Catalina, AZ climate
Catalina has mild winters and hot summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 98°, a January night drops to 35°, and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Catalina feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Catalina 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° | 35° | 1.4" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 45° – 54° |
| February | 66° | 38° | 1.4" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 46° – 57° |
| March | 72° | 42° | 1.0" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 51° – 63° |
| April | 80° | 47° | 0.4" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 57° – 69° |
| May | 89° | 55° | 0.3" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 67° – 77° |
| June | 99° | 65° | 0.2" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 77° – 85° |
| July | 98° | 71° | 2.1" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 81° – 87° |
| August | 97° | 69° | 2.4" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 81° – 88° |
| September | 93° | 64° | 1.6" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 74° – 81° |
| October | 84° | 53° | 0.7" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 65° – 72° |
| November | 72° | 42° | 0.8" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 49° – 64° |
| December | 62° | 35° | 1.5" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 44° – 53° |
| Year | 81° | 51° | 13.7" | 0.0" | 40 | 0 |
“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 Catalina
Catalina gets 14 inches of rain and melted snow a year. August is the wettest month and June the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 40 days a year.
About 222 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 2 and the first one by November 11. That leaves about 222 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 83% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Catalina
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Catalina, 47% of that work is heating and 53% 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.
Catalina and its neighbors
Catalina borders 2 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 2.7°. Saddlebrooke has the coldest January nights (35°) and Oro Valley the hottest July afternoons (100°). Catalina’s January low is 35° and its July high 98°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Catalina 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 Catalina averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.4°). The shift is larger than in 62% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Catalina’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 49° to 64°. July is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Catalina’s climate
What is the coldest month in Catalina?
January, with a typical high of 63° and a low of 35°.
What is the hottest month in Catalina?
June, with a typical high of 99° and a low of 65°. About 157 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Catalina get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.0 inches.
When is the first frost in Catalina?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 11, and the last spring frost by April 2.
What is the rainiest month in Catalina?
August, with 2.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 14 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Catalina itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Tucson Camp Ave Exp, AZ (14 mi, snow) and Catalina Sp, AZ (5 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.