Best time to visit South Lake Tahoe, CA, USA

Our verdict

The best time to visit South Lake Tahoe is October-November

Based on a number of criteria such as the weather conditions, cost of flights and hotels, peak travel seasons and much more, October-November is the best time to go to South Lake Tahoe.

In summer, the average maximum temperature is around 23℃ (74℉), but temperatures can sometimes reach as high as 27℃ (81℉) on the hottest days of the year. The weather at night in the winter can get down to temperatures as low as -10℃ (15℉).

The longest days between sunrise and sunset in South Lake Tahoe are usually in July, so if you want to get the most out of your daytime activities, be sure to plan your visit around this time. To stay dry, avoid travelling to South Lake Tahoe in March – It’s the wettest month of the year.

If you want to learn everything you need to know about the best times to travel to South Lake Tahoe, the weather and stats by month and so much more, make sure you keep reading. Once you’re ready, we’ve included a bunch of our favourite online booking tools to help you find the best deals on flights, accommodation and anything else you’ll need for your trip. Happy reading!

Warmest month

July

Least rainfall

August

Most daylight

July

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South Lake Tahoe seasons

Before you continue, it’s important to know when the seasons are in South Lake Tahoe as they might be different to yours depending on where in the world you’re travelling from. South Lake Tahoe is in the Northern Hemisphere, so the seasons fall during these months:

Season Months
Summer June to August
Autumn/fall September to November
Winter December to February
Spring March to May

Average temperatures in South Lake Tahoe

If the temperature is a big factor for you to help you decide when to visit, the chart below shows the average minimum and maximum temperatures in South Lake Tahoe for each month side-by-side so you can easily see the difference in weather throughout the year. To see the temperatures in both Celsius (°C) and Fahrenheit (°F), hover or tap the shaded boxes on the graph.

South Lake Tahoe climate by month

If you already have a rough idea about which months you might want to travel, the section below shows a detailed breakdown of the climate in South Lake Tahoe for each month so you can see if it all suits your wants and needs. Scroll down, or use the quick menu below to jump to your preferred month.

Jump to:

JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC

South Lake Tahoe in January

  • Average temperature: -1℃ (30℉)
  • Average high temperature: 3℃ (38℉)
  • Average low temperature: -5℃ (23℉)
  • Average humidity: 77%
  • Average sunny days: 18 days
  • Average rainfall: 88mm (3") over 5 days
  • Average snow days: 10 days
18 days
of pure sunshine
5 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to South Lake Tahoe in January, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


South Lake Tahoe in February

  • Average temperature: -2℃ (29℉)
  • Average high temperature: 2℃ (36℉)
  • Average low temperature: -6℃ (22℉)
  • Average humidity: 78%
  • Average sunny days: 16 days
  • Average rainfall: 98mm (4") over 4 days
  • Average snow days: 12 days
16 days
of pure sunshine
4 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to South Lake Tahoe in February, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


South Lake Tahoe in March

  • Average temperature: 0℃ (32℉)
  • Average high temperature: 4℃ (39℉)
  • Average low temperature: -4℃ (25℉)
  • Average humidity: 81%
  • Average sunny days: 13 days
  • Average rainfall: 108mm (4") over 7 days
  • Average snow days: 15 days
13 days
of pure sunshine
7 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to South Lake Tahoe in March, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


South Lake Tahoe in April

  • Average temperature: 3℃ (38℉)
  • Average high temperature: 8℃ (46℉)
  • Average low temperature: -2℃ (28℉)
  • Average humidity: 75%
  • Average sunny days: 14 days
  • Average rainfall: 53mm (2") over 9 days
  • Average snow days: 10 days
14 days
of pure sunshine
9 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to South Lake Tahoe in April, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


