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

Scottsdale, Arizona Weather

The monsoon exhales. Day 43 of summer. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

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

Scottsdale, AZ
Sunday, August 2 at 8:00 AM
96
°
Clear
Feels like
94°
Humidity
26%
Wind
8 mph
Sunrise
10:40 PM
Sunset
12:26 PM
Scottsdale, AZ
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastScottsdale, AZ: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 85 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
L 85°H 110°
Scottsdale, AZ
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Aug 2
    Overcast
    —
    —
    110°90°—
  2. Monday
    Aug 3
    Overcast
    11%
    —
    108°85°-2°
  3. Tuesday
    Aug 4
    Overcast
    —
    —
    106°83°-2°
  4. Wednesday
    Aug 5
    Drizzle
    15%
    —
    104°88°-2°
  5. Thursday
    Aug 6
    Showers
    27%
    —
    103°84°-1°
  6. Friday
    Aug 7
    Drizzle
    15%
    —
    102°82°-1°
  7. Saturday
    Aug 8
    Light Drizzle
    17%
    —
    105°90°+3°
Scottsdale, AZ
Next 24 hours · Hot now
HOT 90°80°98°115°12p6p12a6anow 96°high 110°low 85°
Scottsdale, AZ
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
S
173° · steady
Direction
S
173°
Sustained
8
mph
Gust
9
mph
Peak 24h
15
avg 7 mph
Beaufort · 3 · GENTLE 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 mph · pk 15 mph @ 8:00p
01020MPHB1B2B3B4B5-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 1810SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Light breeze holding from the s.
Scottsdale, AZ
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
940.9
+3.1 mb in 3h · rising rapidly · 27.78 inHg
Now
940.9
mb
3h
+3.1
mb
12h
+3.3
mb
24h
-2.3
mb
Regime · STORM
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 937–944
930935940945950-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW944.0937.1940.9
The low is filling — pressure climbing out of storm territory.
Scottsdale, AZ
Air quality
59
AQI
Moderate
→0 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 51.1 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
51μg/m³
NO₂Good
4μg/m³
OzoneGood
60μg/m³
UV IndexLow
2.0

What's driving it

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 14.3 µg/m³, PM10 at 51.1 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.

PM2.5/PM10
0.28
Wind
light
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).

7-DAY AQI TREND50100SUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN7-DAY PM2.5 TREND · μg/m³300
Scottsdale, AZ
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
0%
CLEAR
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
138.6mi
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
15:00 UTC · Scottsdale, 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
15:00 UTC · Scottsdale, AZ · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Scottsdale, AZ
Satellite · infrared · animated
Scottsdale, AZ
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Scottsdale, AZ
Almanac · Sunday, August 2
Red sky at night, sailor's delight.
Civil dawn
5:14 AM
Sunrise
10:40 PM
Daylight
13h 46m
Sunset
12:26 PM
Civil dusk
7:55 PM
Planting note
Sow fall peas. Start kale and collard seedlings for fall.
Scottsdale, AZ
The moon
Waning Gibbous
84% illuminated
Moonrise
9:11 PM
Moonset
9:35 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Scottsdale, AZ
Microseason
Aug 1–5

The monsoon exhales

bird
Jan 159% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Scottsdale at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 27°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: March 9 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Aug 1–5
  • Planting window: Sow fall peas. Start kale and collard seedlings for fall.

ZIP codes: 85250, 85251, 85254, 85255, 85256, 85257, 85258, 85259 +3 more

16-Day Forecast — Scottsdale

  1. Sun110°90°4%
  2. Mon108°85°11%
  3. Tue106°83°6%
  4. Wed104°88°15%
  5. Thu103°84°27%
  6. Fri102°82°15%
  7. Sat105°90°17%
  8. Sun100°85°20%
  9. Mon100°83°19%
  10. Tue98°86°15%
  11. Wed97°88°14%
  12. Thu101°89°26%
  13. Fri101°87°32%
  14. Sat103°87°46%
  15. Sun106°90°23%
  16. Mon106°92°29%

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

Live wind & temperature near Scottsdale

Right now in the garden

Peak growing season

As of August 2, 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.

SPC Convective Outlook

Storm Prediction Center — Scottsdale

SPC includes Scottsdale in the general thunderstorm area today — no severe risk, but storms are possible.

  • TODAYTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
  • TOMORROWTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
  • DAY 3TSTMGeneral Thunderstorms

Thunderstorms possible. Not severe, but capable of producing lightning and brief heavy rain.

