Arizona WeatherWeather in Arizona Isn't Just A
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| A monsoon thunderstorm showers the mountains around Lake Pleasant - typical summer weather in Arizona |
With Arizona’s tourism office touting "over 300 days of sunshine" per year, most vacationers and new Arizona residents expect warm sun and clear skies every day.
It is true that weather in Arizona's desert regions is generally sunny, hot and arid.
However, Arizona has some dramatic weather phenomenon that every Arizona vacationer and resident should know about.
First, it's important to remember that weather in Arizona can be highly variable from region to region.
How hot it is will depend upon where you are in the state and the time of the year.
And that will determine where you travel and how you pack...
Regional Arizona Weather Conditions
March in Arizona. You'll need shorts and sandals if you're in Phoenix. |
| Traveling to Sedona? Pack shorts and a sweater for a little bit of every kind of Arizona weather |
However, if you're going to Flagstaff, there may still be snow on the ground.
To make it easier to decide what to bring, we've broken the state into three basic regions.
We've then given a general overview of weather throughout the year for each Arizona region to help you know what to pack.
Read more aboutRegional Arizona Weather Conditions.
Rain, Monsoons and Monsoon Safety Tips
Yes, it does rain in Arizona although when and how much depends on larger climactic factors.Since about 1996, the Southwest has been under a drought, so in some years the entire region may get as little as 2- to 4-inches of rain annually.
While winter rains are usually gentle, it's the summer monsoon thunderstorm season that captures everyone’s attention.
No one wishes for rain more than a desert dweller in the middle of an Arizona summer.
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| Monsoon thunderclouds rise over the Baboquivari Mountains southwest of Tucson |
Living in Tucson, Arizona, we were just like everyone else.
Around the beginning of July, we'd eagerly listen to the weather forecast.
Every day, we'd hopefully search the skies for the first glimpses of the snowy white, skyscraper-like clouds that heralded the start of the summer monsoon season.
Just what is a monsoon?
If you’re traveling in Arizona during the summer, you should know about monsoons and basic monsoon safety tips.
Monsoon thunderstorms can do significant damage and dramatically alter the landscape.
Just such an occurrence happened in July 2006 to Tucson's beloved Sabino Canyon.
To find out more about the destructive force of monsoon thunderstorms, flash floods and their aftermath, check out our Flash Flood Safety Tips.
To learn more about the 2006 Sabino Canyon flood, see our Sabino Canyon Flood page.
Lightning and Lightning Safety Tips
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| A cloud to ground lightning strike |
Lightning is one of the most spectacular Arizona weather phenomenons.
Southern Arizona is famous for its summer thunderstorms with isolated cells that produce amazing lightning displays.
One Tucson storm in 2000 had 1,982 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes in a 3-hour period!
Because lightning is such a frequent occurrence, every Arizona vacationer and resident should know basic lightning safety tips, such as how far away is that lightning strike from you...Find out more about lightning in Arizona.
Dust Devils
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| A dust devil whirls across the desert south of Ahwatukee, Arizona |
Drive across the Arizona desert during the warm weather months and you might see a common Arizona weather feature – the dust devil.
Most dust devils are generally harmless.
However, powerful ones have knocked out power and torn the roofs off small buildings.
Just exactly what is a dust devil?
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