Las Vegas weather runs from cool, dry winters to long, blazing desert summers, and the swing between them is bigger than most visitors pack for. Plan for both. July is the hottest month, with an average high of 104.5°F (40.3°C) at Harry Reid International Airport, and December is the coolest, at 56.9°F (13.8°C) by day and close to 40°F (4°C) at night. The comfortable months are April and October, when afternoons sit between the high 70s and low 80s °F (about 25 to 28°C). Every number below is from NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals, month by month, with what each month is good for.
Las Vegas weather in January: mild days, cold nights
January in Las Vegas averages a high of 58.5°F (14.7°C) and a low of 40.5°F (4.7°C). Bring a real coat. The desert gives up its heat fast after sunset, so a sweater that's plenty at lunch turns into coat weather on the pedestrian bridges by dinner. The CES technology show also fills the city's hotel rooms for one week in January. That's the hardest week of the year to talk your way into a better room, which our guide to the $20 sandwich trick explains.
Las Vegas weather in February: the wettest month
February is the wettest month of the year in Las Vegas, and that still means 0.80 inches (20 mm) of rain across about four days. Highs reach 62.9°F (17.2°C) and lows 44.1°F (6.7°C). Nights stay cold. It's a good month for long walks down the Strip in daylight, when the sun is warm and the pavement hasn't started radiating heat back at you.
Las Vegas weather in March: the desert wakes up
March is when Las Vegas warms up: highs climb to 71.1°F (21.7°C) and lows to 50.5°F (10.3°C), and the sun is out for more than 300 hours of the month. It's hiking season. The red rock outside town is at its best before the heat arrives. Our Red Rock Canyon and Valley of Fire tours guide covers the two closest desert parks.
Las Vegas weather in April: one of the two best months
April is one of the best months to visit Las Vegas. The average high is 78.5°F (25.8°C), the low 56.9°F (13.8°C), and the whole month averages 0.20 inches (5 mm) of rain. Shorts by day. A light jacket by night. It's the month for the long outdoor trips you would skip in July, and our guide to Grand Canyon tours from Las Vegas compares six ways to reach the West Rim.
Las Vegas weather in May: pool season opens
May turns hot. Highs average 88.5°F (31.4°C), lows 66.1°F (18.9°C), and the month sees barely 0.07 inches (2 mm) of rain. The sun is relentless. Pool season is in full swing, and Electric Daisy Carnival takes over Las Vegas Motor Speedway in mid-May. If a dayclub is on the list, our Las Vegas dress code guide covers what gets you past the rope.
Las Vegas weather in June: the driest month
June is the driest month in Las Vegas, at 0.04 inches (1 mm), and the first that comes close to a 100°F (38°C) average: highs run 99.4°F (37.4°C) and lows 75.8°F (24.3°C). Do outdoor things early. Afternoons belong indoors, and Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay is an air-conditioned hour that works for any age.
Las Vegas weather in July: the hottest month
July is the hottest month in Las Vegas, with an average high of 104.5°F (40.3°C) and an average low of 82.0°F (27.8°C), so the night barely cools at all. Nights stay hot. Pool days and air conditioning are the plan. Afternoon thunderstorms can roll in off the mountains without much warning. For the opposite of July, our guide to the city's ice bars kept below freezing compares the three locations.
Las Vegas weather in August: heat and storms
August averages 102.8°F (39.3°C) by day and 80.6°F (27.0°C) at night, nearly as hot as July, with 0.32 inches (8 mm) of rain that tends to arrive all at once. Storms come fast. Early morning and late evening are the only comfortable hours outside. The evening paddle in our Black Canyon kayak tours guide is built around that: you're on the Colorado River below Hoover Dam as the canyon cools.
Las Vegas weather in September: still summer
September is still summer in Las Vegas. Highs average 94.9°F (34.9°C) and lows 72.4°F (22.4°C), and the nights finally start to give some relief. It's still pool weather. A warm evening is the best time to see the Strip from above. Our comparison of the Vegas Strip helicopter tours at night covers the two short flights over the neon.
Las Vegas weather in October: the best month to visit
October is the best month to visit Las Vegas for most travelers. The average high is 81.2°F (27.3°C), the low 59.6°F (15.3°C), and the sun is out for about 300 hours of it. It's the sweet spot. It's warm enough for the pool early in the month and cool enough to walk the Strip all evening. It's also Halloween month, and our Las Vegas haunted houses guide covers the season's scares.
Las Vegas weather in November: jacket weather returns
November cools fast: highs fall to 67.1°F (19.5°C) and lows to 47.3°F (8.5°C), so evenings need a jacket again. Nights turn crisp. The Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix races on the Strip itself in November, and it runs at night, in the coldest hours of the day. Thanksgiving week is busy, and our Thanksgiving in Las Vegas guide lists the shows playing over the holiday.
Las Vegas weather in December: the coldest month
December is the coldest month in Las Vegas, with an average high of 56.9°F (13.8°C) and an average low of 39.6°F (4.2°C). Nights get cold. It's also one of the busiest months. The National Finals Rodeo fills the city in early December, the resorts decorate for the holidays, and New Year's Eve closes the Strip to traffic. Our guides cover NFR concerts, Christmas in Las Vegas and the hotels inside the New Year's Eve Strip closure.
The short version
For the weather alone, book April or October. Layers win. In every month, the desert drops 18 to 23°F (10 to 13°C) between the afternoon high and the overnight low, so a layer belongs in the bag even in summer, and the Strip is about four miles (6.5 km) long, so do the shoes. Sunscreen or a winter coat you'd rather not fly with can wait for you at the front desk: our guide to shipping a package to your Las Vegas hotel has a free address generator, and our Las Vegas trip cost calculator prices the rest of the trip. Once the dates are set, our Las Vegas events this weekend page shows what is on, and the New Year's Eve in Las Vegas page covers the biggest week of the year.
