South Tucson, Arizona Weather
Heat hardens the dust. Day 77 of spring. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →
South Tucson weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar
- TodayJun 4Overcast——102°74°—
- FridayJun 5Overcast——100°68°-2°
- SaturdayJun 6Overcast——99°73°-1°
- SundayJun 7Overcast——99°77°0°
- MondayJun 8Mostly Clear——101°75°+2°
- TuesdayJun 9Overcast——107°84°+6°
- WednesdayJun 10Overcast——96°85°-11°
PM2.5/PM10 ratio 0.60 with 9 mph wind — characteristic of long-range haze transport rather than a local source. AQI down 10 over the last 6 hours (steady decline since this morning).
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 41 now. With UV 9.6 peaking around 1 PM under clear skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 52 by mid-afternoon.
- Present
- AQI 41
- UV peak
- 9.6 at 1 PM
- Sky at peak
- clear
- Projected peak
- AQI 52
PM × Wind × Precip
PM2.5/PM10 ratio 0.60 with 9 mph wind — characteristic of long-range haze transport rather than a local source.
- PM2.5/PM10
- 0.60
- Wind
- light
- Recent rain
- 0h in last 6h
- Pattern
- transport
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).
A summer fog for fair, a winter fog for rain.
- Moonrise
- 5:32 AM
- Moonset
- 3:51 PM
- In sign
- ♒︎ Aquarius
Heat hardens the dust
South Tucson at a glance
- Today vs. normal: 9°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
- Last frost: February 28 (climatological average for this latitude)
- Microseason: Jun 1–5
- Planting window: Harvest spring lettuce before it bolts. Sow heat-tolerant greens.
Right now in the garden
Peak growing season
As of June 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.
SPC Convective Outlook
Storm Prediction Center — South Tucson
SPC has placed South Tucson in the General Thunderstorms category for severe thunderstorms today.
- TODAYTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
- TOMORROWNONENo severe risk
- DAY 3NONENo severe risk
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.
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 (~88°F mean) and its coldest is December (~53°F). Rainfall peaks in July (2.2 inches) and bottoms out in May (0.2 inches).
| Month | Mean temp | Precip | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 54° | 0.8″ | 2 |
| February | 56° | 0.8″ | 2 |
| March | 62° | 0.6″ | 2 |
| April | 68° | 0.2″ | 1 |
| May | 77° | 0.2″ | 1 |
| June | 86° | 0.2″ | 1 |
| July | 88° | 2.2″ | 5 |
| August | 87° | 2.0″ | 4 |
| September | 83° | 1.3″ | 2 |
| October | 73° | 0.7″ | 2 |
| November | 62° | 0.6″ | 1 |
| December | 53° | 1.0″ | 3 |
Regional context
South Tucson sits within a hot desert climate region — a cohort that shares similar temperature ranges, seasonal patterns, and growing conditions across nearby cities.
Similar climates: Phoenix, AZ, Tucson, AZ, Mesa, AZ, Gilbert, AZ, Chandler, AZ.
Frequently asked
- When does it freeze in South Tucson?
- South Tucson's last spring frost typically falls around mid-March, and the first fall frost arrives around mid-December.
- What is the rainy season in South Tucson?
- July is the wettest month with about 2.2 inches of rain on average; the city receives roughly 11 inches annually.
- What is the warmest month in South Tucson?
- July is typically warmest, averaging about 88°F.
- What is the coldest month in South Tucson?
- December is typically coldest, averaging about 53°F.
- When can I start a vegetable garden in South Tucson?
- 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 South Tucson get?
- South Tucson averages about 25 rainy days per year.
- What hardiness zone is South Tucson?
- South Tucson'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
South Tucson, Arizona sits in a hot desert climate zone. January means hover near 54°F while July averages 88°F — a 35°F seasonal swing.
Across the year, South Tucson receives about 11 inches of precipitation spread over roughly 25 rainy days.
The rhythm of the year is set by latitude (32.2°N), proximity to large water bodies, and elevation — all of which shape what grows here, when frost is likely, and what the weather story looks like day to day.