Tempe, AZ climate
Tempe has warm winters and scorching summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 106°, a January night drops to 41°, and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Tempe feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Tempe 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 | 68° | 41° | 1.0" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 51° – 59° |
| February | 71° | 43° | 1.1" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 52° – 63° |
| March | 78° | 48° | 1.0" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 56° – 69° |
| April | 85° | 54° | 0.2" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 64° – 75° |
| May | 94° | 62° | 0.1" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 73° – 83° |
| June | 104° | 71° | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 82° – 91° |
| July | 106° | 78° | 0.8" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 89° – 95° |
| August | 104° | 78° | 1.0" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 87° – 95° |
| September | 100° | 72° | 0.6" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 82° – 88° |
| October | 89° | 59° | 0.6" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 70° – 78° |
| November | 76° | 47° | 0.6" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 54° – 67° |
| December | 67° | 40° | 0.9" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 50° – 57° |
| Year | 87° | 58° | 7.9" | 0.0" | 34 | 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 Tempe
Tempe gets 8 inches of rain and melted snow a year. February is the wettest month and June the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 34 days a year.
About 298 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by February 13 and the first one by December 5. That leaves about 298 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 95% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Tempe
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Tempe, 24% of that work is heating and 76% 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.
Tempe and its neighbors
Tempe borders 5 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 4.2°. Chandler has both the coldest January nights (40°) and the hottest July afternoons (106°). Tempe’s January low is 41° and its July high 106°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Tempe 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 Tempe averaged 2.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+3.0°). The shift is larger than in 99% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Tempe’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 54° to 67°. July is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Tempe’s climate
What is the coldest month in Tempe?
December, with a typical high of 67° and a low of 40°.
What is the hottest month in Tempe?
July, with a typical high of 106° and a low of 78°. About 179 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Tempe get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.0 inches.
When is the first frost in Tempe?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by December 5, and the last spring frost by February 13.
What is the rainiest month in Tempe?
February, with 1.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 8 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Tempe itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Mesa, AZ (7 mi, snow) and Tempe Asu, AZ (3 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.