Winnemucca sits at 1,300 metres on the high Nevada steppe and the weather follows the basin-and-range pattern of dry summers and cold winters.
Late May to early October is the best window for any outdoor activity — the Santa Rosa Range and Winnemucca Mountain are clear, the dirt roads are passable, and the days are long. July and August can hit 38°C but the dry air makes the heat tolerable, and the nights are cool.
Winter (November to March) is cold, occasionally snowy, and the high country is inaccessible — but the town itself stays open and a stop on a Nevada road trip works year-round. The annual Tri-County Fair and the Basque festival in early summer are worth timing for.