Climate Comfort Score
90/100
Excellent
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 71°F annual avg 4 stations
Tucson, AZ Climate
Explore average temperature, rainfall, and comfort score sourced from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 climate normals →
- 71°F
- Avg annual temp
- 90/100
- Comfort score
- 10.6"
- Annual precip
- 307d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 4 weather stations (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Tucson
Tucson, Arizona averages 71°F a year and scores 90/100 on the comfort index - excellent, milder than 94% of U.S. cities.
- 71°F
- average temperature, NOAA 1991-2020 normal
- 90/100
- comfort score, milder than 94% of U.S. cities
- 10.6"
- annual precipitation
- 307 days
- frost-free growing season
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
71°F (21°C)
Avg High
84°F
Avg Low
57°F
Annual Precip
10.6"
Annual Snow
0.1"
Comfort Score
90/100
Excellent
Avg Annual Temperature
71°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
10.6"
Liquid-equivalent total
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Tucson) 90.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Excellent for the Tucson area.
How Tucson compares to every U.S. city
Tucson's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
90 Top 6% higher than 94% of 6,915 US cities
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020
Warming context for Tucson
MethodologyTucson's NOAA 1991-2020 normal sits inside a longer story: U.S. land temperatures have been tracking (and drifting from) the global mean since 1900, and the chart below shows that spread, with the most recent decade running warmer than the 30-year mean.
- United States land mean (NOAA NCEI) +0.11 °C/decade
- Global anomaly (NASA GISTEMP) +0.11 °C/decade
- Paris Agreement thresholds 1.5°C / 2.0°C
Monthly Temperatures
Average daily high and low temperatures by month
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Mean | Precip | Snow | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 67°F (19°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 0.8" | 0.0" | 3.8 | 0.0 |
| February | 69°F (21°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 0.8" | 0.1" | 1.7 | 0.1 |
| March | 76°F (24°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 62°F (17°C) | 0.6" | 0.0" | 0.3 | 1.2 |
| April | 83°F (28°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 0.2" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 7.5 |
| May | 92°F (33°C) | 62°F (17°C) | 77°F (25°C) | 0.2" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 21.6 |
| June | 101°F (38°C) | 71°F (22°C) | 86°F (30°C) | 0.2" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 29.2 |
| July | 100°F (38°C) | 76°F (25°C) | 88°F (31°C) | 2.2" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 29.5 |
| August | 99°F (37°C) | 75°F (24°C) | 87°F (31°C) | 2.0" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 29.2 |
| September | 95°F (35°C) | 70°F (21°C) | 83°F (28°C) | 1.3" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 25.7 |
| October | 86°F (30°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 73°F (23°C) | 0.7" | 0.0" | 0.1 | 13.0 |
| November | 75°F (24°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 62°F (16°C) | 0.6" | 0.0" | 1.0 | 0.8 |
| December | 66°F (19°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 1.0" | 0.0" | 4.8 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 0.8"
4.2 days with precipitation
February 0.8"
Snow: 0.1"
4.0 days with precipitation
March 0.6"
3.1 days with precipitation
April 0.2"
1.6 days with precipitation
May 0.2"
1.4 days with precipitation
June 0.2"
1.6 days with precipitation
July 2.2"
8.8 days with precipitation
August 2.0"
8.5 days with precipitation
September 1.3"
4.4 days with precipitation
October 0.7"
2.9 days with precipitation
November 0.6"
2.5 days with precipitation
December 1.0"
4.4 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
December 9
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
February 5
50% probability date
Growing Season
307 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
1,333
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
3,424
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
December
Humidity & Wind
Monthly averages from hourly observations
| Month | Humidity | Wind (mph) | Clear Sky % | Overcast % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 38% | 7.0 | 73% | 9% |
| February | 35% | 7.4 | 72% | 10% |
| March | 25% | 7.9 | 79% | 5% |
| April | 18% | 8.2 | 84% | 2% |
| May | 17% | 7.7 | 87% | 2% |
| June | 23% | 8.0 | 78% | 2% |
| July | 41% | 7.4 | 60% | 6% |
| August | 42% | 7.4 | 67% | 5% |
| September | 31% | 7.5 | 78% | 3% |
| October | 32% | 7.3 | 80% | 4% |
| November | 37% | 6.7 | 79% | 8% |
| December | 45% | 6.7 | 73% | 12% |
What Tucson's climate means for you
Tucson runs 71°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in December.
- Gardeners get about 307 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near February 5 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 1,333 heating and 3,424 cooling degree days a year, higher means the furnace or AC runs more.
- Comparing places to live? Line this city up against nearby cities and the national rankings. See rankings
These are 30-year NOAA normals (1991–2020) - the typical year, not a forecast for any specific season.
Climate Guides
Climate Insight: Tucson, AZ
Based on 4 weather stations feeding NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals, Tucson, Arizona averages 71°F a year, ranging from a mean daily high of 84°F to a mean daily low of 57°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while December is the coldest. Because these figures are thirty-year averages rather than any single year's readings, they describe the typical month, not a forecast for it.
Anyone planning to live, garden, or travel in Tucson should weigh precipitation alongside temperature: the annual average runs 10.6 inches, with negligible snowfall. The frost-free season averages 307 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near February 5 and the first fall freeze near December 9. And on the energy front, 1,333 heating degree days and 3,424 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Tucson scores 90/100 (Excellent), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. For planning purposes, look to the monthly tables above: shoulder seasons bring the mildest highs and lows, summer brings July-driven heat, and deep winter brings December-driven cold. Treat every figure here as a thirty-year average rather than a forecast - individual years routinely run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than the normal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Tucson, AZ? ▼
The average annual temperature in Tucson, Arizona is 71°F. The warmest month averages 101°F (38°C) and the coldest averages 41°F (5°C).
How much rain does Tucson get? ▼
Tucson receives 10.6 inches of precipitation annually, including 0.1 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Tucson? ▼
Tucson has a climate comfort score of 90/100 (Excellent), milder than 94% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Tucson? ▼
Tucson has approximately 307 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around February 5 and the first fall freeze around December 9.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Tucson? ▼
Tucson has 1,333 heating degree days and 3,424 cooling degree days annually, a cooling-dominated climate. See our <a href="/guides/reading-weather-data/" class="underline hover:text-brand-600">guide to reading weather data</a> for what these figures mean.
Where does this Tucson climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from 4 weather stations near Tucson.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USW00023160. For informational purposes only.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainClimate Editorial
Every figure on PlainClimate is rendered directly from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.