Weather StoryAlmanac, microseasons, and the day's weather story.

Sun Lakes, Arizona Weather

The monsoon settles in. Day 15 of summer. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Sun Lakes weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar

Sun Lakes, AZ
Sunday, July 5 at 8:07 AM
91
°
Partly Cloudy
Feels like
86°
Humidity
13%
Wind
4 mph
Sunrise
10:23 PM
Sunset
12:40 PM
Sun Lakes, AZ
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastSun Lakes, AZ: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 84 to 111 degrees Fahrenheit.
L 84°H 111°
Sun Lakes, AZ
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Jul 5
    Overcast
    15%
    111°84°
  2. Monday
    Jul 6
    Overcast
    110°84°-1°
  3. Tuesday
    Jul 7
    Clear
    111°86°+1°
  4. Wednesday
    Jul 8
    Clear
    111°90°
  5. Thursday
    Jul 9
    Overcast
    111°88°
  6. Friday
    Jul 10
    Overcast
    108°83°-3°
  7. Saturday
    Jul 11
    Overcast
    107°87°-1°
Sun Lakes, AZ
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
SSW
198° · veering 68°
Direction
SSW
198°
Sustained
4
mph
Gust
5
mph
Peak 24h
10
avg 4
Beaufort · 2 · LIGHT BRZ
0
CALM
<1
1
LIGHT AIR
1–3
2
LIGHT BRZ
4–7
3
GENTLE BRZ
8–12
4
MOD BRZ
13–18
5
FRESH BRZ
19–24
6
STRONG BRZ
25–31
7
NEAR GALE
32–38
24h · sust vs gust · mph
avg 4 · pk 10 @ 5:00p
01020MPHB1B2B3B4B5-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 155SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
A whisper of wind — leaves barely shift on the trees.
Sun Lakes, AZ
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
969.6
+1.6 mb in 3h · rising · 28.63 inHg
Now
969.6
mb
3h
+1.6
mb
12h
+0.3
mb
24h
-2.4
mb
Regime · STORM
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 968973
960965970975980-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW972.6967.5969.6
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
The low is filling — pressure climbing out of storm territory.
Sun Lakes, AZ
Air quality
59
AQI
Moderate
+2 in 6h

AQI 59 (Moderate), driven by PM2.5. AQI flat over the last 6 hours (within ±3 points). PM2.5 at 14.3 µg/m³, PM10 at 24.8 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.

OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.

PM 2.5DRIVERModerate
14.3μg/m³
PM 10Good
25μg/m³
NO₂Good
11μg/m³
OzoneGood
60μg/m³
UV IndexLow
1.4

What's driving it

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 14.3 µg/m³, PM10 at 24.8 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.

PM2.5/PM10
0.58
Wind
calm
Recent rain
0h in last 6h
Pattern
background
Sun Lakes, AZ
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
70%
MOSTLY CLOUDY
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow

Visibility
183.5mi
UNLIMITED
185 mi0 mi−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Earth · GOES-19 ABI
Full Disk · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 full disk Visible · GeoColor
True-color daytime, blue/IR sandwich at night
15:07 UTC · Sun Lakes, AZ · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · up to 10848 px
Continental US · GOES-19 ABI
CONUS Sector · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 CONUS Visible · GeoColor
Daytime true-color, blue-light/IR sandwich at night
15:07 UTC · Sun Lakes, AZ · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Sun Lakes, AZ
Satellite · infrared · animated
Sun Lakes, AZ
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Sun Lakes, AZ
Almanac · Sunday, July 5
If the first of July be rainy weather, 'twill rain more or less for four weeks together.
Civil dawn
4:56 AM
Sunrise
10:23 PM
Daylight
14h 17m
Sunset
12:40 PM
Civil dusk
8:10 PM
Planting note
Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.
Sun Lakes, AZ
The moon
Waning Gibbous
72% illuminated
Moonrise
10:43 PM
Moonset
10:46 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Sun Lakes, AZ
Microseason
Jul 1–5

The monsoon settles in

insect
Jan 151% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Sun Lakes at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 13°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: March 6 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Jul 1–5
  • Planting window: Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.

