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

Weather in Phoenix, Arizona

Saguaro crowns open white. Day 59 of spring. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Phoenix, AZ
Sunday, May 17 at 12:35 AM
94
°
Clear
Feels like
84°
Humidity
10%
Wind
13 mph
Sunrise
5:26 AM
Sunset
7:22 PM
Phoenix, AZ
Hour by hour · 24h
97°
5p
97°
6p
93°
7p
90°
8p
87°
9p
86°
10p
84°
11p
82°
12a
79°
1a
77°
2a
76°
3a
74°
4a
73°
5a
73°
6a
77°
7a
81°
8a
83°
9a
87°
10a
90°
11a
92°
12p
94°
1p
95°
2p
96°
3p
97°
4p
L 73°H 97°
Phoenix, AZ
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    May 16
    Clear
    —
    96°74°
  2. Sunday
    May 17
    Overcast
    —
    90°68°
  3. Monday
    May 18
    Overcast
    —
    86°62°
  4. Tuesday
    May 19
    Overcast
    —
    87°73°
  5. Wednesday
    May 20
    Overcast
    —
    91°78°
  6. Thursday
    May 21
    Overcast
    —
    93°77°
  7. Friday
    May 22
    Clear
    —
    96°79°
Phoenix, AZ
Next 24 hours · Hot now
HOT 90°65°85°105°6p12a6a12pnow 97°high 97°low 73°
Phoenix, AZ
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
W
272° · veering 88°
Direction
W
272°
Sustained
13
mph
Gust
19
mph
Peak 24h
22
avg 7
Beaufort · 4 · MOD 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 7 · pk 22 @ 6:00p
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
A fresh breeze drives the w-bound air across the harbor.
Phoenix, AZ
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
959.8
-0.1 mb in 3h · steady · 28.34 inHg
Now
959.8
mb
3h
-0.1
mb
12h
-4.7
mb
24h
-4.3
mb
Regime · STORM
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 959–965
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Deep low — expect rough seas, strong wind, and persistent rain.
Phoenix, AZ
Air quality
59
AQI
Moderate
PM 2.5
12.8 μg/m³
PM 10
98.5 μg/m³
NO₂
1.3 μg/m³
Ozone
117.0 μg/m³
UV Index
1.4 Low
Phoenix, AZ
Almanac · Sunday, May 17
When the dew is on the grass, rain will never come to pass.
Civil dawn
12:00 PM
Sunrise
5:26 AM
Daylight
13h 56m
Sunset
7:22 PM
Civil dusk
2:51 AM
Planting note
Direct sow okra, melons, and southern peas. Thin carrot rows.
Phoenix, AZ
The moon
New Moon
0% illuminated
Moonrise
12:43 PM
Moonset
2:51 AM
In sign
♉︎ Taurus
Phoenix, AZ
Microseason · 28 of 72
May 16–20

Saguaro crowns open white

plant
Jan 137% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Phoenix at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 16°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: March 8 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: 28 of 72, May 16–20
  • Planting window: Direct sow okra, melons, and southern peas. Thin carrot rows.

Right now in the garden

Peak growing season

As of May 17, 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.

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
July—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
August—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
September—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
Octoberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotswinter squash, tomatoes (last)
Novemberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots—
December——

A year in weather

July brings Phoenix's warmest temperatures (~92°F mean) while December delivers the coldest (~53°F). February sees peak rainfall at 1.2 inches, and June typically receives 0.0 inches.

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January55°1.2″2
February57°1.2″2
March63°1.1″1
April70°0.3″1
May78°0.2″0
June87°0.0″0
July92°0.8″2
August92°1.0″2
September86°0.7″2
October75°0.7″2
November62°0.9″1
December53°0.8″2

Regional context

Phoenix belongs to a hot desert climate region — sharing similar temperature ranges, seasonal patterns, and growing conditions with nearby cities.

Similar climates: Tucson, AZ, Mesa, AZ, Gilbert, AZ, Chandler, AZ, Glendale, AZ.

Naturalist notes

Saguaro cacti begin their spectacular blooming period in late April, producing waxy white flowers that open during cool nighttime hours.

Gambel's quail become increasingly vocal in May as breeding pairs establish territories throughout desert washes and suburban edges.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Phoenix?
Phoenix's last spring frost typically falls around mid-March, and the first fall frost arrives around mid-December.
What is the rainy season in Phoenix?
February is the wettest month with about 1.2 inches of rain on average; the city receives roughly 9 inches annually.
What is the warmest month in Phoenix?
July is typically warmest, averaging about 92°F.
What is the coldest month in Phoenix?
December is typically coldest, averaging about 53°F.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Phoenix?
Cool-season crops (peas, lettuce) can be sown around the last spring frost (mid-March); warm-season crops (tomatoes, peppers) wait until 1–2 weeks after.
How many rainy days does Phoenix get?
Phoenix averages about 18 rainy days per year.
What hardiness zone is Phoenix?
Phoenix's USDA hardiness zone is determined by its lowest average winter temperature; check the USDA's online lookup with the city ZIP for the current zone designation.

Climate

Phoenix, Arizona experiences a hot desert climate. January temperatures hover near 55°F while July averages 92°F — a 38°F seasonal swing.

Throughout the year, Phoenix receives about 9 inches of precipitation spread over roughly 18 rainy days.

Latitude (33.6°N), proximity to large water bodies, and elevation set the rhythm of the year — shaping what grows here, when frost is likely, and the daily weather story.

All cities in Arizona →

ZIP codes in Phoenix

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.