

One planning catch: the Bureau of Land Management requires a timed entry reservation for Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area from October 1 to May 31, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., which covers the whole spring and fall high season, so book your slot on the official Red Rock Canyon page when you book your room.

By May the afternoon is hot enough that you should book morning tee times and hikes and save the pool for the afternoon.

Pack layers: March evenings drop to a normal low near 50 degrees, and casinos are air-conditioned hard. Bring sunscreen and a hat from the first day, because desert sun does not wait for summer.

Summer: how hot does Las Vegas get from June to September?

June through September in Las Vegas is hot: the NOAA normal high is 99.4 degrees in June, 104.5 in July, 102.8 in August and 94.9 in September. The National Weather Service lists 120 degrees on July 7, 2024 as the highest temperature ever recorded in Las Vegas, so a normal is not a ceiling.

Hotel rates in Las Vegas often dip in the hottest weeks, though conventions and events move prices more than weather does, and the Strip is built for summer. Resorts are linked by air-conditioned casino floors, indoor walkways and the Las Vegas Monorail. If you come, plan around the sun:

Do outdoor things before 9 a.m. or after sundown.
Carry water everywhere and drink it before you feel thirsty.
Never leave a child, a pet or a phone in a parked car.
Skip daytime hikes. Valley of Fire State Park, outside Las Vegas to the northeast, closes many of its trails every year from May 15 to September 30, including White Domes Loop and the Fire Wave, because of a history of rescues and deaths in the heat.
Check the heat level for the day on the Las Vegas weather page and the National Weather Service Las Vegas office before you set out.

What about monsoon storms and flash floods?

Flash floods in Las Vegas happen when a summer monsoon storm drops heavy rain on dry, hard ground, and the Las Vegas Valley's washes and underpasses fill in minutes. The monthly rain normals look tiny, 0.38 inches in July and 0.32 in August, but an average hides the fact that a month's rain can fall in one afternoon. Southern Nevada emergency managers list flooding among the area's top hazards, and the Regional Flood Control District publishes local flood information.

The rule is simple: if water covers a road, turn around. Never drive or walk through a flooded wash, and stay out of slot canyons and drainages when storms are anywhere in the forecast, even if the sky above you is clear.

Fall: why October and November are a favorite

October and November are the other best months to visit Las Vegas, with a normal October high of 81.2 degrees falling to 67.1 in November, and a lot of the year's festivals. October is the month the heat finally breaks: the normal low drops from 72.4 in September to 59.6.

Fall is the easiest season to pack for. Shorts and a light jacket cover the day, and by late November you want a real layer after dark. It is also the season when the calendar gets crowded, so book early.

What fills the city in November?

Two events fill downtown and the Strip in mid-to-late November. The Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix runs a Thursday-to-Saturday race weekend on a street circuit through the Strip, and the official schedule has practice on Thursday and Friday evenings, qualifying on Friday at 8 p.m. and the race on Saturday at 8 p.m. Roads close, some resort access requires proof of a ticket or a reservation, and most sidewalks along the circuit stay open with some reroutes. Check the Las Vegas Grand Prix details on Visit Las Vegas before you book.

The free, all-ages Neon City Festival is held in Downtown Las Vegas in November, with stages under the Fremont Street Experience canopy and at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, and its dates can overlap the race weekend. Expect pricier rooms and thick crowds on both the Strip and downtown. If you want November weather without the surge, come the first or second week.

The week of Thanksgiving has its own rhythm. See our guide to Thanksgiving in Las Vegas, and for the whole year see annual events in Las Vegas.

Winter: is Las Vegas cold in December to February?

Winter in Las Vegas is cool and dry rather than cold: normal highs run 57 to 63 degrees from December through February, and normal lows are in the 40s, with a 39.6 degree low in December. February is technically the wettest month of the year at a normal 0.80 inches, and the 1991-2020 annual normal is about 4.18 inches.

