Few U.S. towns get less rain and snow than Golden Valley: 10 inches a year
July afternoons average 89°. Seasons differ by 64°, from the coldest nights to the warmest afternoons. Summer afternoons here are warmer than in 72% of U.S. towns. For walks and days out, May, June and September bring highs of 69–79°.
A year in Golden Valley at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Golden Valley’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Golden Valley’s place in Nevada beside it.
What a year in Golden Valley feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 150 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 8 and the first by October 12. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Stead, NV, 3 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Golden Valley’s center in zone 7b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 6°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 17 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Stead, NV, falls mostly in December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 10 inches a year; January is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 44 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Golden Valley
90% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Stead, NV.
Living with Golden Valley’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
150 frost-free days in zone 7b. The last frost comes by May 8 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 12.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June and September. 10 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Golden Valley from natural hazards, wildfire is the largest share (45%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 1%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Golden Valley and its neighbors
Sun Valley the hottest July afternoons (90°, 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 Golden 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Valley, NV | 25° | 89° | 10" | 17" |
| Wenatchee, WA | 26° | 89° | 10" | 17" |
| Madras, OR | 26° | 87° | 11" | 14" |
| Kimberly, ID | 22° | 90° | 10" | 24" |
| Williamson, AZ | 26° | 91° | 13" | 10" |
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 Golden Valley averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.7°).
A bigger shift than in 67% 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 Golden Valley compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Golden Valley’s place among Nevada’s.
Golden Valley weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Golden Valley’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Stead, NV. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 44° | 25° | 1.7" | 4.0" | 6 | 26° – 42° |
| February | 48° | 28° | 1.3" | 3.1" | 6 | 32° – 45° |
| March | 54° | 32° | 1.2" | 2.5" | 5 | 36° – 49° |
| April | 60° | 35° | 0.5" | 0.6" | 4 | 42° – 53° |
| May | 69° | 43° | 0.7" | 0.1" | 4 | 48° – 64° |
| June | 79° | 50° | 0.5" | 0.0" | 3 | 60° – 70° |
| July | 89° | 58° | 0.4" | 0.0" | 2 | 67° – 77° |
| August | 87° | 56° | 0.2" | 0.0" | 1 | 67° – 75° |
| September | 79° | 49° | 0.2" | 0.0" | 1 | 60° – 68° |
| October | 66° | 39° | 0.6" | 0.0" | 3 | 47° – 58° |
| November | 53° | 30° | 0.8" | 1.0" | 4 | 32° – 48° |
| December | 43° | 25° | 1.5" | 5.4" | 5 | 27° – 38° |
| Year | 64° | 39° | 9.7" | 16.7" | 44 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. November swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 32° to 48°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Where Golden 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 Golden Valley’s center.
- Snow: Stead, NV.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Stead, NV, 3 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; the nearest station that passes our checks for distance, height and agreement with the grid.
- 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 Golden Valley’s climate
What is the weather like in Golden Valley?
A typical July afternoon reaches 89°, a January night drops to 25°, and about 17 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 64% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 72% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Golden Valley in winter?
December nights average 25°. About 147 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 27°.
How much snow does Golden Valley get?
About 17 inches in a normal winter at Stead, NV, most of it in December.
How hot does it get in Golden Valley?
July, with a typical high of 89° and a low of 58°. About 40 days a year reach 90° and 1 reach 100° (Stead, NV).
When is the first and last frost in Golden Valley?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 8 and the first fall frost by October 12, about 150 frost-free days, at Stead, NV.
What growing zone is Golden Valley in?
Zone 7b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 6°.
What is the best time of year to visit Golden Valley?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Golden Valley getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.6° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 67% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Golden 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.