Payson, AZ climate
Payson has mild winters and hot summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 30°, and about 19 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Payson feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Payson 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 | 55° | 30° | 2.4" | 4.7" | 5 | 2 | 38° – 49° |
| February | 58° | 31° | 2.4" | 4.9" | 6 | 1 | 38° – 51° |
| March | 64° | 35° | 1.9" | 2.0" | 5 | 0 | 42° – 56° |
| April | 70° | 40° | 0.8" | 2.0" | 3 | 0 | 49° – 60° |
| May | 79° | 47° | 0.5" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 57° – 68° |
| June | 90° | 56° | 0.2" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 67° – 77° |
| July | 92° | 63° | 2.6" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 75° – 81° |
| August | 90° | 62° | 2.8" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 73° – 80° |
| September | 85° | 56° | 1.7" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 67° – 74° |
| October | 75° | 46° | 1.3" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 56° – 65° |
| November | 63° | 36° | 1.4" | 1.3" | 4 | 0 | 42° – 57° |
| December | 54° | 30° | 2.1" | 3.6" | 6 | 1 | 39° – 47° |
| Year | 73° | 44° | 20.1" | 18.5" | 62 | 5 |
“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 Payson
Payson gets 20 inches of rain and melted snow a year. August is the wettest month and June the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 62 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 5 days of the year.
About 176 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 29 and the first one by October 24. That leaves about 176 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 53% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Payson
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Payson, 79% of that work is heating and 21% 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 Payson 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 Payson averaged 2.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.9°). The shift is larger than in 94% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Payson’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 42° to 57°. July is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Payson’s climate
What is the coldest month in Payson?
January, with a typical high of 55° and a low of 30°.
What is the hottest month in Payson?
July, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 63°. About 65 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Payson get?
About 19 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Payson?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 24, and the last spring frost by April 29.
What is the rainiest month in Payson?
August, with 2.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 20 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Payson itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Payson, AZ (2 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.