Yosemite Weather in February

February in Yosemite Valley is still deep winter — cold, quiet, and unpredictable in the best way. Average highs top out around 53°F while overnight lows drop to 29°F, and the month brings some of the year's heaviest precipitation, much of it falling as snow across the granite. It's also prime time for the park's rarest visual moment: on clear evenings in the back half of the month, sunset light can turn Horsetail Fall into a glowing ribbon of orange, echoing the old Firefall tradition. With crowds at their lowest point of the year, February rewards visitors willing to bundle up.

Expect a swing between cold mornings and milder afternoons. February's average high sits around 53°F, but lows can fall to 29°F overnight, with the month's typical range running roughly 47–53°F for highs and 25–29°F for lows. This is one of Yosemite's wettest months, averaging about 6 inches of precipitation, with roughly 12.5 inches of that falling as snow at Valley elevation, around 4,000 feet. Sunlight is limited too, averaging about 10.5 hours a day.

If you're picturing a day trip that also touches the high country, remember the elevation gap: Tuolumne Meadows sits near 8,600 feet and runs 20 to 30°F colder than the Valley floor, though in February that area is buried in snow and closed to vehicles anyway.

February earns a full 5 out of 5 for crowds — this is Yosemite at its emptiest. Overall, the month rates a middling 3 out of 5, weighed down by weather and activities scores of just 2 each, since cold temperatures and limited road access keep things low-key. The upside of that quiet is real: parking lots that fill by 9 a.m. in summer sit half-empty, popular viewpoints are yours without jostling for a spot, and the Valley has a stillness that disappears the rest of the year. The one wrinkle: on any weekend with even a rumor of Horsetail Fall's Firefall effect lighting up, expect a noticeable, temporary crowd surge at the viewing areas.

With Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road closed for the season, February activity centers on the Valley floor and nearby easy-access viewpoints — exactly where the month's highlights live. Tunnel View and other easy pullouts deliver snow-dusted granite scenery without any real hiking, and clear, cold evenings in the back half of February bring a chance at the Horsetail Fall light show. Photographers plan whole trips around it.

Beyond that, this is a month built for solitude: quiet Valley-floor trails, unhurried loops through meadows framed by Half Dome, and slow, contemplative walks that would be shoulder-to-shoulder with other visitors in July. Treat February as a photography and scenery month rather than a big-mileage hiking month — the payoff is quiet, not distance.

Dress for a swing of 25 to 30 degrees between morning and afternoon. An insulated jacket is non-negotiable, plus gloves and a warm hat for the 29°F overnight lows. Waterproof boots matter more this month than almost any other, given the roughly 6 inches of precipitation and 12.5 inches of snow that typically fall — much of it turning Valley-floor trails icy underfoot.

• Insulated jacket
• Microspikes or traction devices
• Tire chains (check requirements before driving)
• Gloves and a warm hat
• Waterproof boots

If you're driving into the park during a storm, carry tire chains and check requirements before you leave — they're often required even on routes that look clear at lower elevations.

Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road are closed for the winter this month, typically from around November through late May depending on snowpack — exact reopening dates shift by weeks year to year, so check current status at nps.gov/yose rather than assuming a fixed date. That closure pushes essentially all February access to the Valley floor and the roads that stay plowed.

Tire chains are frequently required elsewhere in the park during storms, so keep them in the car even for a Valley-only trip. On foot, some Valley trails turn icy in shaded, low-sun sections, so treat any packed-looking snow with caution and use traction devices rather than assuming your boots have enough grip.