Winter
Dec → Feb6 to 8°
nights -8 to -6°
- 5 rainy days · 36 mm
When is the best time to visit Grand Canyon?
- Jan7°not recommended
- Feb8°not recommended
- Mar12°fair
- Apr16°recommended
- May21°recommended
- Jun28°recommended
- Jul29°fair
- Aug28°fair
- Sep24°recommended
- Oct18°recommended
- Nov12°fair
- Dec6°not recommended
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in Grand Canyon, month by month
The table of averages, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Rainfall | Rainy days | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7° | -7° | 45 mm | 5 d | |
| February | 8° | -6° | 31 mm | 5 d | |
| March | 12° | -4° | 47 mm | 5 d | |
| April | 16° | -2° | 16 mm | 3 d | ✓ |
| May | 21° | 2° | 10 mm | 2 d | ✓ |
| June | 28° | 6° | 6 mm | 1 d | ✓ |
| July | 29° | 10° | 59 mm | 5 d | |
| August | 28° | 10° | 56 mm | 7 d | |
| September | 24° | 7° | 38 mm | 4 d | ✓ |
| October | 18° | 1° | 31 mm | 4 d | ✓ |
| November | 12° | -4° | 20 mm | 3 d | |
| December | 6° | -8° | 32 mm | 4 d |
The four seasons in Grand Canyon, in figures
What the 2015-2024 averages (Grand Canyon (South Rim)) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May12 to 21°
nights -4 to 2°
- 3 rainy days · 24 mm
Summer
Jun → Aug28 to 29°
nights 6 to 10°
- 4 rainy days · 40 mm
Autumn
Sep → Nov12 to 24°
nights -4 to 7°
- 4 rainy days · 30 mm
Book early for April to June and September to October
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
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Daylight in Grand Canyon, month by month
The time between sunrise and sunset, from shortest to longest. Not to be confused with the sunshine hours in the table above, which count clear skies. In June there are 14h36 of daylight, in December 9h43, a difference of 4h53.
9h58Jan
10h49Feb
11h52Mar
13h04Apr
14h04May
14h36Jun
14h23Jul
13h31Aug
12h21Sep
11h12Oct
10h12Nov
9h43Dec
Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "Grand Canyon (South Rim)" (36.05°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.
What to do in Grand Canyon, month by month
| Activity | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hiking | ||||||||||||
| Towns & culture | ||||||||||||
| Long days |
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
- Hiking: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November
- Towns & culture: February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November
- Long days: May, June, July
Grid derived from the climate averages (temperature, rainfall), not from an opinion.
Travelling off-peak
Month by month, in detail
January
Not recommended7°-7° at night
- 45 mm · 5 d
Low season, lower prices
February
Not recommended8°-6° at night
- 31 mm · 5 d
Low season, lower prices
March
Fair12°-4° at night
- 47 mm · 5 d
Low season, lower prices
April
Recommended16°-2° at night
- 16 mm · 3 d
Busy, without the crush
May
Recommended21°2° at night
- 10 mm · 2 d
Busy, without the crush
June
Recommended28°6° at night
- 6 mm · 1 d
Busy, without the crush
July
Fair29°10° at night
- 59 mm · 5 d
Busy, without the crush
August
Fair28°10° at night
- 56 mm · 7 d
Busy, without the crush
September
Recommended24°7° at night
- 38 mm · 4 d
Busy, without the crush
October
Recommended18°1° at night
- 31 mm · 4 d
Busy, without the crush
November
Fair12°-4° at night
- 20 mm · 3 d
Low season, lower prices
December
Not recommended6°-8° at night
- 32 mm · 4 d
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Deep winter: 7 °C at the warmest of the day, -7 °C at night. Rain stays light: 45 mm over 5 days. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. Cool: 8 °C at best, -6 °C at night. Rain stays light: 31 mm over 5 days. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
March. Cool: 12 °C at best, -4 °C at night. Rain stays light: 47 mm over 5 days. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
April. Cool: 16 °C at best, -2 °C at night. Hardly any rain (16 mm over 3 days). Busy season, without the crush.
May. Mild, 21 °C in the afternoon and 2 °C early in the morning. Hardly any rain (10 mm over 2 days). Busy season, without the crush.
June. 28 °C in the afternoon and 6 °C at night. Hardly any rain (6 mm over 1 day). Busy season, without the crush.
July. 29 °C in the afternoon and 10 °C at night. Rain stays light: 59 mm over 5 days. Busy season, without the crush.
August. 28 °C in the afternoon and 10 °C at night. Rain stays light: 56 mm over 7 days. Busy season, without the crush.
September. Mild, 24 °C in the afternoon and 7 °C early in the morning. Rain stays light: 38 mm over 4 days. Busy season, without the crush.
October. Mild, 18 °C in the afternoon and 1 °C early in the morning. Rain stays light: 31 mm over 4 days. Busy season, without the crush.
November. Cool: 12 °C at best, -4 °C at night. Hardly any rain (20 mm over 3 days). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
December. Deep winter: 6 °C at the warmest of the day, -8 °C at night. Rain stays light: 32 mm over 4 days. Quiet at the start of the month, then busier as the holidays approach.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Grand Canyon?
April to June and September to October: over these months, average highs range from 16 to 28 °C, with 3 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 averages, Grand Canyon (South Rim)).
Which month should you avoid in Grand Canyon?
January: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 45 mm over 5 days of rain on average over 2015-2024 at the reference point (Grand Canyon (South Rim)).
What is the hottest month in Grand Canyon?
July, with 29 °C on average in the afternoon and 10 °C at night. 2015-2024 averages (Grand Canyon (South Rim)).
What is the coldest month in Grand Canyon?
December, with 6 °C at best during the day and -8 °C at night. 2015-2024 averages (Grand Canyon (South Rim)).
What is the driest month in Grand Canyon?
June: 6 mm over 1 day of rain, against 59 mm in July, the wettest month.
Does it get cold at night in Grand Canyon?
The gap between day and night reaches 22 °C in June: 28 °C in the afternoon, 6 °C at dawn. Pack an extra layer, even in high season.
When is the best time to hike in Grand Canyon?
March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November: highs between 12 and 29 °C and no more than 9 days of rain a month on 2015-2024 averages (Grand Canyon (South Rim)), the safest windows for walking.
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Grand Canyon guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
🧭 When to visit the American West: the country overview→
🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
Compare with other destinations
Photos: Farragutful / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Ronnie Macdonald / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Renan Bomtempo / Pexels · Mariordo (Mario Roberto Durán Ortiz) / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · APK / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Joshua G Chang / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)