Moab weather in August

August in Moab: sweltering, dry, with clean air — not the time — 35°C afternoons.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Moab🇺🇸 United States · Desert Southwest · Trekking43
  1. 69Jan
  2. 77Feb
  3. 88Mar
  4. 95Apr
  5. 84May
  6. 50Jun
  7. 34Jul
  8. 43Aug
  9. 65Sep
  10. 91Oct
  11. 82Nov
  12. 72Dec

#11 of 12 months in Moab · #1282 of 1413 destinations to visit in August · comfort 43/100 (tier F)

Days
37°C
Nights
21°C
Wet days
4
Sun
12.4 h
Humidity
30%
Daylight
14 h
Moab, United States
Photo: Francisco Jaramillo · Pexels

Traveller notes on Moab in August

Notes from nearby Canyonlands National Park (40 km away)

Moab doesn't have its own notes for August yet — these are about Canyonlands National Park, close enough to share the season.

Canyonlands-forum threads on mid-August visits describe conditions in the nearby Moab area as genuinely intense by midday, readings pushing toward the upper nineties Fahrenheit at lower elevations, typical for this stretch of summer. Posters recommend scheduling serious outdoor activity for morning and evening, saving the hottest midday hours for shade or an indoor break. Regulars describe the shade-versus-sun contrast as dramatic here, standing in direct exposure feeling dramatically more intense than a shaded overlook just steps away. Posters call any river or water feature consistently cold regardless of how hot the air runs, worth knowing before wading in. Regulars recommend carrying more water than feels necessary, dehydration risk genuinely serious in August heat. Posters call the canyon overlooks worth the early start required to see them comfortably. The record: 33.9C days feeling like a punishing 32C, 18C nights, a very low 26 percent humidity and 12.4 hours of sun.
CanyonlandsAugustRegular · August · 1 month ago · about Canyonlands National Park · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Other months in Moab

Moab-forum threads on a January visit describe crowds as genuinely essentially nonexistent, one visitor naming only about fourteen other people on the Delicate Arch hike compared with hundreds during peak season. Regulars call microspikes genuinely required at the Devils Garden trailhead, several posters naming these as removable once you reach open slickrock further along the trail. Posters call Dead Horse Point and Canyonlands genuinely deserted this time of year, several regulars naming this a real draw for anyone wanting the views without the usual traffic. Regulars call some hotel and restaurant closures genuinely standard in January, several threads naming lower prices as the real tradeoff worth planning around. Posters recommend checking which businesses are actually open before a January trip, several regulars calling this standard given how much winter closures vary. The record: 5.8C days, -4.7C nights, 14.7mm across under 3 days and 66 percent humidity.
MoabJanuaryRegular · January · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Moab-forum threads on a September visit call this genuinely one of the most popular months, posters describing highs in the eighties and lows in the fifties Fahrenheit as considerably more comfortable than the desert's summer extremes. Regulars call sunrise arriving around six-thirty to seven in September, a real advantage for anyone wanting an early start without the brutal pre-dawn heat of midsummer. Posters recommend the Fisher Towers section of the Colorado River for a scenic float with low rapids, both full and half-day trips considered strong September options. Regulars call Arches' timed entry permit essential to book ahead, entering before seven or after four the only way around it otherwise. Posters recommend booking a Moab-area campsite as backup, Arches' own sites filling by seven-thirty most September mornings. The record: 32.1C days feeling like 34C, 15.7C nights, 13mm across over 2 days and 27 percent humidity.
MoabSeptemberRegular · September · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Moab-forum threads on the real deal with July weather describe average highs as sitting around ninety-nine degrees Fahrenheit, posters calling this genuinely brutal for midday activity. Regulars recommend doing hikes early and late in the day, spending the actual midday hours in a hotel pool or somewhere air-conditioned in town. Posters call flash flood risk genuinely high this time of year, seasonal storms rolling in off tropical moisture capable of turning a dry wash dangerous within minutes. Regulars recommend checking current forecasts and avoiding narrow canyons entirely when a storm system is nearby. Posters describe the desert landscape as still spectacular in July for anyone willing to plan around the heat and storm risk both. Regulars call real sun protection and far more water than feels necessary standing advice regardless of activity. The record: 38.2C days feeling like 37C, 22.4C nights, a scant 2.6 days of measurable precipitation and 24 percent humidity.
MoabJulyRegular · July · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Moab-forum threads on a February visit are consistent this can genuinely swing both ways within the same day, freezing mornings giving way to sunny, comfortable afternoons in the low fifties Fahrenheit on a good stretch. Posters call a light dusting entirely possible in shaded spots and higher terrain, though it rarely lingers long at the lower elevations most trails sit at. Regulars recommend real traction devices for icy sections regardless of how clear the trailhead looks, ice in shaded canyon stretches a standing hazard this time of year. Posters recommend layering heavily and adjusting through the day rather than committing to one outfit. Regulars call the primary park roads reliably open, though some backcountry routes stay closed through winter. Posters describe February crowds as genuinely thin, popular viewpoints often nearly empty compared to peak season. The record: 9.9C days feeling like 6C, -2.2C nights, a notably high 3.6cm of fresh accumulation and 57 percent humidity.
MoabFebruaryRegular · February · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Add your own note from Moab's card on the map.

Moab climate normals — August

Daytime high37°C / 98°F🔥 sweltering
Nighttime low21°C / 69°F
Feels like (high)35°C / 95°F
Rainfall22 mm / 0.9 in☀️ dry
Rainy days4 days
Humidity30%🌵 dry
Dew point7°C / 45°F
Sunshine12.4 h/day
Daylight13.6 h
Wind15 km/h / 9 mph
Air quality (US AQI)44🍃 good

Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.

Crowds in Moab in August

How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.

BusySummer break in United States, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it(estimated)

JFMAMJJASOND

Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Moab's weather

Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).

Toughest weatherMoab's best weather comes in March, April and October — separate windows, not one continuous season.

August coincides with Summer heat.

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Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Moab in August

Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.

  • Hazard

    Summer heat

    15 Jun – 5 Sep · usuallyExtreme heat

    There is no shade on the slickrock and no water on the trails. Rangers close the Fiery Furnace and Delicate Arch to guided groups in the worst of it, and the local rule is off the rock by ten. Source ↗

  • Hazard

    Monsoon flash floods

    10 Jul – 15 Sep · usuallyFlood seasonClosures

    Storms that break fifty miles upstream fill the slot canyons here with no warning, and the road into Canyonlands' Needles has been cut by debris more than once. Check the forecast for the whole watershed, not the town. Source ↗

What's on around the world in August →

Nearby, and something's on

Within 300 km of Moab — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.

Where is Moab?

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Moab in August — FAQ

Is August a good time to visit Moab?
August in Moab: sweltering, dry, with clean air — not the time — 35°C afternoons. It ranks #11 of 12 months for Moab on SeasonMap's comfort score (43/100).
What is the weather like in Moab in August?
In August, Moab averages a daily high of 36.5°C and a low of 20.8°C, with about 22 mm of rain over roughly 3.9 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Moab in August?
Moab has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 44 in August.

Within 300 km: Telluride's Alpine wildflowers around 5 Jul – 10 Aug, and Mesa Verde National Park's Cliff dwelling tour season around 1 May – 20 Oct.