16-Day Forecast — Sun Lakes

  1. Sun111°83°15%
  2. Mon110°84°2%
  3. Tue111°86°0%
  4. Wed111°90°0%
  5. Thu111°88°3%
  6. Fri108°83°2%
  7. Sat107°87°4%
  8. Sun109°85°11%
  9. Mon112°85°21%
  10. Tue107°79°20%
  11. Wed105°80°13%
  12. Thu109°83°13%
  13. Fri118°93°19%
  14. Sat116°96°26%
  15. Sun112°93°30%
  16. Mon114°93°23%

Forecast data from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0).

Right now in the garden

Peak growing season

As of July 5, 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.

January 1–5: Desert awakens in still light.January 6–10: Moisture lingers beneath the crust.January 11–15: First warmth breaks the shallow freeze.January 16–20: Quail begin their territorial chorus.January 21–25: Buds swell beneath the hard sun.January 26–31: Winter reaches its brightest point.February 1–5: Gold floods the bajada.February 6–10: Wildflower bloom spreads upslope.February 11–15: Hummingbirds stake territory claims.February 16–20: Sonoran wildflowers reach peak diversity.February 21–25: Rain clouds gather on the horizon.February 26–28: Late winter warmth intensifies.March 1–5: Green reaches from the roots upward.March 6–10: Desert creatures wake fully from dormancy.March 11–15: Saguaro flowers crown the desert.March 16–20: Caterpillars turn to wings.March 21–25: Equinox ignites the blooms.March 26–31: Saguaro crowns with flowers.April 1–5: Pre-monsoon heat begins.April 6–10: Brittlebush carpets the desert floor.April 11–15: Heat dome settles in hard.April 16–20: Saguaro fruit splits open red.April 21–25: Monsoon moisture approaches.April 26–30: Last frost recedes to memory.May 1–5: Monsoon signal fires light skies.May 6–10: First haboobs roll across.May 11–15: Heat reaches extremes daily.May 16–20: Saguaro crowns open white.May 21–25: Summer arrives in dust and lightning.May 26–31: Voices rise in monsoon dark.June 1–5: Heat hardens the dust.June 6–10: Monsoon shadows gather.June 11–15: The dry breath stills.June 16–20: The first anvil tops.June 21–25: Haboob rises from the basin.June 26–30: Monsoon doors creak open.July 1–5: The monsoon settles in.July 6–10: Verdant eruption.July 11–15: The lightning oracle speaks.July 16–20: Young raptors claim the thermal.July 21–25: Humidity weight.July 26–31: Storm chambers fruit.August 1–5: The monsoon exhales.August 6–10: The long drought renews.August 11–15: Currents turn cool and distant.August 16–20: Cicada chorus deepens.August 21–25: Monsoon's final breath.August 26–31: Heat begins to relent.September 1–5: Harvest moon over stone.September 6–10: Dew returns to the flats.September 11–15: Raptors ride the thermals.September 16–20: Equinox evening shadow.September 21–25: Thunder finally silent.September 26–30: Insects burrow deep.October 1–5: Desert dries to deep gold.October 6–10: Sandhill cranes return.October 11–15: Brittle beauty blooms.October 16–20: Frost paints stones white.October 21–25: First killing frost falls.October 26–31: Winter rains whisper in.November 1–5: Mesquite leaves turn gold.November 6–10: Ocotillo stands sentinel.November 11–15: First frost traces ridges.November 16–20: Saguaro stands naked.November 21–25: Pacific storms break the drought.November 26–30: North wind strips the way.December 1–5: Desert deepens into winter.December 6–10: True winter arrives.December 11–15: The shortest day looms.December 16–20: Solstice stillness settles.December 21–25: The sun turns north.December 26–31: Year's end in silence.🌱February 14 — First skunk-cabbage spathes thaw their way up☀️March 20 — Spring equinox — day and night balance🌸April 5 — Cherry blossoms peak in the parks🐦May 10 — Warbler migration peaks along the coastMay 25 — First fireflies scout the meadows at dusk🌞June 21 — Summer solstice — longest day🦗July 25 — Peak cicada chorus in the afternoons🌊August 18 — Warmest sea-surface temperatures of the year🍂September 22 — Autumn equinox — the slow turn❄️October 25 — First widespread frost in the suburbs🍁November 10 — Peak leaf color across the Hudson Valley🌙December 21 — Winter solstice — longest night

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 186 of 365 · Wedge 37 of 72

The solar year drawn as a wheel of 72 five-day windows. Each wedge is one microseason; the four colored arcs mark winter, spring, summer, and autumn; the small icons sit at notable phenological events. The crimson pointer creeps clockwise as the year turns.

