Sonoita has mild winters and warm summers, with very little rain
A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 32°, and snow is almost unheard of.
A year in Sonoita at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Sonoita’s climate
Read from where Sonoita sits among Arizona’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
What a year in Sonoita feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Rain and snow in Sonoita
July is the wettest month and May the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 57 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
About 0.7" in a normal year, so most winters see none.
About 237 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 28 and the first by November 21.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Living with Sonoita’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
237 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Mar 28 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Nov 21.
About 0.7" in a normal winter.
Months averaging under 55° run from November through March. Heating is 65% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 60 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 88°.
The nicest months are April, May, September and October. 1.1 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Sonoita averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.4°).
A bigger shift than in 72% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Sonoita compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Arizona.
Sonoita 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 | 59° | 32° | 1.4" | 0.2" | 4 | 0 | 40° – 50° |
| February | 61° | 33° | 1.3" | 0.2" | 4 | 0 | 42° – 52° |
| March | 67° | 38° | 1.0" | 0.1" | 3 | 0 | 47° – 57° |
| April | 73° | 42° | 0.4" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 52° – 62° |
| May | 82° | 49° | 0.3" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 59° – 70° |
| June | 91° | 59° | 0.5" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 70° – 78° |
| July | 88° | 64° | 4.4" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 73° – 79° |
| August | 86° | 63° | 3.8" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 72° – 79° |
| September | 84° | 58° | 2.2" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 67° – 73° |
| October | 77° | 47° | 0.9" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 59° – 65° |
| November | 67° | 37° | 0.9" | 0.2" | 3 | 0 | 44° – 59° |
| December | 58° | 31° | 1.5" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 40° – 49° |
| Year | 74° | 46° | 18.5" | 0.7" | 57 | 0 |
Heating and cooling a home in Sonoita
65% of the work is heating.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. November swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 44° to 59°. July is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Sonoita’s climate
What is the coldest month in Sonoita?
December, with a typical high of 58° and a low of 31°.
What is the hottest month in Sonoita?
June, with a typical high of 91° and a low of 59°. About 60 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Sonoita get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.7 inches.
When is the first frost in Sonoita?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 21, and the last spring frost by March 28.
What is the rainiest month in Sonoita?
July, with 4.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 19 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Sonoita.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Sonoita itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Patagonia Paton Ctr, AZ (11 mi, snow) and Sonoita, AZ (1 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. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.