Death Valley records about 48mm of rain across roughly 4 wet days a year, which is a 1% chance on an average day. February is the wettest month at 8mm (17% of the annual total) and May the driest at 1mm. Local rain type: brief showers. Death Valley holds the world record for highest temperature (56.7°C). Rain is almost nonexistent — heat is the weather concern.
Chance of rain on an average day: 1%
Rainfall climatology for Death Valley. The live hour-by-hour answer for today loads at the top of this page from Open-Meteo and refreshes through the day — the figures below describe a typical year, not today.
Last updated: · Live forecast data refreshes hourly.
| Annual rainfall | 48mm |
| Rain days per year | 4 |
| Odds on an average day | 1% |
| Wettest month | February — 8mm over 1 days |
| Driest month | May — 1mm over 1 days |
| Rain type | brief showers |
| Best dry window | November through March offers comfortable temperatures for hiking. |
| Worst rain window | June through August is dangerously hot — outdoor activity should be avoided. |
February delivers 700% more rain than May (8mm vs 1mm). That gap is the difference between planning around showers and ignoring them.
No single month holds more than 17% of the annual total, so rain in Death Valley is spread through the year — there is no season you can rely on being dry.
Death Valley rain typically comes as discrete showers, so a compact umbrella and a flexible plan are usually enough.
Rain falls on about 1 days in February against 1 in May — the frequency swing matters more for planning than the millimetre totals.
Climate normals. Use them to judge whether today's live forecast at the top of the page is typical or unusual for the season.
| Month | Rainfall | Rain days | Chance on a given day | Highs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7mm | 1 | 3% | 18°C |
| February | 8mm | 1 | 3% | 18°C |
| March | 6mm | 1 | 3% | 22°C |
| April | 3mm | 1 | 3% | 29°C |
| May | 1mm | 1 | 3% | 36°C |
| June | 1mm | 1 | 3% | 43°C |
| July | 2mm | 1 | 3% | 47°C |
| August | 3mm | 1 | 3% | 47°C |
| September | 2mm | 1 | 3% | 43°C |
| October | 2mm | 1 | 3% | 36°C |
| November | 3mm | 1 | 3% | 29°C |
| December | 4mm | 1 | 3% | 22°C |
Rain probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm falls at your location — not how long it rains. For Death Valley we combine the hourly probability curve, expected volume in millimetres, and the city's own rainfall record into a single umbrella verdict.
| Factor | Weight | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly probability | 40% | Peak and sustained chance of measurable rain across the next 24 hours. |
| Expected volume | 30% | Total millimetres, which separates a passing shower from a genuine soaking. |
| Timing & duration | 20% | When rain starts, when it eases, and the longest continuous dry window. |
| Local rain type | 10% | Drizzle, brief showers, thunderstorms or monsoon — each needs different gear. |
Live hourly values come from Open-Meteo and refresh through the day. Monthly rainfall figures are climate normals, so they describe a typical year rather than a forecast.
Death Valley records rain on roughly 4 days a year — about a 1% chance on any given day — totalling around 48mm.
February, with about 8mm over 1 rain days. That is 17% of the entire year's rainfall in a single month.
May is the driest month at 1mm across roughly 1 days. November through March offers comfortable temperatures for hiking.
Death Valley holds the world record for highest temperature (56.7°C). Rain is almost nonexistent — heat is the weather concern.
No. Probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm of rain falls at your location at some point in the period. Check the expected millimetres alongside it: 40% with 0.4mm is a passing shower, 40% with 12mm is a soaking.