December scores 88/100 for outdoor ceremonies: very low rain risk (1 wet days, 4mm), 22°C afternoons cooling to about 13°C for the reception, and 9.5 hours of daylight for the photography schedule. August is the month to avoid at 50/100.
December outdoor ceremony score: 88/100
Climate normals for Death Valley rescored on wedding-specific weighting. Once your date falls inside the 14-day window the live forecast on this page takes over.
Last updated: · Live forecast data refreshes hourly.
| Best wedding month | December — 88/100 |
| Second choice | November — 85/100 |
| Month to avoid | August — 50/100 |
| Rain risk in the best month | Very low — rain on about 1 days |
| Guest comfort | 100/100 at 22°C |
| Reception temperature | ≈ 13°C after sunset in December |
| Photo light | 8h of sun across a 9.5h day |
| Months scoring 65+ | 8 of 12 |
December keeps seated guests at 22°C in the afternoon and around 13°C after sunset — the closest Death Valley gets to a ceremony that needs neither shade structures nor patio heaters.
Rain falls on roughly 1 days in December (very low risk, 4mm). A simple marquee-on-standby is usually enough.
December gives 9.5 hours of daylight and about 8 hours of direct sun per day, so a late-afternoon ceremony puts portraits inside golden hour rather than after it.
August scores 50/100 for weddings in Death Valley: 47°C highs, 3mm of rain and 37°C evenings make a fully outdoor plan fragile.
Scored on rain risk, guest comfort, evening temperature and photographic light — deliberately different weighting from the travel score.
| Month | Wedding score | Rain risk | Afternoon | Evening | Guest comfort | Photo light |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 76/100 | Very low (1 days) | 18°C | 9°C | 86/100 | 52/100 |
| February | 77/100 | Very low (1 days) | 18°C | 9°C | 86/100 | 53/100 |
| March | 83/100 | Very low (1 days) | 22°C | 13°C | 100/100 | 42/100 |
| April | 81/100 | Very low (1 days) | 29°C | 19°C | 71/100 | 51/100 |
| May | 72/100 | Very low (1 days) | 36°C | 26°C | 41/100 | 95/100 |
| June | 57/100 | Very low (1 days) | 43°C | 33°C | 12/100 | 100/100 |
| July | 50/100 | Very low (1 days) | 47°C | 37°C | 0/100 | 100/100 |
| August | 50/100 | Very low (1 days) | 47°C | 37°C | 0/100 | 100/100 |
| September | 57/100 | Very low (1 days) | 43°C | 33°C | 12/100 | 98/100 |
| October | 71/100 | Very low (1 days) | 36°C | 26°C | 41/100 | 89/100 |
| November | 85/100 | Very low (1 days) | 29°C | 19°C | 71/100 | 80/100 |
| December | 88/100 | Very low (1 days) | 22°C | 13°C | 100/100 | 72/100 |
Wedding weather is scored differently from travel weather: seated guests in formalwear tolerate a narrower band than sightseers, and the ceremony hour matters more than the daily average. Each month in Death Valley is scored 0–100 on the weighting below.
| Factor | Weight | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Dry conditions | 38% | Share of days with measurable rain — the single factor most likely to force a backup plan. |
| Guest comfort | 27% | Distance from a 22°C daytime ideal, with an extra penalty for humid heat above 24°C. |
| Evening temperature | 20% | Modelled reception-hour temperature against an 18°C ideal for an outdoor evening. |
| Photo light | 15% | Sunshine hours and daylight length, which set the length and quality of the golden hour window. |
Based on long-run climate averages rather than a forecast. Plan the ceremony around the golden hour — see golden hour times for Death Valley linked below.
December, at 88/100. It combines very low rain risk with 22°C afternoons and roughly 13°C evenings, which is the most forgiving combination Death Valley offers for seated guests.
August scores 50/100: 47°C highs, 3mm of rain over about 1 days and 37°C evenings make a fully outdoor plan fragile.
In December rain falls on roughly 1 of 30 days, so the single-day probability is about 3%. In August that rises to about 3%.
A marquee on standby is usually enough in December, where rain risk is very low. Outside the 8 months scoring 65 or higher, book real covered space.
December gives 9.5 hours of daylight and about 8 hours of direct sun. Put portraits in the final 60–90 minutes of daylight so they land inside golden hour rather than after it.