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Best Time for the Yosemite to Death Valley
Sweet spot: February, March, April — computed from NASA POWER climate normals across the route's overnight towns, balancing temperature, rainfall and daylight.
The magic window: Yosemite's waterfalls at full blast while Death Valley is still merely hot, not lethal.
Tioga Pass is open but the Valley floor hits 47°C — dawn only, then climb back to the Sierra's cool.
| Month | Temp | Rain | Daylight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -19.1–17.1°C | 70 mm | 9.7 h | ❄ |
| February | -18.3–19.1°C | 64 mm | 10.6 h | ❄ |
| March | -16.7–22.3°C | 53 mm | 11.7 h | ❄ |
| April | -13.1–26.5°C | 35 mm | 13.0 h | ❄ |
| May | -5.7–31.1°C | 22 mm | 14.0 h | ❄ |
| June | -2.2–35.4°C | 6 mm | 14.6 h | |
| July | 6.3–36.7°C | 12 mm | 14.3 h | |
| August | 4.5–35.5°C | 8 mm | 13.4 h | |
| September | -2.3–33.9°C | 8 mm | 12.2 h | |
| October | -9.5–29.1°C | 25 mm | 11.0 h | ❄ |
| November | -16.8–23.1°C | 36 mm | 10.0 h | ❄ |
| December | -19.4–17.3°C | 72 mm | 9.4 h | ❄ |