Santa Cruz, AZ climate
Santa Cruz has warm winters and scorching summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 106°, a January night drops to 40°, and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Santa Cruz feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Santa Cruz 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 | 67° | 40° | 0.8" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 50° – 58° |
| February | 71° | 43° | 0.9" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 51° – 62° |
| March | 78° | 48° | 0.9" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 56° – 69° |
| April | 86° | 54° | 0.2" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 64° – 74° |
| May | 95° | 63° | 0.1" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 73° – 84° |
| June | 104° | 72° | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 83° – 92° |
| July | 106° | 79° | 0.8" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 89° – 96° |
| August | 105° | 79° | 1.0" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 87° – 96° |
| September | 100° | 72° | 0.6" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 82° – 88° |
| October | 89° | 59° | 0.4" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 70° – 78° |
| November | 76° | 46° | 0.6" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 53° – 68° |
| December | 66° | 39° | 0.8" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 50° – 56° |
| Year | 87° | 58° | 7.1" | 0.0" | 24 | 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 Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz gets 7 inches of rain and melted snow a year. August is the wettest month and June the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 24 days a year.
A year-round growing season
Heating and cooling a home in Santa Cruz
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Santa Cruz, 20% of that work is heating and 80% is cooling, so air conditioning is the bigger bill.
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 Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz averaged 2.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in June (+2.9°). The shift is larger than in 98% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Santa Cruz’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 53° to 68°. September is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Santa Cruz’s climate
What is the coldest month in Santa Cruz?
December, with a typical high of 66° and a low of 39°.
What is the hottest month in Santa Cruz?
July, with a typical high of 106° and a low of 79°. About 180 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Santa Cruz get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.0 inches.
When is the first frost in Santa Cruz?
Frost is uncommon. Only 85% of years see a night at 32° or below.
What is the rainiest month in Santa Cruz?
August, with 1.0 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 7 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Santa Cruz itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Laveen 3 Sse, AZ (7 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.