Sky Valley sits near the top of U.S. towns for July heat
Midwinter brings lows of about 47°. Precipitation is light here, less than falls on almost every U.S. town. Since 1901–2000, the year has warmed by 1.8°, most of all in January. Plan time outside from November to April, when highs sit at 66–83°.
A year in Sky Valley at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Sky Valley’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Sky Valley’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Sky Valley feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 115 days a year reach 100°
And 177 days reach 90°. Day counts come from NOAA’s station at Palm Springs Rgnl Airport, 10 miles from the town’s center, 690 ft lower; frost dates and degree days from Palm Springs, CA, 10 miles away.
The 2023 USDA map puts Sky Valley’s center in zone 9b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 30°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 6 inches of rain a year
February is the wettest month and June the driest. Rain falls on about 14 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Palm Springs, CA, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Sky Valley
14% of the work is heating, so air conditioning is the bigger bill. No month averages under 55°.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Palm Springs, CA.
Living with Sky Valley’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 9b. Frost comes about 1 winter in 5, so the growing year is set by heat, not cold: 115 days at 100° make midsummer the hard season for gardens.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: January, February, March, April, November and December. 38 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Sky Valley from natural hazards, earthquakes are the largest share (70%). Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Sky Valley and its neighbors
Thousand Palms has the coldest January nights next door (45°, 2° colder) and Thousand Palms the hottest July afternoons (107°, 1° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Sky Valley’s, farther away
TownRatings’ own comparison of NOAA 1991–2020 normals, not a NOAA product: places of 5,000+ at least 150 miles away, one per state, closest on January low, July high, precipitation and snow.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sky Valley, CA | 47° | 105° | 6" | 0.0" |
| Sun City, AZ | 42° | 106° | 8" | 0.0" |
| Boulder City, NV | 41° | 106° | 4" | 0.0" |
| St. George, UT | 33° | 103° | 8" | 1.2" |
| Laredo, TX | 45° | 99° | 20" | 0.1" |
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Sky Valley averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.7°).
A bigger shift than in 77% 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 Sky Valley compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Sky Valley’s place among California’s.
Sky Valley weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Sky Valley’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Palm Springs, CA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 67° | 47° | 1.2" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 53° – 63° |
| February | 70° | 49° | 1.4" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 53° – 66° |
| March | 76° | 53° | 0.7" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 58° – 71° |
| April | 83° | 57° | 0.3" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 64° – 74° |
| May | 91° | 65° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 71° – 84° |
| June | 101° | 72° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 80° – 90° |
| July | 105° | 78° | 0.2" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 87° – 95° |
| August | 105° | 78° | 0.2" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 88° – 95° |
| September | 99° | 73° | 0.3" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 83° – 90° |
| October | 87° | 63° | 0.3" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 71° – 81° |
| November | 75° | 53° | 0.3" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 56° – 69° |
| December | 66° | 45° | 0.7" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 51° – 60° |
| Year | 85° | 61° | 5.5" | 0.0" | 14 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. March swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 58° to 71°. September is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Sky Valley’s 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 Sky Valley’s center.
- Snow: Palm Springs, CA.
- Frost dates, heating and cooling: Palm Springs, CA, 10 miles away.
- Freezing nights, 90° and 100° days: Palm Springs Rgnl Airport, 10 miles from the town’s center, 690 ft lower; no station nearby passes every check; this is the nearest one in the same valley, flagged above.
- 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 Sky Valley’s climate
What is the weather like in Sky Valley?
A typical July afternoon reaches 105°, a January night drops to 47°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 95% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than all but 59 U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Sky Valley in winter?
December nights average 45°. A night at 32° or below comes in only some winters (0.3 a year on average). In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 51°.
How much snow does Sky Valley get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Palm Springs, CA, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Sky Valley?
July, with a typical high of 105° and a low of 78°. About 177 days a year reach 90° and 115 reach 100° (Palm Springs, CA).
When is the first and last frost in Sky Valley?
Most years have no frost at all: a 32° night comes in about 21% of winters at Palm Springs, CA, usually in December or January.
What growing zone is Sky Valley in?
Zone 9b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 30°.
What is the best time of year to visit Sky Valley?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), January, February, March, April, November and December. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Sky Valley getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.8° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 77% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Sky Valley.
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.