Source: NOAA / NWS Storm Prediction Center categorical convective outlook. Outlooks are re-issued multiple times per day; this page reflects the most recent SPC polygons covering the city’s coordinates.

Sun & seasons in Scottsdale

Scottsdale sits in Maricopa County, where the year’s longest day runs 14h 24m of daylight and its shortest just 9h 55m — a swing of +4h 29m between the June and December solstices.

Phoenix, the state’s largest city, lies about 15 miles to the WSW. The nearest town Scottsdale tracks is Phoenix, roughly 15 miles to the WSW.

Air quality in Scottsdale’s county has trended cleaner since 2020; its cleanest year on record was 2023 (median AQI 72). See the full air-quality history for Scottsdale.

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 coast✨May 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 · August 1–5

The monsoon exhales

Afternoon storms lose intensity and frequency. Days remain brutally hot but humidity begins its slow descent. Arroyos still flow but more intermittently.

Day 214 of 365 · Wedge 43 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
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 is Scottsdale's warmest stretch (~88°F) and December its coldest (~53°F); precipitation crests in February at 1.7 inches and ebbs in June to 0.1 inches.

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January53°1.5″5
February55°1.7″6
March60°1.5″5
April66°0.5″2
May74°0.3″1
June84°0.1″1
July88°1.0″3
August87°1.3″4
September82°0.8″3
October72°0.9″3
November61°0.8″3
December53°1.4″5

Regional context

Scottsdale swings from 53°F in January to 88°F in July (35°F) per NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals; precipitation in Scottsdale runs about 11.6 inches on roughly 41 measurable days.

Scottsdale's moisture rides winter storm tracks: February brings 1.7 inches over 6.0 wet days, while June sees only 0.1 inches across 1.0 days in the dry warm season. It is a winter-storm rhythm Scottsdale shares with places like Fountain Hills, AZ, Carefree, AZ and Paradise Valley, AZ.

With a coldest-month mean of 53°F, Scottsdale stays mostly frost-free and grows year-round. The July peak near 88°F is Scottsdale's real limit, pushing cool-season vegetables to spring and fall. Scottsdale's coastal lots stay 4-7°F milder overnight than Scottsdale's inland parcels.

Similar climates: Fountain Hills, AZ, Carefree, AZ, Paradise Valley, AZ, Rio Verde, AZ, Cave Creek, AZ.

Naturalist notes

Desert lupines begin their purple bloom across the Sonoran landscape during late March and April.

Curve-billed thrashers start their nesting season in April, with pairs building thorny homes in cholla and palo verde trees.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Scottsdale?
Scottsdale's last spring frost lands near mid-March, and in Scottsdale the first fall frost follows around mid-December.
What is the rainy season in Scottsdale?
February is the wettest month in Scottsdale, about 1.7 inches on average; the year totals roughly 12 inches.
What is the warmest month in Scottsdale?
On average July tops the year in Scottsdale at about 88°F.
What is the coldest month in Scottsdale?
The coldest stretch in Scottsdale falls in December, around 53°F on average.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Scottsdale?
Hardy spring crops go in near mid-March in Scottsdale; tender peppers and squash wait 10–14 days.
How many rainy days does Scottsdale get?
Scottsdale averages about 41 days with measurable rain or snow each year.
What hardiness zone is Scottsdale?
With December around 53°F, Scottsdale's zone reflects that minimum — the USDA ZIP map confirms Scottsdale's band.
What is the 10-day forecast for Scottsdale?
Scottsdale'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 Scottsdale?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Scottsdale in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Scottsdale?
Current conditions for Scottsdale and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Scottsdale forecast updated?
The Scottsdale forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Scottsdale?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Scottsdale 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 Scottsdale?
The next few days in Scottsdale's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

Set in a hot desert zone, Scottsdale, Arizona swings from 53°F in the heart of winter to 88°F at midsummer — a 35°F arc.

Yearly precipitation in Scottsdale totals around 12 inches, spread over about 41 days of rain or snow.

Scottsdale sits at 33.7°N; that 35°F seasonal swing frames planting windows and frost dates across Scottsdale.

All cities in Arizona →

Phoenix, AZ weather →

ZIP codes in Scottsdale

  • 85259
  • 85258
  • 85251
  • 85250
  • 85257
  • 85255
  • 85254
  • 85266
  • 85262
  • 85260
  • 85252
  • 85261
  • 85267
  • 85271

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.