Winter is a good season for hiking Red Rock Canyon, strolling downtown and seeing shows with no sun fatigue. It is also the season of the outdoor pool being closed or chilly, so ask your resort before you pack the swimsuit. Bring a warm jacket and a hat for the evening, and know that the nearby Spring Mountains can have snow when the valley does not.

What is the Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon weekend like?

The Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon is held in February, and the official half marathon course runs the length of the closed Las Vegas Strip: the half marathon and 10K are scheduled for a Sunday afternoon with a 4:30 p.m. start, with a 5K the evening before. The 10K starts at New York-New York and finishes at Bellagio on Las Vegas Boulevard. A cool February evening is ideal for running, but hotel rates and Strip crossings get tight that weekend. Confirm the course and any road closures at the official course overview.

Is wildfire or earthquake a risk in Las Vegas?

Both are real but low-profile risks for visitors. The Clark County Fire Department says Nevada's wildland fire season runs from May through October, when vegetation is driest, and the risk is mostly on the desert edges and in the mountains, not along the Strip. If you hike or camp outside the valley, check fire restrictions and air quality first, and never light a fire when the winds are up.

Earthquakes are less predictable. Clark County emergency managers list earthquakes alongside extreme heat, flooding and wildfire among the area's top hazards, and Southern Nevada practices for them every October in the Great Nevada ShakeOut drill. There is no season for earthquakes. If one hits, drop, cover and hold on, stay away from windows and exit calmly once it stops.

So when should you go?

Go in April or October for the best weather, in late November or February only if you want the events and accept the crowds, and in summer only if you plan for heat. Pick your month with your priorities in mind:

Pools and hiking: April, early May, October.
Lowest-cost, indoor trip: July and August, with a real plan for the sun.
Festival energy: mid-to-late November for the race weekend and festival, February for the half marathon.
Quiet and cool: December and January, outside the holiday weeks.

Las Vegas packing and planning checklist

Check the NWS forecast for your dates in the week before you fly, and the monsoon outlook if you come from June to September.
Pack layers for every season. Casinos run cold, even in August.
Bring sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat and a refillable water bottle year-round.
In summer, schedule outdoor plans before 9 a.m. or after dark.
Check the dates of the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, the Neon City Festival and the Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon before you book a room.
If a road is flooded, turn around.
Read the Strip guide and downtown guide to choose where to stay.

How we chose

We used only the NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals for the Harry Reid International Airport station, official event pages for the race weekend and the half marathon, and Clark County, Bureau of Land Management and Nevada State Parks pages for hazards and closures. We left out any claim about a particular year's weather, because the normal is the part that stays true. Exact event dates change every year, so we describe the pattern and send you to the official page.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best month to visit Las Vegas?

April and October are the best months to visit Las Vegas for weather. The NOAA normal high is 78.5 degrees in April and 81.2 degrees in October, with very little rain.

What is the hottest month in Las Vegas?

July is the hottest month in Las Vegas, with a NOAA normal high of 104.5 degrees Fahrenheit and a normal low of 82.0. August follows at a normal high of 102.8.

Does it rain in Las Vegas?

It rains very little in Las Vegas, with an annual normal of about 4.18 inches. February is the wettest month at a normal 0.80 inches, and summer monsoon storms can cause sudden flash floods.

Is it cold in Las Vegas in winter?

Winter in Las Vegas is cool, not freezing: normal highs from December to February are about 57 to 63 degrees, and normal lows are in the 40s. Pack a warm jacket for evenings.

When is the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix?

The Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix is held on a weekend in mid-to-late November, with the race on Saturday at 8 p.m. per the official schedule. Check the official page for the exact dates.

What is the cheapest time to visit Las Vegas?

Summer is often the cheapest time to visit Las Vegas because of the heat, though conventions and events move hotel rates more than weather does. Rates rise around the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix and the Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon, so check your dates.

Best Time to Visit Las Vegas: Season-by-Season Weather Guide