Question: What is the weather like in the Grand Canyon?
Answer: The weather in the Grand Canyon is going to vary depending on the season and it will also vary large amounts between day and night. This is mainly due to the physical characteristics of the desert where the Grand Canyon is located, being a wide open space that will not have the heat trapping effects that cities will. In areas that are developed, the weather patterns are influenced by many factors that will produce outcomes that are not natural. For example, areas with traffic from cars will generally be hotter than they would if they were not populated. Buildings and air pollution all work to trap heat closer to the ground and not let it escape, which will cause the locations of population centers to be higher temperatures than they would if they were not populated. The Grand Canyon is a wide expanse that is not surrounded by population centers, which allow heat from the day time to escape at night, while also producing far clearer views of the sky than you would get from a populated area. This is why so many people will comment on the night sky looking far more interesting when camping than they have ever seen before. Your views of the stars and planets are not obscured or obstructed by air pollution in any way, allowing you to see it like you may have never seen it before.
The real reason that the weather question is usually asked is because people want to know how to dress during a tour of the Grand Canyon. The last thing that you want to have happen is that you make the commute to the area only to find that you cannot spend time outside due to the cold or heat, being either over dressed or not having enough layers to remain comfortable. While rain and snow is usually not an issue due to there being very few days with precipitation yearly int he area, the actual air temperatures can make the trip unpleasant if you are not prepared. Even though the Grand Canyon is the desert, many may misunderstand what this means if they have never experienced it for themselves. They may assume that the desert is sweltering and hot all year long (probably from what they have seen in movies) but this is far from the case. In the winder months from November until April, the average temperature highs will almost never go into the sixties, instead generally hovering in the high forties. Night time temperatures will usually hover around freezing, with January being the coldest month. Summer time is far warmer, with July and August seeing average highs in the mid-eighties and lows at night hovering int eh sixties. You can see that these are hardly the sweltering temperatures that you would see in desert communities like Las Vegas or even in areas like Death Valley, which will see far warmer temperatures in the summer. Instead, the Grand Canyon will generally feel very much like springtime to someone who is from a colder climate and it might even feel like winter if you are used to hot temperatures. It is always best to bring layers to wear, and at least a jacket or coat that you can take off or put on as necessary. The area does got snow in the winter, although it will usually not be heavy enough to close roads or cause traffic issues.
Your tour of the Grand Canyon is going to be different depending on which time of year you visit. Hiking and exploring is best in the spring and fall when it is not at the hottest or coldest, and even though a temperature of 85 degrees may seem perfect, it can get a little hot when you are hiking. If you are planning on taking one of our tours and visiting the Grand Canyon, we are always available to answer questions like these and give you a little guidance as far as what to bring and how to dress for the trip. Below you can find an average temperature list for the Grand Canyon by month.