South Lake Tahoe in May

  • Average temperature: 7℃ (45℉)
  • Average high temperature: 12℃ (54℉)
  • Average low temperature: 1℃ (34℉)
  • Average humidity: 66%
  • Average sunny days: 16 days
  • Average rainfall: 48mm (2") over 10 days
  • Average snow days: 5 days
16 days
of pure sunshine
10 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to South Lake Tahoe in May, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


South Lake Tahoe in June

  • Average temperature: 12℃ (53℉)
  • Average high temperature: 18℃ (65℉)
  • Average low temperature: 5℃ (41℉)
  • Average humidity: 52%
  • Average sunny days: 23 days
  • Average rainfall: 12mm (0") over 5 days
  • Average snow days: 1 days
23 days
of pure sunshine
5 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to South Lake Tahoe in June, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


South Lake Tahoe in July

  • Average temperature: 16℃ (61℉)
  • Average high temperature: 23℃ (74℉)
  • Average low temperature: 8℃ (47℉)
  • Average humidity: 43%
  • Average sunny days: 24 days
  • Average rainfall: 12mm (0") over 5 days
24 days
of pure sunshine
5 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to South Lake Tahoe in July, make sure you pack a coat or jumper for the evenings, and t-shirts and light gear for the daytime.


South Lake Tahoe in August

  • Average temperature: 15℃ (59℉)
  • Average high temperature: 23℃ (73℉)
  • Average low temperature: 8℃ (46℉)
  • Average humidity: 42%
  • Average sunny days: 26 days
  • Average rainfall: 8mm (0") over 4 days
26 days
of pure sunshine
4 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to South Lake Tahoe in August, make sure you pack a coat or jumper for the evenings and some light clothes for the daytime.


South Lake Tahoe in September

  • Average temperature: 12℃ (54℉)
  • Average high temperature: 20℃ (67℉)
  • Average low temperature: 6℃ (43℉)
  • Average humidity: 46%
  • Average sunny days: 25 days
  • Average rainfall: 10mm (0") over 4 days
  • Average snow days: 1 days
25 days
of pure sunshine
4 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to South Lake Tahoe in September, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.

South Lake Tahoe in October

  • Average temperature: 7℃ (45℉)
  • Average high temperature: 14℃ (56℉)
  • Average low temperature: 1℃ (34℉)
  • Average humidity: 54%
  • Average sunny days: 25 days
  • Average rainfall: 23mm (1") over 5 days
  • Average snow days: 2 days
25 days
of pure sunshine
5 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to South Lake Tahoe in October, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


South Lake Tahoe in November

  • Average temperature: 2℃ (35℉)
  • Average high temperature: 8℃ (46℉)
  • Average low temperature: -3℃ (27℉)
  • Average humidity: 64%
  • Average sunny days: 20 days
  • Average rainfall: 47mm (2") over 4 days
  • Average snow days: 8 days
20 days
of pure sunshine
4 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to South Lake Tahoe in November, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


South Lake Tahoe in December

  • Average temperature: -2℃ (28℉)
  • Average high temperature: 2℃ (36℉)
  • Average low temperature: -6℃ (21℉)
  • Average humidity: 76%
  • Average sunny days: 17 days
  • Average rainfall: 87mm (3") over 6 days
  • Average snow days: 13 days
17 days
of pure sunshine
6 days
of showers or rain

What to pack: If you’re heading to South Lake Tahoe in December, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.


Top FAQs

The hottest month of the year in South Lake Tahoe is usually July, where temperatures tend to rise to around 23℃ (74℉) in the middle of the day or early afternoon.
The month with the least amount of rain in South Lake Tahoe is generally around August. The dry season often coincides with cooler weather, so you should check the temperatures in August first to make sure it’s still a good time to go.
The rainiest time of year in South Lake Tahoe is generally around March, although the wetter season can sometimes extend a few months either side of March too.
If you want to get the most out of your time visiting South Lake Tahoe, or if you're just afraid of the dark, the days in July are usually the longest between sunrise and sunset.

South Lake Tahoe map