Scottsdale, AZ climate
Scottsdale has warm winters and scorching summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 103°, a January night drops to 44°, and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Scottsdale feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Scottsdale 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 | 65° | 44° | 1.7" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 51° – 60° |
| February | 68° | 46° | 1.7" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 51° – 62° |
| March | 74° | 50° | 1.5" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 54° – 69° |
| April | 81° | 56° | 0.4" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 62° – 73° |
| May | 91° | 63° | 0.2" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 71° – 82° |
| June | 100° | 72° | 0.1" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 81° – 90° |
| July | 103° | 79° | 1.0" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 87° – 94° |
| August | 102° | 78° | 1.6" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 86° – 94° |
| September | 97° | 74° | 1.1" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 81° – 88° |
| October | 86° | 62° | 0.8" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 70° – 79° |
| November | 74° | 51° | 0.9" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 54° – 68° |
| December | 64° | 44° | 1.4" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 51° – 58° |
| Year | 84° | 60° | 12.3" | 0.0" | 32 | 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 Scottsdale
Scottsdale gets 12 inches of rain and melted snow a year. February is the wettest month and June the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 32 days a year.
A year-round growing season
Heating and cooling a home in Scottsdale
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Scottsdale, 21% of that work is heating and 79% 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.
Scottsdale and its neighbors
Scottsdale borders 6 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 3.6°. Tempe has both the coldest January nights (41°) and the hottest July afternoons (106°). Scottsdale’s January low is 44° and its July high 103°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Scottsdale 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 Scottsdale averaged 2.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+3.1°). The shift is larger than in 98% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Scottsdale’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. March swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 54° to 69°. July is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Scottsdale’s climate
What is the coldest month in Scottsdale?
December, with a typical high of 64° and a low of 44°.
What is the hottest month in Scottsdale?
July, with a typical high of 103° and a low of 79°. About 161 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Scottsdale get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.0 inches.
When is the first frost in Scottsdale?
Frost is uncommon. Only 70% of years see a night at 32° or below.
What is the rainiest month in Scottsdale?
February, with 1.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 12 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Scottsdale itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Fountain Hills, AZ (10 mi, snow) and Scottsdale Municipal Airport, 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.