Big Bend National Park Weather

 

 

Current Conditions:

Regional Weather Forecasts

• NOAA Recreational Report - Locate the listing for "Big Bend National Park" near the top of the report. Always current.

• NOAA Big Bend Area Zone Forecast - Brewster County, TX.

• National Weather Service Forecast - West Texas

 

Park Alerts!

• Are there any park facilities or areas closed today?

 

Get the Big Bend National Park Daily Report

Park Weather Station Data

• Big Bend National Park Daily Report
  Weather readings, river levels, park conditions/closures
  Updated every morning.

• Chisos Basin

• Panther Junction

• Persimmon Gap

• Rio Grande Village

• Castolon

BEAT THE HEAT!

Learn how to plan, pack, and recreate during the heat of Big Bend summers.
Don't let the heat ruin your Big Bend trip!

 

River Level Observations

• West Texas River Gauging Stations overview
  gauge heights and NWS predictions for individual stations

• Presidio for Colorado Canyon & BBRSP flows

• Castolon for Santa Elena Canyon flows

• Johnsons Ranch for the "great unknown" & Mariscal Cyn. flows

• Rio Grande Village for Hot Springs Cyn & Boquillas Cyn. flows

• Dryden for Lower Canyons flows

• Langtry

 

Live Weather and Air Quality Data

• Ozone, Solar Radiation, Visibility, Temperature, and more

Recorded at the K-Bar monitoring site (near Panther Junction)

 

Live View From Panther Junction

Big Bend is famous for wide expansive panoramas. The view from Park Headquarters is always changing, and always spectacular. The view is to the Northwest, and updated every 15 minutes. On a clear day, distant peaks over 80 miles away are clearly visible.

Additional Information: NPS Air Quality Camera Webcam for Big Bend. Visibility and air quality readings.

View Webcam

Status: AQ Lookup Error: Please confirm Webcam URL.

 

Average Temperatures & Precipitation

The tables below reflect average readings at the three primary park areas recorded over the last 5 years.

• Chisos Basin (mountain areas),
• Panther Junction (mid-elevation),
• Rio Grande Village (typical park desert and river corridor).

 

Rio Grande Village

Elevation 1,850'

	Jan	Feb	March	April	May	June	July	Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec
Avg High °F	70	75	86	93	102	107	106	106	99	90	78	74
Avg Low °F	31	37	45	53	67	63	65	65	59	48	36	29
Avg Precip (inches)	.37	.17	.40	.39	1.22	1.12	1.24	1.48	1.42	.62	.48	.34
Avg Cumulative Precip (inches)	.37	.54	.93	1.32	2.55	3.66	4.90	6.38	7.80	8.42	8.90	9.24

 

Panther Junction

Elevation 3,750'

	Jan	Feb	March	April	May	June	July	Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec
Avg High °F	62	66	75	83	90	95	95	94	88	80	69	65
Avg Low °F	38	39	48	54	67	70	72	72	65	56	42	37
Avg Precip (inches)	.69	.38	.31	.36	1.52	1.55	1.93	2.01	1.75	.66	.82	.51
Avg Cumulative Precip (inches)	.69	1.06	1.37	1.73	3.25	4.80	6.73	8.73	10.49	11.15	11.97	12.47

 

Chisos Basin

Elevation 5,401'

	Jan	Feb	March	April	May	June	July	Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec
Avg High °F	59	63	70	77	84	88	87	87	80	74	65	61
Avg Low °F	37	41	46	53	62	66	67	66	61	53	45	41
Avg Precip (inches)	.77	.49	.36	.59	1.55	2.08	3.18	3.38	2.64	.77	.87	.55
Avg Cumulative Precip (inches)	.77	1.26	1.62	2.21	3.76	5.84	9.02	12.41	15.05	15.81	16.69	17.24

 

Conditions Through the Year

Big Bend is in the Chihuahuan Desert. Sunshine is abundant most of the year.

Spring is typically warm and pleasant and is the park's busiest season.

Summer heat begins in May. It is extremely hot. Temperatures vary greatly between the desert floor, which is usually well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit by late morning, and the Chisos Mountains, which can be 10-15 degrees cooler. May through August are the hottest months. Visitors should be familiar with heat safety.

The rainy season runs from July through September, with locally heavy thunderstorms and some flash flooding possible. The rainy season can be a delightful time to visit since afternoon and evening rains often cool the desert.

Fall quickly melds into winter which is pleasantly mild and usually sunny, although periods of cloudy weather and freezing cold do occur. Snow is rare and generally light. Winter visitors must prepare for a variety of conditions.

Elevation is Everything

Important: Major weather forecasts for Big Bend National Park only list conditions at Park Headquarters/Panther Junction (elevation 3,750'). That is NOT typical for the majority of the park's area. Temperatures over the majority of the park desert and along the Rio Grande will always be 10 degrees hotter. Temps in the higher elevation Chisos Mountains average approximately 10 degrees cooler. Be prepared for this kind of variation during your trip.

Dress for the Weather

No matter the time of year, a wide-brimmed hat, comfortable clothing and sturdy walking shoes or boots are necessary for anyone planning to explore outdoors. Sunscreen is a must and hikers should always carry plenty of water; one gallon per person per day is recommended. Summer visitors should be aware of heat safety, such as wearing clothing that protects from the sun and avoiding activity during midday. Winter visitors should be prepared for any weather; temperatures vary from below freezing to above 80 degrees Fahrenheit .