Salt Lake City climate
Salt Lake City (Utah, United States) has a hot-summer continental (dry summer) climate (Köppen Dsa). The average temperature over the year is 11 °C52 °F, and about 543 mm21 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Salt Lake City climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 337 | −621 | −229 | 552.2 |
| Feb | 541 | −425 | 133 | 451.8 |
| Mar | 1151 | 133 | 642 | 542.1 |
| Apr | 1559 | 338 | 949 | 662.6 |
| May | 2170 | 947 | 1559 | 582.3 |
| Jun | 2883 | 1457 | 2170 | 301.2 |
| Jul | 3493 | 1967 | 2780 | 170.7 |
| Aug | 3290 | 1864 | 2577 | 241.0 |
| Sep | 2679 | 1355 | 2067 | 381.5 |
| Oct | 1763 | 642 | 1253 | 461.8 |
| Nov | 949 | 032 | 541 | 461.8 |
| Dec | 337 | −622 | −129 | 652.5 |
| Year | 3493 | −621 | 1152 | 54321 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84% | 60% | 2.3 | 9:33 |
| Feb | 78% | 64% | 3.2 | 10:35 |
| Mar | 67% | 63% | 4.5 | 11:49 |
| Apr | 61% | 62% | 5.6 | 13:15 |
| May | 55% | 56% | 6.6 | 14:26 |
| Jun | 45% | 37% | 7.8 | 15:05 |
| Jul | 39% | 39% | 7.5 | 14:49 |
| Aug | 38% | 39% | 6.6 | 13:47 |
| Sep | 42% | 35% | 5.4 | 12:24 |
| Oct | 53% | 45% | 3.8 | 11:02 |
| Nov | 65% | 55% | 2.5 | 9:50 |
| Dec | 81% | 63% | 1.9 | 9:16 |
Humid. = average relative humidity at 2 m; cloud = average cloud amount; solar = average daily solar energy reaching the ground in kWh/m² (all-sky); daylight in hours:minutes, calculated for the 15th of each month.
What the climate of Salt Lake City is like
The warmest month is July, with an average high of 34 °C93 °F and a low of 19 °C67 °F. The coldest is January, when highs average 3 °C37 °F and lows −6 °C21 °F. Seasons are strongly marked: the warmest month is on average 28.3 °C50.9 °F warmer than the coldest.
Annual precipitation is moderate at about 543 mm21 in. The wettest three-month stretch is March–May, which brings 33% of the annual total. Months with less than 20 mm0.8 in on average: July. The wettest month is April (66 mm2.6 in), the driest is July (17 mm0.7 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 38% in August to 84% in January. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 35%) are typical of September. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 4 km/h (3 mph) in July to 6 km/h (4 mph) in March. Daylight lasts from about 9.3 hours in December to 15.1 hours in June.
Best time to visit Salt Lake City
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are May and June and September. Average highs then reach 21 °C70 °F to 28 °C83 °F. Precipitation is 30 mm1.2 in to 58 mm2.3 in per month.
The most challenging month is December, which is cold, with average highs of 3 °C37 °F.
Comfort score: months are ranked by how close they come to an ideal. That means an average high of 21–28 °C (70–82 °F), lows above 5 °C (41 °F), little precipitation and moderate humidity. The best-ranked months of each place are recommended, even where none meets all of these. These are general rules of thumb applied to long-term averages.
What to pack for Salt Lake City
- Winter (December–February) — highs 337 to 5 °C41 °F, lows −621 to −4 °C25 °F, about 55 mm2.2 in of precipitation a month. Pack a winter coat, hat, gloves and warm, non-slip boots and shoes with good grip, as frost is common.
- Spring (March–May) — highs 1151 to 21 °C70 °F, lows 133 to 9 °C47 °F, about 59 mm2.3 in of precipitation a month. Pack long sleeves, a sweater and a medium jacket and an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings.
- Summer (June–August) — highs 2883 to 34 °C93 °F, lows 1457 to 19 °C67 °F, about 24 mm0.9 in of precipitation a month. Pack very light, breathable clothing, a sun hat and plenty of water and an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings.
- Autumn (September–November) — highs 949 to 26 °C79 °F, lows 032 to 13 °C55 °F, about 43 mm1.7 in of precipitation a month. Pack long sleeves, a sweater and a medium jacket and an extra layer for the cooler mornings and evenings.
How Salt Lake City compares
World Climates covers 222 places in the United States. By annual mean temperature, Salt Lake City is the 169th warmest of them. By annual precipitation, it is the 159th wettest. See all of them on the United States climate page.
Some places in other countries have a very similar pattern of temperature and rainfall. The closest matches are Berdyansk (Ukraine, Dfa), Azov (Russia, Dfa) and Taganrog (Russia, Dfa).
Nearby places
- Climate in West Valley City 12 km · 12 °C54 °F · 542 mm21 in
- Climate in West Jordan 17 km · 12 °C54 °F · 542 mm21 in
- Climate in Provo 62 km · 12 °C54 °F · 468 mm18 in
- Climate in Pocatello 239 km · 9 °C49 °F · 411 mm16 in
- Climate in Boise 476 km · 12 °C54 °F · 389 mm15 in
- Climate in Boulder 567 km · 11 °C53 °F · 448 mm18 in
- Climate in Fort Collins 574 km · 12 °C53 °F · 450 mm18 in
- Climate in Las Vegas 583 km · 21 °C69 °F · 147 mm5.8 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Salt Lake City?
July is the warmest month in Salt Lake City. Its average high is 34 °C (93 °F) and its average low is 19 °C (67 °F).
What is the coldest month in Salt Lake City?
January is the coldest month. Its average high is 3 °C (37 °F) and its average low is -6 °C (21 °F).
When does it rain the most in Salt Lake City?
April is the wettest month with about 66 mm (2.6 in) of precipitation. July is the driest with about 17 mm (0.7 in).
What is the best time to visit Salt Lake City?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are May and June and September.
About this data
All figures are 25-year averages (January 2001 – December 2025) from the NASA POWER project. Temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation come from the MERRA-2 reanalysis (precipitation is the bias-corrected MERRA-2 product), cloud and solar values from CERES satellite data. They describe a grid cell of roughly 50–70 km, not a single weather station. So they can differ from airport records. The gaps are largest on coasts, in mountains and for rainfall. Average highs and lows are the monthly mean temperature plus/minus half of the average daily temperature range. Counts of rainy days are not part of this dataset.
The grid cell’s average elevation is 1,744 m, while Salt Lake City lies at about 1,299 m. Temperatures on this page were therefore adjusted by +2.9 °C5.2 °F using the standard lapse rate of 6.5 °C per 1,000 m.