Palm Springs weather in January

Joshua Tree-forum threads on a January visit describe daytime temperatures as genuinely comfortable in the sixties Fahrenheit, posters naming nights in the thirties as the real cold part of the day. Regulars call even a sunny seventy-two-degree afternoon genuinely deceptive, several posters warning it can feel cold the moment you step into shade. Posters call crowds genuinely thin in January, several regulars naming New Year's week as the one real exception to otherwise quiet trails. Regulars call January genuinely one of the coldest months here despite still feeling pleasant thanks to reliable sun, several threads naming layers, a warm hat, gloves and a fleece as standard packing. Posters recommend preparing for the rare chance of a light dusting late in the month, several regulars calling this a real possibility even if uncommon. The record: 16.2C days, 4.6C nights, 18.8mm across over 3 days and 46 percent humidity.

Forum posters describe May in Palm Springs as genuinely hot, with highs commonly in the upper 90sF especially later in the month - one May visitor reported highs in the upper 90s to low 100sF most days, along with warm overnight temperatures and occasional poor air quality from blowing dust and sand. Posters consistently recommend early May specifically over late May for anyone prioritizing pool time without triple-digit heat, describing that window as warm enough to swim in an unheated pool while still falling short of the true 100+F heat typical from June through September. Posters consistently flag May, alongside late October, as a genuine shoulder-season sweet spot for avoiding peak winter rates while still getting comfortable outdoor conditions, at least early in the month. Posters generally recommend planning outdoor time for morning or evening once temperatures climb later in May.

November is the desert at its best, and the forum's own window is roughly 15 October to 1 December: days around 24°C, nights dropping to about 12. Two things they raise that the temperature cannot. First, light — the sun goes behind the mountains close to 4pm and it is dark by about 5 by mid-month, which shortens an afternoon far more than the date suggests. Second, timing inside the month: the end of November fills up with snowbirds arriving and Thanksgiving. Pools swim fine on a sunny day if heated; unheated ones really do not. Rain is rare, though storms do pass through.