Capitol Reef National Park, UT Climate: Temperature & Rain by Month
Average temperature and precipitation from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →, with a derived climate comfort score
30-year climate normals (1991-2020) from Capitol Reef National Park's primary NOAA station, CAPITOL REEF NP.
The climate verdict for Capitol Reef National Park
Dryness leads the climate profile for Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, with 7.9 inches of precipitation a year. NOAA records an annual average of 54°F. At 48/100 (moderate) the climate comfort score falls in the bottom third of the station-mapped U.S. score corpus, exceeding only 17% of scores.
- 54°F
- annual average temperature (NOAA normal)
- 48/100
- comfort score, above 17% of station-mapped location scores
- 7.9"
- annual precipitation · 11" snow
- 193 days
- growing season, frost-free days
Capitol Reef National Park: NOAA 1991-2020 normals describe a typical year, not a forecast. Method: /methodology.
Normals record plate
Sheet USC00421171 · Capitol Reef National Park, UT 54°F mean · 7.9" precip
TEMP-COOL · RANK-MID · PHOTO-FINISH · PRCP-ARID · SWING-WIDE · COMF-LOW · LOAD-HEAT · STN-1 · BOOK-FULL
- TEMP-COOL 54°F
- RANK-MID #3,842
- PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Hovenweep Natio…
- PRCP-ARID 7.9"
- SWING-WIDE 48°F
- COMF-LOW 48/100
- LOAD-HEAT 5,246 HDD
- STN-1 USC00421171
- BOOK-FULL 6/6 fields
Nearest mean-temperature peer: Hovenweep National Monument, UT (+ 0 °F mean)
Instrument codes from this station's NOAA 1991–2020 normals, mean temperature, corpus warmth rank, photo-finish peer station, precipitation band, seasonal swing, comfort composite, degree-day load, and field book, not a livability rating.
Mean-temperature neighbourhood
Nationwide NOAA normal poles and nearest peers, not a reprint of every UT station list.
- Capitol Reef Na… (this station) 54°F
- Cold Indianapolis, IN 54°F
- Hot Muncie Delaware…, IN 54°F
- Near Hovenweep Natio…, UT 54°F
- Near Greensburg, IN 54°F
Climate Living Index · Capitol Reef National Park
Capitol Reef National Park: 44/100 · grade D
Capitol Reef National Park publishes 5 of 6 Living Index dimensions (NOAA annual/seasonal normals · NOAA daily multivariate normals); 1 missing weight rescale to 100.
PlainClimate-derived for Capitol Reef National Park, not an official NOAA rating. Rankings still use Comfort Score 48/100 (separate formula). Breakpoints and limits.
| Dimension | Station value | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Snowfall burden | 10.9 inches/year | 62/100 · C |
| Frost-free season | 193 days/year | 59/100 · C |
| Annual temperature balance | 53.7°F · 13.8° from 67.5°F | 55/100 · C |
| Normal heat + freeze calendar | 155 calendar days | 43/100 · D |
| Precipitation balance | 7.9 in · 27.1 from 35 in | 7/100 · F |
Capitol Reef National Park · 2026-08-04 · NOAA NCEI Climate Normals · method · Comfort Score method.
Capitol Reef National Park's normals sit in a dry climate class: BSk
Precipitation is low relative to temperature but above true desert thresholds: cold semi-arid steppe (BSk). Class BSk is the Peel et al. (2007) label for this station's monthly mean temperature and precipitation normals: dry (arid or semi-arid), specifically cold semi-arid steppe.
- Köppen code
- BSk
- Group
- Dry (arid or semi-arid)
- Warmest month
- 78.2°F
- Coldest month
- 30.4°F
Source: official public datasets monthly normals (1991–2020) at the city’s primary station. This is a station classification, not a mapped regional consensus.
National standing · heating-led station
Where Capitol Reef National Park sits across the climate record
Three NOAA fields for Capitol Reef National Park's primary station, temperature, precipitation, and seasonal swing, are ranked against every station-mapped normal that carries the same field.
- Annual temperature
- 56th percentile warmth
- Mid-pack annual mean versus 6,861 station normals.
- Annual precipitation
- Drier than 97%
- Capitol Reef National Park's annual total ranks in the drier third of 6,352 measured normals.
- Seasonal temperature swing
- Wider than 72%
- Warmest-to-coldest month gap for Capitol Reef National Park is large versus 6,861 complete station-years.
How Capitol Reef National Park compares across U.S. station-mapped locations
Capitol Reef National Park's comfort score vs. all station-mapped locations
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
48 17th percentile score exceeds 17% of 6,189 station-mapped location scores
- 0–10: 0 station-mapped locations (0%). Below this entry.