Planting calendar

MonthPlantHarvest
January
February
Marchlettuce, peas, spinach, radishes
Aprillettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash
Maytomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Junetomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Julytomatoes, beans, summer squash
Augusttomatoes, beans, summer squash
Septembertomatoes, beans, summer squash
Octoberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotswinter squash, tomatoes (last)
Novemberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots
December

A year in weather

Sun Lakes's warmest month is July (~94°F mean) and its coldest is December (~52°F). Rainfall peaks in August (1.7 inches) and bottoms out in June (0.0 inches).

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January53°0.86
February57°1.06
March63°1.05
April72°0.33
May82°0.01
June91°0.01
July94°0.79
August91°1.713
September88°0.87
October76°0.33
November62°0.84
December52°1.46

Regional context

Per NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals, Sun Lakes runs from a 53°F January mean to 94°F in July, a 41°F seasonal spread, with near 9 inches of precipitation across about 62 wet days.

Precipitation in Sun Lakes peaks in the cool season: August averages 1.7 inches across 13.3 storm-fed days, while June bottoms out at 0.0 inches over just 0.6 rainy days. That cool-season-wet pattern aligns Sun Lakes with places like Goodyear Village, AZ, Chandler, AZ and Stotonic Village, AZ.

With a coldest-month mean of 52°F, Sun Lakes stays mostly frost-free and grows year-round. The July peak near 94°F is Sun Lakes's real limit, pushing cool-season vegetables to spring and fall. Within Sun Lakes, low or inland lots lose 3-5°F overnight versus Sun Lakes's coastal ground.

Similar climates: Goodyear Village, AZ, Chandler, AZ, Stotonic Village, AZ, Wet Camp Village, AZ, Sweet Water Village, AZ.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Sun Lakes?
Sun Lakes's last spring frost lands near mid-March, and in Sun Lakes the first fall frost follows around mid-December.
What is the rainy season in Sun Lakes?
Rainfall in Sun Lakes peaks in August near 1.7 inches, out of about 9 inches annually.
What is the warmest month in Sun Lakes?
On average July tops the year in Sun Lakes at about 94°F.
What is the coldest month in Sun Lakes?
The coldest stretch in Sun Lakes falls in December, around 52°F on average.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Sun Lakes?
In Sun Lakes, sow peas and hardy greens around mid-March; Sun Lakes's tomatoes and peppers wait two weeks more.
How many rainy days does Sun Lakes get?
Sun Lakes averages about 62 days with measurable rain or snow each year.
What hardiness zone is Sun Lakes?
Because Sun Lakes bottoms near 52°F in December, that winter low sets Sun Lakes's USDA zone — verify by ZIP.
What is the 10-day forecast for Sun Lakes?
Sun Lakes'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 Sun Lakes?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Sun Lakes in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Sun Lakes?
Current conditions for Sun Lakes and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Sun Lakes forecast updated?
The Sun Lakes forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Sun Lakes?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Sun Lakes 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 Sun Lakes?
The next few days in Sun Lakes's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

In Sun Lakes, Arizona, the hot desert climate runs from about 53°F in January to 94°F in July, a 41°F seasonal range.

Yearly precipitation in Sun Lakes totals around 9 inches, spread over about 62 days of rain or snow.

Sun Lakes's 41°F range, set by its 33.2°N position, drives frost timing and what thrives in Sun Lakes.

ZIP codes in Sun Lakes

  • 85248

Climate normals from the Open-Meteo Climate API. Köppen approximation from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Regions. See methodology for data sources, editorial rules, and corrections. Maintainer: Brian Tighe.