Tucson, AZ Climate & Monthly Averages

Arizona, United States 🇺🇸 · semi-arid climate
Annual avg
71°
Hottest month
July
Coldest month
January
Rainy days / yr
45
Sunshine
11.0 h/day
Right now: 85° and sunny - see live conditions

The climate of Tucson

Weather in Tucson follows a semi-arid pattern. The warmest and coolest months, July and January, average 100°F (38°C) and 64°F (18°C) by day; nights in those months run 78°F (26°C) and 41°F (5°C).

Climate quick facts

  • Hottest month: July - highs near 100°F (38°C)
  • Coldest month: January - highs near 64°F (18°C)
  • Decade extremes (2015-2024): 113°F (45°C) high · 26°F (-3°C) low
  • Wettest month: July (8 rainy days) · Sunniest: May (12.9 h sun/day)
  • Climate type: semi-arid
  • Annual swing: 21°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 14°C
  • Snow: about 1 days a year
  • Months averaging 30°C or hotter: 6
  • Average humidity: 36%

Temperatures through the year

Warmth peaks in July: highs of 100°F (38°C), lows of 78°F (26°C). January bottoms out at 64°F (18°C) in daylight, 41°F (5°C) after dark. Snowfall is rare but not unheard of.

Rain, sun and snow

5 months average under 20 mm of rain, the longest unbroken stretch running April through June. Average highs hold at or above 30°C for 6 months of the year, May through October being the unbroken run. Four of the twelve months pair mild highs with fewer than twelve wet days; the longest unbroken run is February through March. The gridded 2015-2024 daily record for this location tops out at 113°F (45°C) and bottoms at 26°F (-3°C) - decade extremes, not all-time station records.

How Tucson compares

  • Afternoons run 14°C above the following night - a bigger day-to-night gap than any other city in our 3496-city dataset.
  • Relative humidity averages 36% - drier than almost every other city we track.
  • The city sees 11.0 hours of sunshine on an average day - sunnier than 95% of the 3496 cities we track.

Ranked against every city in our dataset, each measured on the same ten-year window.

Monthly climate table

Monthly averages for Tucson based on 2015–2024 weather data. Daylight is sunrise to sunset on the 15th; wet-day chance is the share of days with measurable rain.
MonthHighLow Rain daysPrecipitation SunshineDaylightWet-day chanceHumidity
January 64° 41° 5 1.8 in 9.0 h/day 10.3 h 17% 53%
February 68° 43° 4 1.4 in 9.8 h/day 11.0 h 16% 44%
March 75° 49° 4 1.2 in 10.6 h/day 11.9 h 12% 36%
April 84° 56° 1 0.2 in 12.5 h/day 12.9 h 4% 22%
May 91° 63° 1 0.1 in 12.9 h/day 13.8 h 3% 20%
June 101° 74° 2 0.3 in 12.9 h/day 14.2 h 5% 20%
July 100° 78° 8 2.0 in 11.8 h/day 14.1 h 24% 39%
August 98° 76° 6 1.6 in 11.9 h/day 13.3 h 19% 44%
September 94° 71° 5 1.9 in 11.3 h/day 12.3 h 15% 40%
October 87° 61° 3 0.6 in 10.7 h/day 11.3 h 9% 34%
November 75° 50° 3 0.7 in 9.5 h/day 10.5 h 9% 38%
December 66° 43° 5 1.4 in 8.7 h/day 10.0 h 15% 48%

Tucson month by month

Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Tucson's year (left is the coldest night, right is the warmest afternoon).

January

Coldest
64°41°
Rain
5 days
Sunshine
9.0 h
Daylight
10.3 h

February

68°43°
Rain
4 days
Sunshine
9.8 h
Daylight
11.0 h

March

75°49°
Rain
4 days
Sunshine
10.6 h
Daylight
11.9 h

April

84°56°
Rain
1 day
Sunshine
12.5 h
Daylight
12.9 h

May

DriestSunniest
91°63°
Rain
1 day
Sunshine
12.9 h
Daylight
13.8 h

June

101°74°
Rain
2 days
Sunshine
12.9 h
Daylight
14.2 h

July

HottestWettest
100°78°
Rain
8 days
Sunshine
11.8 h
Daylight
14.1 h

August

98°76°
Rain
6 days
Sunshine
11.9 h
Daylight
13.3 h

September

94°71°
Rain
5 days
Sunshine
11.3 h
Daylight
12.3 h

October

87°61°
Rain
3 days
Sunshine
10.7 h
Daylight
11.3 h

November

75°50°
Rain
3 days
Sunshine
9.5 h
Daylight
10.5 h

December

66°43°
Rain
5 days
Sunshine
8.7 h
Daylight
10.0 h

Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December

Seasons in Tucson

Spring (March through May)

Through spring, Tucson brings hot afternoons: 83°F (28°C) by day, 56°F (13°C) after dark, and precipitation is sparse, near 1.5 inches (38 mm) for the season. Daylight is generous - around 12.0 hours of sun a day.

Summer (June through August)

Through summer, Tucson runs at full heat: 100°F (38°C) by day, 76°F (25°C) after dark, and rain comes on about 15 days over the three months. Daylight is generous - around 12.2 hours of sun a day.

Fall (September through November)

Fall in Tucson is hot, with daytime highs averaging 85°F (30°C) and nights around 61°F (16°C); rain comes on about 10 days over the three months. Daylight is generous - around 10.5 hours of sun a day.

Winter (December through February)

Winter in Tucson stays on the cool side of mild, with daytime highs averaging 66°F (19°C) and nights around 42°F (6°C); rain comes on about 14 days over the three months.

Climate questions, answered

What should I wear in Tucson?
It depends on the month: July runs to 100°F (38°C) while January holds at 64°F (18°C). The full month-by-month breakdown is in the packing notes above.
Which months are driest in Tucson?
5 months average under 20 mm of rain, with May the driest at 3 mm (0.1 in).
Is Tucson cold in winter?
January nights average 41°F (5°C). Chilly rather than harsh - hard freezes are uncommon.
Are nights cold in Tucson?
By about 14°C on an average day - a wider day-to-night gap than most of the 3496 cities we track. In July that means 100°F (38°C) down to 78°F (26°C).
Is Tucson humid?
Relative humidity averages 36% across the year, which reads as dry. The most comfortable stretch falls in the drier half of the year.
How sunny is Tucson?
11.0 hours a day averaged over the year, peaking in May at 12.9 hours.

Best time to visit Tucson

The best time to visit Tucson is generally November to April, when temperatures sit either side of the peak heat rather than in it. Daytime temperatures in that window sit near 72°F (22°C), with rain on about 4 days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in November.

Pack for Tucson with lightweight, breathable clothing and serious sun protection. Note the gap between afternoon and night: July pairs 100°F (38°C) with 78°F (26°C).

Tucson temperature records (2015-2024)

Highest recorded
113°
in June
Lowest recorded
26°
in December
Annual precipitation
13.3"
Snowy days / yr
1

Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need the precipitation in other units? The mm-to-inches rainfall converter handles it.