The meteorology in the Indian Wells Valley is predominantly influenced by its high desert location. The climate is characterized by hot days and cool nights, with extreme arid conditions prevailing throughout the summer months. For current weather conditions take a quick peek.
Mountains surround the Ridgecrest area.
To the west and northwest is the Sierra Nevada range with peaks rising above 6,000 feet west of Ridgecrest, and with Mount Whitney and other peaks 75 miles northwest exceeding 14,000 feet in elevation. To the north is the Coso Range, extending above 8,000 feet, to the east is the Argus Range with elevations of 6,000 feet. South is the El Paso Range with heights above 5,000 feet. The floor of the valley is desert, consisting of sandy soil, with a large dry lake bed. Ridgecrest is geographically well located for the mission of the China Lake Naval Air Warfare Center, because of its good flying weather and abundant air space essential for weapons testing and evaluation.