Snow almost never falls on the Palm Springs desert floor, which sits at about 487 feet. A ten-minute ride on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway reaches the Mountain Station at about 8,516 feet, where winter brings a snow-covered alpine forest.
Few places in the United States have that much winter contrast in one ride. On the same storm day, the desert can be warm enough for shorts and the mountain cold enough for a parka. For the desert floor's full year, see Palm Springs weather by month.
Does It Snow in Palm Springs?
Snow almost never sticks on the Palm Springs valley floor. Palm Springs sits at about 487 feet in a low desert basin, and the National Weather Service San Diego office, which covers the Coachella Valley, records no routine measurable snowfall at that elevation. Winter storms in the valley bring cold rain, gusty wind and occasional graupel. Mount San Jacinto, the mountain wall directly behind the city, gets regular winter snow above about 6,000 to 7,000 feet in most years.
The tramway's Valley Station, at about 2,643 feet, occasionally gets a dusting in an unusually cold storm. The Mountain Station, at about 8,516 feet near San Jacinto Peak, has real winter snowpack most seasons. The same split defines snow across low-elevation Southern California, as does it snow in Los Angeles explains. Palm Springs packs the desert-to-alpine change into a shorter distance and steeper climb than almost anywhere else in the region.
| Location | Approximate elevation | Typical winter storm conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Palm Springs (desert floor) | About 487 feet | Cold rain and wind; measurable snow is exceptionally rare |
| Tramway Valley Station | About 2,643 feet | Cold rain, with an occasional light dusting in colder storms |
| Tramway Mountain Station | About 8,516 feet | Regular accumulating snow, often several inches to over a foot per storm |
| San Jacinto Peak | 10,834 feet | Consistent winter snowpack lasting weeks between storms |
How Can One Storm Bring Valley Rain and Mountain Snow?
One storm brings rain to Palm Springs and snow to San Jacinto because the peak rises more than 10,000 feet above the Coachella Valley floor within a few miles. It is one of the steepest mountain faces in the contiguous United States.
Air cools as it rises up that face. The snow level, the elevation where rain turns to snow, crosses the mountain partway up. Below it, the storm drops rain on the desert; above it, the same moisture falls as snow. For the San Gabriel foothills, see does it snow in Pasadena.
In a typical winter storm, the snow level sits around 5,000 to 7,000 feet, low enough to whiten the upper tram route while the valley gets rain and wind. In a colder, stronger storm, the snow level drops several thousand feet lower, closer to the tramway's Valley Station.
The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway makes this elevation change easy to see. The ride climbs nearly 6,000 vertical feet in about ten minutes and passes through several vegetation zones. Elevation does not guarantee conditions on any given day, though. Check the tramway's own current conditions report for operating status and whether snow is falling or on the ground at the top.
When Could Flakes Reach the Palm Springs Floor?
Snow reaches the Palm Springs floor only when a storm is cold enough to push the snow level down to the valley and still carries enough moisture for precipitation. That combination is uncommon in the desert. Southern California's coldest storms are often its driest by the time they reach the Coachella Valley. Flakes reported at low elevation in the valley have been light, brief and mixed with rain.
Graupel is often mistaken for snow in Palm Springs. Graupel is soft pellets of rimed ice from cold winter showers that briefly look like snow on windshields and lawns before melting within minutes. Snow on the slopes above the valley is much more common than flakes landing in Palm Springs itself.
What Does Palm Springs Snow History Show?
Snow on the Palm Springs valley floor is rare, and the valley's snow history is thin. Check any specific date or amount against official National Weather Service and NOAA climate normals records. The mountain record is solid: San Jacinto Peak and the upper tramway zone get measurable snow in nearly every winter, based on the 1991-2020 NOAA Climate Normals. The valley floor's record consists mostly of scattered, lightly documented cold snaps.
A strong mountain snow record next to a thin valley record is the accurate answer to how often it snows in Palm Springs. For a specific historic date on the valley floor, rely on NWS San Diego's official records, not unverified local claims.
Where Can Visitors Find Nearby Winter Snow?
The nearest winter snow to Palm Springs is at the top of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, which climbs from the desert floor to about 8,516 feet near San Jacinto Peak. That elevation holds reliable snowpack most winters, and the tram reaches it in minutes. High wind, ice or heavy snow can pause or slow the tram, so check its operating status and summit conditions directly, even on a sunny day in the valley.
For a road trip to snow, Big Bear Lake, at about 6,750 feet in the San Bernardino Mountains, and Wrightwood, at about 6,000 feet in the San Gabriel Mountains, offer winter snow and lift-served skiing most seasons. Each has its own elevation, access road and snow season. See does it snow in Big Bear Lake and the regional overview at where does it snow in Southern California.
How Should You Plan for Valley and Mountain Conditions?
Plan a trip to the Coachella Valley and San Jacinto's upper slopes with two forecasts, not one. Check the Palm Springs point forecast from NWS San Diego for the valley. Then check the separate mountain forecast and current tram status before heading up. A mild, sunny desert afternoon can sit directly below a cold, windy, snowy summit at the same hour.
The top of the tram is routinely 30°F to 40°F colder than the valley floor, and a light desert breeze can be a strong, cold wind at 8,000 feet. Pack layers even if the day starts in shorts. If you drive instead, for example toward the San Bernardino Mountains, check Caltrans QuickMap for chain controls and closures, and review the NWS winter weather safety guidance if snow driving is new to you. For the same elevation split around Los Angeles, see does it snow in Los Angeles.
Palm Springs and San Jacinto are two climates stacked on top of each other: a warm desert floor and an alpine summit, separated by a ten-minute tram ride and nearly 6,000 vertical feet. Before a day that includes both, check the conditions for Palm Springs and the tramway's Mountain Station separately on WeatherLA's forecast pages, and bring more than shorts.