Climate and Weather: Moab
If there is an outdoor recreation haven in Utah (and there are many), Moab would have to take top honors. Surrounded by stunning national parks and other scenic public lands, many visitors don't want to leave this portion of Utah that combines a moderate climate with an abundance of outdoor recreation opportunities. For climbers and canyoneers, Moab's good weather combined with a variety of unique geological resources and formations, including balanced rocks, fins and pinnacles, and highlighted by a striking environment of contrasting colors, landforms and textures, simply cannot be beat.
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This part of Utah receives an average of nine inches of precipitation a year. Most of this moisture comes in the form of melting winter snows. The high elevations in the park, 4,000 to 6,000 feet, and the snow create what many ecologists call a cold or high desert. The dryness of the air creates a situation where more moisture could be evaporated from plants and the ground than actually accumulates during the year.
The average maximum summer temperature is approximately 90 F, but varies considerably depending on elevation. As a result of the unusual conditions, the assemblage of plants and animals found here is a unique blend, not found in other deserts of the world. Summer temperatures, with highs hovering near 100 F, discourage crowds and tend to make strenuous exercise difficult.
But the shoulder seasons of spring and fall are the best times to climb here. Most precipitation falls in late summer and early autumn thunderstorms. Winters are cold, with highs averaging 30 to 50 F, and lows averaging 0° to 20° F.