Phoenix Weather and Climate

The city of Phoenix has a subtropical arid climate. This is mainly due to the Sonoran Desert because the city lies in the desert. Therefore the summers are extremely hot and the winters are mild. The average temperatures in the city can be as high as those in other desert cities across the world. Temperatures are higher than 100 degrees Fahrenheit for more than 110 days in a year. This generally occurs during the late days of May. Extreme highs of 110 degrees Fahrenheit last for about 18 days. The all-time record high in the city has been 122 °F.The heat does not let up even during the nighttime. Lows of above 80 degrees Fahrenheit can be observed for more than 67 days in a year at an average.

The rainfall in the desert like area is sparse. This occurs mainly during the summer. The monsoonal rains start early July and last till mid-September. This raises the humidity of the city making it tough to manage. Sometimes the rainfall is localized and therefore causes flooding too. The winter months are also warm with daily temperature being around mid-60’s.

Eighty five percent of the times Phoenix has the sun and the amount of precipitation is extremely low. March is the wettest month of the year with 1.07 inches of rainfall. Thunderstorms are not common throughout the year. They tend to occur during the monsoon rains from mid-September. These thunder storms have strong winds, hail and sometimes tornados too. 

There are about 5 days in a year on an average when the temperature of the city falls below freezing. This can occur anytime between December 15 and February 1. Snow is not too common in the city but it is possible.