South Tucson, Arizona Weather
The monsoon settles in. Day 14 of summer. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →
South Tucson weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar
- TodayJul 4Overcast——104°75°—
- SundayJul 5Overcast——104°79°0°
- MondayJul 6Overcast——105°74°+1°
- TuesdayJul 7Overcast——107°88°+2°
- WednesdayJul 8Light Drizzle11%—106°81°-1°
- ThursdayJul 9Heavy Drizzle34%—103°81°-3°
- FridayJul 10Light Drizzle22%—98°80°-5°
AQI 38 (Good), driven by Ozone. AQI up 12 over the last 6 hours (gradual rise). Ozone at AQI 71 now. With UV 12 peaking around 1 PM under partly cloudy skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 78 around 1 PM.
OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.
What's driving it
Ozone × UV × Sky
Ozone at AQI 71 now. With UV 12 peaking around 1 PM under partly cloudy skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 78 around 1 PM.
- Present
- AQI 71
- UV peak
- 11.7 at 1 PM
- Sky at peak
- partly cloudy
- Projected peak
- AQI 78
PM × Wind × Precip
PM2.5 at 9.1 µg/m³, PM10 at 17.9 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.
- PM2.5/PM10
- 0.51
- Wind
- calm
- Recent rain
- 0h in last 6h
- Pattern
- background
Trends
Seven days of AQI and PM2.5.
Hourly air-quality data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, charted across the past and next several days. Dashed lines mark the AQI breakpoints at 50 (Good → Moderate) and 100 (Moderate → Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
If the first of July be rainy weather, 'twill rain more or less for four weeks together.
- Moonrise
- 10:10 PM
- Moonset
- 9:41 AM
- In sign
- ♓︎ Pisces
The monsoon settles in
South Tucson at a glance
- Today vs. normal: 24°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
- Last frost: February 28 (climatological average for this latitude)
- Microseason: Jul 1–5
- Planting window: Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.
Right now in the garden
Peak growing season
As of July 4, the growing season is at its peak — frost is months away. Continue succession-planting beans and summer squash. Start fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) from seed indoors for transplanting in late summer.
Microseason · July 1–5
The monsoon settles in
Afternoon thunderstorms now daily ritual. Rains transform the desert green within 72 hours. Dust clears; air smells alive. Microburst winds flatten entire sections of mesquite.
Day 185 of 365 · Wedge 37 of 72
Planting calendar
| Month | Plant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| January | — | — |
| February | — | — |
| March | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes | — |
| April | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | — |
| May | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| June | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| July | — | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| August | — | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| September | — | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| October | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | winter squash, tomatoes (last) |
| November | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | — |
| December | — | — |
A year in weather
South Tucson's warmest month is July (~87°F mean) and its coldest is December (~51°F). Rainfall peaks in August (2.1 inches) and bottoms out in May (0.0 inches).
| Month | Mean temp | Precip | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 52° | 0.8″ | 6 |
| February | 54° | 1.0″ | 6 |
| March | 60° | 0.7″ | 6 |
| April | 68° | 0.3″ | 3 |
| May | 78° | 0.0″ | 1 |
| June | 87° | 0.1″ | 2 |
| July | 87° | 1.4″ | 14 |
| August | 84° | 2.1″ | 17 |
| September | 83° | 0.8″ | 9 |
| October | 73° | 0.3″ | 2 |
| November | 60° | 0.8″ | 5 |
| December | 51° | 1.4″ | 7 |
Regional context
South Tucson's climate, from NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 station normals, pairs 52°F Januarys with 87°F Julys — a 36°F swing. About 9.7 inches of precipitation falls over roughly 78 days a year.
South Tucson's precipitation spreads evenly: August peaks at 2.1 inches on 17.3 wet days, while May holds 0.0 inches over 1.1 — no month dominates South Tucson's rain calendar. That lines South Tucson up with places like Drexel Heights, AZ, Kleindale, AZ and Tucson, AZ, fed by overlapping storm tracks.
Freezes are uncommon in South Tucson, where the coldest month averages 51°F; cool-season crops grow fall through spring. Summer heat in July (about 87°F) is the binding constraint, not cold. Within South Tucson, low or inland lots lose 3-5°F overnight versus South Tucson's coastal ground.
Similar climates: Drexel Heights, AZ, Kleindale, AZ, Tucson, AZ, Flowing Wells, AZ, Tucson Mountains, AZ.
Frequently asked
- When does it freeze in South Tucson?
- Frost typically leaves South Tucson by mid-March and returns to South Tucson near mid-December.
- What is the rainy season in South Tucson?
- South Tucson sees its heaviest rain in August (around 2.1 inches), part of roughly 10 inches a year.
- What is the warmest month in South Tucson?
- The warmest stretch in South Tucson comes in July, around 87°F on average.
- What is the coldest month in South Tucson?
- On average December is the chilliest month in South Tucson, about 51°F.
- When can I start a vegetable garden in South Tucson?
- Time tomatoes in South Tucson for two weeks after mid-March; peas and greens start at South Tucson's frost line.
- How many rainy days does South Tucson get?
- South Tucson records around 78 days of measurable precipitation annually.
- What hardiness zone is South Tucson?
- South Tucson's hardiness zone tracks its winter low; with December near 51°F, check the USDA ZIP map for the exact zone.
- What is the 10-day forecast for South Tucson?
- South Tucson's extended outlook — daily high and low temperatures and precipitation chances for each upcoming day — is in the daily forecast above.
- Will it rain this week in South Tucson?
- See this week's day-by-day rain chances for South Tucson in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
- What is the weather like right now in South Tucson?
- Current conditions for South Tucson and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
- How often is the South Tucson forecast updated?
- The South Tucson forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
- When are sunrise and sunset in South Tucson?
- Today's sunrise and sunset times for South Tucson are in the Almanac section above, along with civil dawn, civil dusk, and day length. Day length is longest near the summer solstice and shortest near the winter solstice.
- How accurate is the weather forecast for South Tucson?
- The next few days in South Tucson's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.
Climate
South Tucson, Arizona occupies a hot desert zone, with January means near 52°F and July around 87°F — a 35°F swing.
In a typical year South Tucson records about 10 inches of precipitation on around 78 days.
Latitude 32.2°N gives South Tucson its 35°F swing, and with it the rhythm of South Tucson's growing season.
ZIP codes in South Tucson
- 85713