Guide to Best Time to Visit Las Vegas

The weather in Las Vegas is incredibly variable; hot in the summer, pleasant in the spring and fall, cold and windy in the winter. 

But what makes Las Vegas such a popular year round vacation destination is that, no matter what time of year you visit, you are almost always guaranteed to have dry, warm weather to explore the city and the surrounding outdoors. 

But there are times of the year that are better than others to experience Las Vegas and we will cover those best times to visit Las Vegas in this guide.

The city of Las Vegas experiences a wide range of climates, depending on the time of year. 

For example, July 13 is, on average, the hottest day of the year in Las Vegas. Temperatures on that day range from 105°F to 80°F. You might get lucky and catch a monsoon storm in mid-July but, overall, it is very dry and very steamy; perhaps even too hot for some visitors. 

In contrast, December 26 is, on average, the coldest day of the year. Temperatures on that day range from 56°F to 38°F. While rare, the Las Vegas metro area does see snow at higher elevations. Some visitors don’t associate this level of chill with the Las Vegas environment. 

Spring and fall offer sunny, crisp mornings, beautiful warm days, and nights that stay comfortable. These seasons are the perfect time for walking the Las Vegas Strip or hitting the trails all throughout the Las Vegas metro area and beyond. 

This chart shows the average temperatures each month in Las Vegas:

It's always a good idea to check the Las Vegas weather report before your visit to Las Vegas.

We recommend reviewing a 7-day Local Las Vegas weather forecast for specific weather events that may occur on your trip. In particular, check out the wind forecast since strong gusts that frequent the Great Basin region can severely hamper outdoor activities.

Most people do associate Las Vegas with the heat since it is located in the arid Mojave Desert. And Las Vegas weather averages indicate they are correct!

Las Vegas reaches at least 100 degrees, on average, 70 days a year.  The hot season usually starts around early June and lasts until mid-September. It rarely jumps above 110 during that time, and even more rarely, exceeds 115. But there can be long streaks of triple-digits. 

In 2020, the city saw 61-straight days of triple-digit heat – from July 1 to August 31 – nearly breaking the all-time record 64-day streak that took place in 1944.

The highest temperature Las Vegas ever recorded took place in 2021. On July 10th that year the mercury soared to 117 in Sin City. This tied a previous reading from July 24, 1942.  

This is not the highest temperature Nevada has ever experienced, however. That honor goes to the low elevation city, 1500 feet below Las Vegas, on the Colorado River, Laughlin, Nevada, that reached 125 degrees in 1994.

The hottest month in Las Vegas is not just hot; July weather in Las Vegas is extreme! The warmest month in one of America's hottest cities sees an average high of 104°F and low of 80°F. 

In July, most days rise well over 100°F. Early July is a bit cooler than later in the month (temperatures peak from July 17-31 each year) and that stretch of days sees an average high of 105°F. The desert does cool down at night, seeing average lows of 83°F. 

Unless the monsoon, summer thunderstorms that bring sudden, heavy rainfall, are active, don’t expect much moisture during a July trip to Las Vegas.  Las Vegas only receives 0.1 to 0.5 inches of rainfall in July.

Many tourists that pass through Las Vegas visit Death Valley, the hottest place on Earth, during the summer months to experience the extreme heat. 

The hottest air temperature ever recorded in Death Valley was 134°F.

Despite temperatures that often exceed 120°F, Death Valley National Park is perfectly safe to visit in the summer. It’s located about 150 miles from Las Vegas. Bring plenty of water on your drive, stay on paved roads, and protect yourself from the sun. 

The extreme heat records at Death Valley were shattered during a 2020 heatwave. Some of those Death Valley temperature records included:

• 35 days over 120 degrees (normal is 18.4)
• 8 days over 125 degrees (normal is 2.9)
• 6 nights over 100 degrees (normal is 0.5)
• May, August, and September all saw the hottest day or night ever recorded for that month.

The Las Vegas desert climate is mild in the winter but the region does see cold nights and occasional moisture. 

During the winter, Las Vegas weather sometimes brings temperatures that drop into the thirties at night and peak into the upper-fifties during the day. The sun is still abundant though and shorter, mild winters are more and more common, making February a spectacular month to visit. 

Overall, December sees the coldest overall weather during the Las Vegas winter. During the holiday season the average high temperature is 57°F and the chilly evenings dip to an average low of 39°F. 

January is the second coldest month the city sees. It’s nearly as cold as December with an average high temp of 58°F and low temp of 39°F. 

February in Las Vegas, especially later in the month, sees a very comfortable increase in temperature and often is one of the best times to visit Las Vegas. This is a great month for adventure tours in Las Vegas.

The 62°F average high is perfect for just about all outdoor activities, but it does still get cool at night, with the average dippling to 43°F. February also sees the most moisture of any month. The 1 inch average tops out the monthly charts for this dry desert outpost.

One of the best times of the year to visit Las Vegas is March to May. Spring is full of sunny days, cooler nights, and is our personal favorite season for visiting Las Vegas.  

March is when the real beauty of mild, warm weather in the Mojave begins to unfold. This month sees an average high temperature of 70°F while the evenings can still be somewhat cool, with an average low temp of 49°F. 

April sees the mercury rise up to an average high of 78°F and a low 56°F. This makes it arguably the most pleasant month of the year for a trip to Las Vegas. It’s also when the higher elevations, including many of the Utah National Parks, begin to warm up. It’s the best month for a Bryce Canyon day tour, or a trip to Arizona’s Grand Canyon, in particular the Grand Canyon Skywalk.

May is a stunning and fun time to visit Las Vegas.The following month the average high jumps more than ten degrees, to 89°F. But, still, cool nights descend on the high altitude arid basin with an average of 66°F.

Late September through November are a beautiful time of year to visit the Mojave desert. 

But Fall does not kick off in a traditional way if one uses September as a designator to start the season. Early September is still very warm, often triple digits for the first two weeks of the month.  The average high temperature for the month is still a toasty 94°F but you can balance out that warmth with beautiful evenings that experience an average low of a perfect 71°F.

​​October could be the most beautiful month of the entire year and, as an added benefit, the crowds are smaller and often great deals can be found on local hotels and attractions. In October, the average high drops to 81°F while the low falls to 58°F. This is the optimal month for outdoor recreation, especially day trips from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon.

November sees a dramatic cooldown, with the average high temperature dipping to 66°F  and the low dropping to 47°F. There is usually a window in November that is quite warm before winter's first cold storm descends into the desert. Grand Canyon Tours from Las Vegas are popular during this month.

Many people find it hard to believe, but Las Vegas is a rather mountainous city. The entire metropolitan area ranges in elevation from 1,600 to 3,400 feet. The Las Vegas elevation, specifically that of the Las Vegas Strip area, is around 2,000 feet while the tallest mountain in Red Rock Conservation Area, just 20 miles west of the city, is 8,154 feet. 

Even higher peaks surround most of Las Vegas. Mt. Charleston, at 11,916 feet, is the highest point around Las Vegas and is about 45 minutes from town. These mountains act as barriers to the north, south, east, and west of the Las Vegas metropolitan area, blocking the strong flow of moisture from the surrounding area, and form a 600 square mile Las Vegas Valley basin area.

You can take advantage of the extreme Las Vegas elevation by adding skiing or snowboarding to your trip by visiting Lee Canyon, the Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard resort. If you do, dress in warm layers, bring gloves, eye protection and a ski helmet. The drive to Lee Canyon can be dicey due to snow and ice after a winter storm. Take your time and check current road conditions at Nevada Department of Transportation.