- 10–20: 0 station-mapped locations (0%). Below this entry.
- 20–30: 96 station-mapped locations (2%). Below this entry.
- 30–40: 280 station-mapped locations (5%). Below this entry.
- 40–50: 1,113 station-mapped locations (18%). This entry sits in this band.
- 50–60: 1,329 station-mapped locations (21%). Above this entry.
- 60–70: 1,236 station-mapped locations (20%). Above this entry.
- 70–80: 650 station-mapped locations (11%). Above this entry.
- 80–90: 921 station-mapped locations (15%). Above this entry.
- 90–100: 564 station-mapped locations (9%). Above this entry.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020
Capitol Reef National Park's measured station temperature trend
MethodologyAcross 56 complete annual observations from 1968 to 2025, CAPITOL REEF NP warmed at a fitted rate of 0.33°C per decade. The line shows the fitted change relative to its first year, not raw year-to-year temperatures or a forecast.
- Capitol Reef National Park primary station fitted change +0.33 °C/decade
Monthly Temperatures
Average daily high and low temperatures by month
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Mean | Precip | Snow | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 41°F (5°C) | 21°F (-6°C) | 31°F (-1°C) | 0.6" | 3.8" | 30.1 | 0.0 |
| February | 47°F (8°C) | 26°F (-4°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 0.5" | 1.5" | 23.2 | 0.0 |
| March | 57°F (14°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 0.5" | 1.7" | 13.5 | 0.0 |
| April | 65°F (18°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 52°F (11°C) | 0.5" | 0.2" | 5.3 | 0.0 |
| May | 74°F (24°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 0.7" | 0.0" | 0.3 | 1.1 |
| June | 86°F (30°C) | 58°F (15°C) | 72°F (22°C) | 0.3" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 11.9 |
| July | 91°F (33°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 78°F (26°C) | 1.0" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 20.8 |
| August | 88°F (31°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 75°F (24°C) | 1.1" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 13.0 |
| September | 80°F (27°C) | 55°F (13°C) | 67°F (20°C) | 0.9" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 2.1 |
| October | 66°F (19°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 55°F (13°C) | 0.9" | 0.0" | 2.6 | 0.0 |
| November | 51°F (11°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 0.5" | 1.5" | 18.7 | 0.0 |
| December | 40°F (5°C) | 21°F (-6°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 0.4" | 2.2" | 30.1 | 0.0 |
The year, day by day
Capitol Reef National Park works both ends of the calendar. Normal highs climb to 92°F by July 12 and hold at or above 90°F on 37 dates, then normal lows drop to freezing or below on 118 dates, bottoming at 19°F around December 25.
When the heat sits
Normal highs reach 90°F from June 27 through August 2, covering 37 dates. The broader mild season, normal highs of 70°F or more, runs May 6 to October 7.
This counts calendar dates whose 1991–2020 normal high reaches 90°F. It is a smaller number than the 90°F+ day counts in the monthly table above, which measure how often the threshold was actually crossed in a typical year. A date can average 88°F and still exceed 90°F in half of all years.
The freezing stretch
The normal low stays at or below 32°F into March 8, then returns to freezing around November 12, covering 118 dates in all.
Derived from the normal daily minimum. This is a different measure from the 50%-probability frost dates shown elsewhere on this page, which come from NOAA’s frost product.
Where the wet dates fall
The likeliest wet date is August 1, when 28% of years recorded at least a hundredth of an inch. The driest is December 1 at 9%. Summed across the calendar, that is about 55 wet dates a year.
The widest day
June 19 carries the biggest normal gap between afternoon and dawn, 29°F between the normal high and the normal low.
Look up any date
Any date's 1991–2020 normal for Capitol Reef National Park.
Where Capitol Reef National Park Stands Nationally
Aridity defines the water calendar: about 8 inches in a normal year lands this among the driest tenth of ranked stations.
Capitol Reef National Park earns one nationally notable standing (outer quintile) against 6,860 NOAA 1991–2020 normals stations, middle-of-the-pack metrics stay silent here.
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
Snow: 3.8"
3.3 days with precipitation
Snow: 1.5"
3.7 days with precipitation
Snow: 1.7"
3.6 days with precipitation
Snow: 0.2"
4.5 days with precipitation
4.9 days with precipitation
3.3 days with precipitation
7.7 days with precipitation
8.1 days with precipitation
5.3 days with precipitation
4.5 days with precipitation
Snow: 1.5"
2.7 days with precipitation
Snow: 2.2"
2.9 days with precipitation
Capitol Reef National Park spreads its precipitation across the year
Neither half of the year dominates here: June through August take 32% of the annual total and December through February 18%, with neither reaching the 35% that would mark a distinct wet season. Capitol Reef National Park has no dry season to plan around, though it does carry a wide 47.8°F gap between its warmest and coldest month.
