Weather
There's a reason half a million people flock to Palm Springs in winter and flee at the close of spring. The area averages 328 days of sunshine per year. Rainfall is rare and sporadic, totaling only some 5 in/13 cm yearly, with most of that falling in brief yet often violent thunderstorms.
Winter temperatures are usually in the 70s and 80s F/low to mid-20s C—perfect for a sunny round of golf while the neighbors back home are shoveling out from under the snow. However, temperatures can dip as low as the high 50s F/low teens C on rare winter days, when freezing temperatures are common at night.
Palm Springs sizzles in summer. By July and August, temperatures rarely drop below 100 F/38 C, and days on end with temperatures close to 120 F/49 C are a possibility before things begin to cool off in September.
Although the air is extremely dry, and the high temperatures therefore quite tolerable, July and August can be humid. High winds scour the valley during much of the year, and flash floods are a serious danger on roadways following heavy rains.
Snow blankets the top of Mount San Jacinto and neighboring mountains through the winter months. Temperatures atop the mountain are always about 30 degrees F/17 degrees C cooler than on the valley floor.