Photo: Steven Baltakatei Sandoval · CC BY-SA 4.0Indian Wells is among the driest of U.S. towns: 10 inches of precipitation a year
The depth of winter brings overnight lows near 19°. The year swings widely: the coldest month’s nights and the warmest month’s afternoons are 72° apart. By July afternoons alone, it runs hotter than 78% of U.S. towns. Keep the boiler serviced for the months from November to March, which average under 50°.
A year in Indian Wells at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Indian Wells’ climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Indian Wells’ place in Arizona beside it.
What a year in Indian Wells feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 10 inches of rain a year
August is the wettest month and June the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Living with Indian Wells’ climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 7a.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May and September. 4.1 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Indian Wells from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (77%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 3%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Indian Wells and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Indian Wells yet.
Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Indian Wells averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.7°).
A bigger shift than in 63% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.
How Indian Wells compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Indian Wells’ place among Arizona’s.
Indian Wells weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Indian Wells’ center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 46° | 19° | 0.8" | 24° – 38° |
| February | 51° | 23° | 0.8" | 32° – 43° |
| March | 59° | 28° | 0.8" | 39° – 49° |
| April | 67° | 34° | 0.4" | 45° – 55° |
| May | 76° | 41° | 0.4" | 54° – 63° |
| June | 87° | 50° | 0.2" | 64° – 73° |
| July | 90° | 58° | 1.4" | 70° – 78° |
| August | 87° | 57° | 1.6" | 70° – 77° |
| September | 81° | 50° | 1.1" | 61° – 68° |
| October | 70° | 37° | 0.9" | 49° – 58° |
| November | 56° | 26° | 0.7" | 35° – 48° |
| December | 45° | 18° | 0.8" | 25° – 38° |
| Year | 68° | 37° | 9.8" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 24° to 38°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Indian Wells’ numbers come from
Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. How TownRatings reads climate data →
- Temperatures and precipitation: NOAA’s gridded 1991–2020 normals for the 5 km cell at Indian Wells’ center.
- Growing zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu/phzm, accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Then and now: NOAA’s gridded normals for 1901–2000 at the same cell.
- Storms and extremes: FEMA National Risk Index (expected annual losses to buildings).
Common questions about Indian Wells’ climate
What is the weather like in Indian Wells?
A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 19°. Colder January nights than 66% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 78% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Indian Wells in winter?
December nights average 18°. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 25°.
How hot does it get in Indian Wells?
July, with a typical high of 90°. 90° days are rare.
What growing zone is Indian Wells in?
Zone 7a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 1°.
What is the best time of year to visit Indian Wells?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Indian Wells getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.6° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 63% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Indian Wells.
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.