Nevada City is pleasant year-round, though each season has a different character. Spring (April–May) brings green hills and wildflowers along the South Yuba River. Summer is warm and dry, good for swimming in the river and hiking, though temperatures can reach 90°F (32°C) in July and August. Autumn brings cooler weather and the beginning of the wine harvest in the surrounding foothills.
Winter is worth considering. Nevada City gets occasional snow — light dustings that look beautiful on the Victorian storefronts — and the town fills up for Victorian Christmas weekends in December, one of the better seasonal celebrations in the Gold Country. The Malakoff Diggins road can be snowy and should be checked before driving in winter.