The gap between the wettest and driest month still matters: August averages 1.1" and June 0.3". The three wettest months together take 39% of the year, against the 25% a perfectly flat distribution would give them.
Shares are computed from this station's own 1991-2020 monthly precipitation normals. "Spread across the year" means neither the June-August nor the December-February share reaches 35%; it describes an average year, not the variability of any single one.
Capitol Reef National Park is dry, and what does fall arrives gently
Only about 55 days a year record measurable precipitation here, 15% of the calendar, and they carry 7.9" between them. At roughly 0.14 inches on an average wet day, this is not the damp drizzle of a marine climate; it is an arid record in which precipitation is both uncommon and light when it appears.
The wettest month by count is August at about 8 wet days; the driest is November at about 3.
A low per-event average in a dry record is a statement about typical days only. Arid regions can still take a large share of a year's total from a single convective storm, which a normal cannot show.
A wet day is one recording at least 0.01 inches. These are 1991-2020 normals: they describe an average year, not the extremes within it.
Snow reaches Capitol Reef National Park, but rarely amounts to much
The normals record 10.9 inches of snow a year here, most likely in January. That is a real but marginal amount: enough that snow is part of the local record, not enough to define the winter.
A figure in this range usually reflects a handful of events that melt quickly rather than a season of accumulation; about 7 days a year record any measurable snow at all.
NOAA 1991-2020 normals. An average across thirty years can smooth away a single heavy winter, so a small annual figure does not mean a significant snowfall is impossible.
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 28
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
April 18
50% probability date
Growing Season
193 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
5,246
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
1,147
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
December
Nationwide similar cities
Other rankable U.S. places outside UT closest to Capitol Reef National Park on two NOAA annual-normal axes (mean temperature and annual precipitation). Chip rows use distinct link sets.
Closest by average temperature
Nearest out-of-state peers by annual mean temperature (54°F here).
- Beaverton, OR 54°F · 0.0°F off
- Caliente, NV 54°F · 0.0°F off
- Carrollton, MO 54°F · 0.0°F off
- Centralia, KS 54°F · 0.0°F off
Closest by annual precipitation
Nearest out-of-state peers by annual precipitation (7.9" here), excluding temperature-peer places.
- Kennewick, WA 7.9" · 0.0" off
- Casa Grande, AZ 7.9" · 0.0" off
- Hesperia, CA 7.8" · 0.0" off
- Mcdermitt, NV 7.8" · 0.0" off
Scarce-water calendar
Where Capitol Reef National Park's limited precipitation lands
heating led · dry · mid swing
Capitol Reef National Park's energy balance leans toward cold weather: 5,246 annual heating degree days against 1,147 for cooling. Its 47.8°F seasonal range still makes the monthly rows more useful than the annual average alone.
Capitol Reef National Park's frost-free season lasts about 193 days, a middle-length window whose endpoints matter more than the annual average. It describes freeze probability, not year-specific planting conditions.
July and December mark the typical warm and cold ends of the calendar in Capitol Reef National Park's middle-range seasonal profile. The measured spread is 47.8°F. The annual average is 54°F. Neither the annual mean nor one extreme month represents the full calendar on its own.
Capitol Reef National Park's cold-season load does not imply a wet climate. Annual precipitation is 7.9 inches, which places the station in PlainClimate's dry range. Annual snowfall totals 10.9 inches. The snowfall and rainfall fields should be read separately rather than inferred from temperature.
Capitol Reef National Park wettest normal
August
August concentrates the scarce annual total (7.9 inches).
Capitol Reef National Park driest normal
June
June is typically driest; arid stations are defined by when water is absent, not by a four-season grid.
Questions about Capitol Reef National Park's climate
How dry is Capitol Reef National Park? ▼
How many days above 90°F does Capitol Reef National Park get? ▼
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Capitol Reef National Park? ▼
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). All figures on this page are from Capitol Reef National Park's primary station: CAPITOL REEF NP (USC00421171). For informational purposes only.
Place identity: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer places. The conservative exact name-and-state crosswalk finds no Census place match, so PlainClimate treats this as a station-mapped location and does not claim it is a municipality. No exact Gazetteer row for Capitol Reef National Park; facility counts that depend on place identity are therefore an upper bound, not a municipal census.
On this page every temperature, precipitation, and derived score for Capitol Reef National Park comes from its primary NOAA station record. No figure on this page is typed in by an editor - each value is rendered from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 1991–2020 normals.