Vail, AZ climate
Vail has mild winters and hot summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 97°, a January night drops to 36°, and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Vail feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Vail 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° | 36° | 1.1" | 0.1" | 4 | 0 | 45° – 56° |
| February | 67° | 38° | 1.1" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 47° – 58° |
| March | 73° | 42° | 0.8" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 52° – 63° |
| April | 81° | 47° | 0.4" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 58° – 69° |
| May | 89° | 55° | 0.2" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 66° – 76° |
| June | 98° | 65° | 0.3" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 76° – 85° |
| July | 97° | 70° | 3.0" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 80° – 86° |
| August | 95° | 70° | 2.8" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 80° – 87° |
| September | 92° | 64° | 1.6" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 74° – 80° |
| October | 84° | 53° | 0.8" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 65° – 72° |
| November | 73° | 42° | 0.8" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 49° – 65° |
| December | 64° | 35° | 1.4" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 45° – 54° |
| Year | 81° | 51° | 14.3" | 0.1" | 48 | 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 Vail
Vail gets 14 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and May the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 48 days a year.
About 276 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by February 25 and the first one by November 27. That leaves about 276 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 93% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Vail
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Vail, 36% of that work is heating and 64% 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.
Vail and its neighbors
Vail borders 2 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 2.4°. Rincon Valley has the coldest January nights (36°) and Tucson the hottest July afternoons (100°). Vail’s January low is 36° and its July high 97°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Vail 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 Vail averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.4°). The shift is larger than in 68% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Vail’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 49° to 65°. July is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Vail’s climate
What is the coldest month in Vail?
December, with a typical high of 64° and a low of 35°.
What is the hottest month in Vail?
June, with a typical high of 98° and a low of 65°. About 151 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Vail get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.1 inches.
When is the first frost in Vail?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 27, and the last spring frost by February 25.
What is the rainiest month in Vail?
July, with 3.0 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 14 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Vail itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Vail 7 N, AZ (7 mi, snow) and Green Valley, AZ (20 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.