Benson, AZ climate
Benson has mild winters and hot summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 94°, a January night drops to 34°, and about 1 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Benson feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Benson weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 63° | 34° | 0.9" | 0.5" | 4 | 0 | 43° – 52° |
| February | 65° | 36° | 0.9" | 0.1" | 4 | 0 | 45° – 55° |
| March | 71° | 40° | 0.7" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 51° – 61° |
| April | 78° | 46° | 0.2" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 56° – 67° |
| May | 87° | 53° | 0.2" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 64° – 74° |
| June | 96° | 62° | 0.3" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 74° – 82° |
| July | 94° | 67° | 3.4" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 78° – 84° |
| August | 92° | 67° | 3.1" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 77° – 85° |
| September | 89° | 61° | 1.7" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 71° – 78° |
| October | 81° | 50° | 0.6" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 62° – 69° |
| November | 71° | 39° | 0.6" | 0.4" | 3 | 0 | 48° – 62° |
| December | 62° | 33° | 0.9" | 0.2" | 4 | 0 | 43° – 52° |
| Year | 79° | 49° | 13.5" | 1.2" | 53 | 1 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in Benson
Benson gets 14 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and May the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 53 days a year.
About 237 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 20 and the first one by November 15. That leaves about 237 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 88% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Benson
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Benson, 62% of that work is heating and 38% is cooling.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How Benson compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Benson averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.4°). The shift is larger than in 75% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Benson’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. November swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 48° to 62°. July is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Benson’s climate
What is the coldest month in Benson?
December, with a typical high of 62° and a low of 33°.
What is the hottest month in Benson?
June, with a typical high of 96° and a low of 62°. About 79 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Benson get?
About 1 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Benson?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 15, and the last spring frost by March 20.
What is the rainiest month in Benson?
July, with 3.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 14 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Benson itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Tombstone, AZ (21 mi, snow) and Kartchner Caverns, AZ (6 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.