Historical weather data, all-time temperature records, and monthly climate averages for Palm Desert, CA. Explore typical weather conditions by week for trip planning, and see how today compares to the historical record.
April 5th sits right in Palm Desert's sweet spot — historically averaging a high of 84° with virtually no chance of rain. The range of possibilities on this date is wild though: it's reached as high as 107° (back in 1904) and dipped to a chilly 38° overnight in 1945.
Palm Desert doesn't mess around when it comes to heat — the all-time record of 123° set on June 26, 1970 puts it in elite company among the hottest places on the planet. Even the cold extremes are dramatic by desert standards: a 13° reading in January 1937 and nearly six and a half inches of rain in a single September day in 1939.
If you're planning a visit, spring and fall are the sweet spots — April averages 87° and October hits 92°, both far more manageable than the brutal July peak of 107°. Winters are genuinely mild, with January highs around 71°, making it a popular escape from colder climates. Rain is essentially a non-event year-round, with even the wettest week of the year — late December — averaging just 0.16 inches.