Winter
Dec → Feb8 to 11°
nights -2 to -1°
- 8 rainy days · 161 mm
When is the best time to visit Yosemite?
- Jan9°not recommended
- Feb11°not recommended
- Mar14°not recommended
- Apr17°fair
- May21°recommended
- Jun27°recommended
- Jul32°fair
- Aug32°fair
- Sep28°recommended
- Oct22°recommended
- Nov13°fair
- Dec8°not recommended
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in Yosemite, month by month
The table of averages, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Rainfall | Rainy days | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9° | -2° | 177 mm | 8 d | |
| February | 11° | -1° | 165 mm | 8 d | |
| March | 14° | 1° | 139 mm | 9 d | |
| April | 17° | 3° | 81 mm | 6 d | |
| May | 21° | 7° | 49 mm | 5 d | ✓ |
| June | 27° | 11° | 12 mm | 2 d | ✓ |
| July | 32° | 14° | 7 mm | 1 d | |
| August | 32° | 14° | 4 mm | 1 d | |
| September | 28° | 11° | 10 mm | 2 d | ✓ |
| October | 22° | 5° | 40 mm | 3 d | ✓ |
| November | 13° | 0° | 103 mm | 5 d | |
| December | 8° | -2° | 142 mm | 8 d |
The four seasons in Yosemite, in figures
What the 2015-2024 averages (Yosemite Valley) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May14 to 21°
nights 1 to 7°
- 7 rainy days · 90 mm
Summer
Jun → Aug27 to 32°
nights 11 to 14°
- 1 rainy days · 8 mm
Autumn
Sep → Nov13 to 28°
nights 0 to 11°
- 3 rainy days · 51 mm
Book early for May 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 Yosemite, 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 14h46 of daylight, in December 9h34, a difference of 5h12.
9h49Jan
10h45Feb
11h51Mar
13h08Apr
14h11May
14h46Jun
14h32Jul
13h36Aug
12h22Sep
11h08Oct
10h05Nov
9h34Dec
Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "Yosemite Valley" (37.75°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.
What to do in Yosemite, 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, September, October, November
- Towns & culture: January, February, March, April, May, June, September, October, November, December
- 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 recommended9°-2° at night
- 177 mm · 8 d
Low season, lower prices
February
Not recommended11°-1° at night
- 165 mm · 8 d
Low season, lower prices
March
Not recommended14°1° at night
- 139 mm · 9 d
Low season, lower prices
April
Fair17°3° at night
- 81 mm · 6 d
Low season, lower prices
May
Recommended21°7° at night
- 49 mm · 5 d
Busy, without the crush
June
Recommended27°11° at night
- 12 mm · 2 d
Busy, without the crush
July
Fair32°14° at night
- 7 mm · 1 d
Busy, without the crush
August
Fair32°14° at night
- 4 mm · 1 d
Busy, without the crush
September
Recommended28°11° at night
- 10 mm · 2 d
Busy, without the crush
October
Recommended22°5° at night
- 40 mm · 3 d
Busy, without the crush
November
Fair13°0° at night
- 103 mm · 5 d
Low season, lower prices
December
Not recommended8°-2° at night
- 142 mm · 8 d
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Cool: 9 °C at best, -2 °C at night. Expect 8 days of rain in the month (177 mm). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. Cool: 11 °C at best, -1 °C at night. Expect 8 days of rain in the month (165 mm). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
March. Cool: 14 °C at best, 1 °C at night. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (139 mm). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
April. Cool: 17 °C at best, 3 °C at night. Rain stays light: 81 mm over 6 days. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
May. Mild, 21 °C in the afternoon and 7 °C early in the morning. Rain stays light: 49 mm over 5 days. Busy season, without the crush.
June. 27 °C in the afternoon and 11 °C at night. Hardly any rain (12 mm over 2 days). Busy season, without the crush.
July. Real heat: 32 °C at the warmest of the day, 14 °C at night. Hardly any rain (7 mm over 1 day). Busy season, without the crush.
August. Real heat: 32 °C at the warmest of the day, 14 °C at night. Hardly any rain (4 mm over 1 day). Busy season, without the crush.
September. 28 °C in the afternoon and 11 °C at night. Hardly any rain (10 mm over 2 days). Busy season, without the crush.
October. Mild, 22 °C in the afternoon and 5 °C early in the morning. Hardly any rain (40 mm over 3 days). Busy season, without the crush.
November. Cool: 13 °C at best, 0 °C at night. Rain stays light: 103 mm over 5 days. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
December. Cool: 8 °C at best, -2 °C at night. Expect 8 days of rain in the month (142 mm). 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 Yosemite?
May to June and September to October: over these months, average highs range from 21 to 28 °C, with 3 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 averages, Yosemite Valley).
Which month should you avoid in Yosemite?
January: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 177 mm over 8 days of rain on average over 2015-2024 at the reference point (Yosemite Valley).
What is the hottest month in Yosemite?
July, with 32 °C on average in the afternoon and 14 °C at night. 2015-2024 averages (Yosemite Valley).
What is the coldest month in Yosemite?
December, with 8 °C at best during the day and -2 °C at night. 2015-2024 averages (Yosemite Valley).
What is the driest month in Yosemite?
August: 4 mm over 1 day of rain, against 177 mm in January, the wettest month.
Does it get cold at night in Yosemite?
The gap between day and night reaches 18 °C in July: 32 °C in the afternoon, 14 °C at dawn. Pack an extra layer, even in high season.
When is the best time to hike in Yosemite?
March, April, May, June, September, October, November: highs between 12 and 29 °C and no more than 9 days of rain a month on 2015-2024 averages (Yosemite Valley), the safest windows for walking.
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Yosemite 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: mdl70 / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Mariordo (Mario Roberto Durán Ortiz) / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Diliff / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Thomas Wolf , www.foto-tw.de / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Guywelch2000 / CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)