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

Tucson, Arizona Weather

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

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

Tucson, AZ
Sunday, August 2 at 9:04 AM
94
°
Clear
Feels like
94°
Humidity
30%
Wind
7 mph
Sunrise
10:39 PM
Sunset
12:19 PM
Tucson, AZ
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastTucson, AZ: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 81 to 107 degrees Fahrenheit.
L 81°H 107°
Tucson, AZ
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Aug 2
    Light Drizzle
    15%
    —
    107°86°—
  2. Monday
    Aug 3
    Light Drizzle
    39%
    0.02″
    105°76°-2°
  3. Tuesday
    Aug 4
    Light Drizzle
    41%
    0.01″
    103°75°-2°
  4. Wednesday
    Aug 5
    Light Showers
    23%
    —
    101°81°-2°
  5. Thursday
    Aug 6
    T-storm w/ Hail
    46%
    0.13″
    100°74°-1°
  6. Friday
    Aug 7
    Heavy Drizzle
    25%
    —
    96°74°-4°
  7. Saturday
    Aug 8
    Heavy Drizzle
    31%
    —
    101°74°+5°
Tucson, AZ
Next 24 hours · Hot now
HOT 90°75°95°115°12p6p12a6anow 91°high 107°low 81°PRECIP %
Tucson, AZ
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
S
188° · steady
Direction
S
188°
Sustained
7
mph
Gust
9
mph
Peak 24h
22
avg 7 mph
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 7 mph · pk 22 mph @ 7:00p
010203040MPHB1B2B3B4B5B6B7B8-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 347SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
A whisper of wind — leaves barely shift on the trees.
Tucson, AZ
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
923.0
+2.4 mb in 3h · rising rapidly · 27.26 inHg
Now
923.0
mb
3h
+2.4
mb
12h
+3.0
mb
24h
-2.1
mb
Regime · STORM
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 920–925
915920925930-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW925.4919.9922.9
The low is filling — pressure climbing out of storm territory.
Tucson, AZ
Air quality
36
AQI
Good
→-4 in 6h

AQI 36 (Good), driven by PM2.5. AQI flat over the last 6 hours (within ±4 points). PM2.5 at 6.4 µg/m³ (AQI 36), ratio 0.63 with 7 mph wind — characteristic of long-range haze transport rather than a local source.

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

PM 2.5DRIVERGood
6.4μg/m³
PM 10Good
10μg/m³
NO₂Good
6μg/m³
OzoneGood
57μg/m³
UV IndexModerate
2.2

What's driving it

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 6.4 µg/m³ (AQI 36), ratio 0.63 with 7 mph wind — characteristic of long-range haze transport rather than a local source.

PM2.5/PM10
0.63
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).

7-DAY AQI TREND50100SUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN7-DAY PM2.5 TREND · μg/m³300
Tucson, AZ
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
0%
CLEAR
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
123.5mi
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
16:04 UTC · Tucson, 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
16:04 UTC · Tucson, AZ · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Tucson, AZ
Satellite · infrared · animated
Tucson, AZ
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Tucson, AZ
Almanac · Sunday, August 2
Red sky at night, sailor's delight.
Civil dawn
5:13 AM
Sunrise
10:39 PM
Daylight
13h 40m
Sunset
12:19 PM
Civil dusk
7:48 PM
Planting note
Sow fall peas. Start kale and collard seedlings for fall.
Tucson, AZ
The moon
Waning Gibbous
84% illuminated
Moonrise
9:07 PM
Moonset
9:31 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Tucson, AZ
Microseason
Aug 1–5

The monsoon exhales

bird
Jan 159% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Tucson at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 24°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: February 28 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Aug 1–5
  • Planting window: Sow fall peas. Start kale and collard seedlings for fall.

ZIP codes: 85701, 85704, 85705, 85706, 85707, 85708, 85709, 85710 +30 more

16-Day Forecast — Tucson

  1. Sun107°86°26%
  2. Mon105°76°39%
  3. Tue103°75°41%
  4. Wed101°81°23%
  5. Thu100°74°46%
  6. Fri96°74°25%
  7. Sat101°74°31%
  8. Sun96°76°40%
  9. Mon97°79°43%
  10. Tue96°76°34%
  11. Wed93°77°23%
  12. Thu98°80°32%
  13. Fri97°80°39%
  14. Sat100°83°40%
  15. Sun103°87°42%
  16. Mon103°86°52%

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

Live wind & temperature near Tucson

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 — Tucson

SPC has placed Tucson in the Marginal Risk category for severe thunderstorms today.

  • TODAYMRGLMarginal Risk
  • TOMORROWMRGLMarginal Risk
  • DAY 3MRGLMarginal Risk

Isolated severe storms possible. Limited threat for hail or damaging wind.

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 Tucson

Tucson sits in Pima County, where the year’s longest day runs 14h 15m of daylight and its shortest just 10h 2m — a swing of +4h 13m between the June and December solstices.

Phoenix, the state’s largest city, lies about 121 miles to the NW. The nearest town Tucson tracks is Casas Adobes, roughly 15 miles to the NNW.

Air quality in Tucson’s county has held roughly steady since 2020; its cleanest year on record was 2022 (median AQI 53). See the full air-quality history for Tucson.

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

Tucson's warmest month is July (~87°F mean) and its coldest is December (~51°F). Rainfall peaks in August (2.1 inches) and bottoms out in May (0.0 inches).

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January52°0.8″6
February54°1.0″6
March60°0.7″6
April68°0.3″3
May78°0.0″1
June87°0.1″2
July87°1.4″14
August84°2.1″17
September83°0.8″9
October73°0.3″2
November60°0.8″5
December51°1.4″7

Regional context

Tucson swings from 52°F in January to 87°F in July (36°F) per NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals; precipitation in Tucson runs about 9.7 inches on roughly 78 measurable days.

No season owns Tucson's rain: August reaches 2.1 inches across 17.3 days and May keeps 0.0 inches on 1.1, an even spread through Tucson's year. It is a balanced pattern Tucson shares with places like South Tucson, AZ, Summit, AZ and Kleindale, AZ.

Hard freezes are rare in Tucson: the coldest month averages 51°F, so Tucson's growing window runs most of the year. July is the hottest stretch near 87°F, pushing cool-season crops to the milder shoulder months. Tucson's coastal lots stay 4-7°F milder overnight than Tucson's inland parcels.

Similar climates: South Tucson, AZ, Summit, AZ, Kleindale, AZ, Drexel Heights, AZ, Catalina Foothills, AZ.

Naturalist notes

Late May brings the emergence of saguaro cactus blooms, their white flowers opening at night to attract bats and closing by afternoon heat.

Gambel's quail begin their evening calls from rocky perches as temperatures cool in May, their distinctive three-note whistle echoing across desert washes.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Tucson?
Frost typically leaves Tucson by mid-March and returns to Tucson near mid-December.
What is the rainy season in Tucson?
August is the wettest month in Tucson, about 2.1 inches on average; the year totals roughly 10 inches.
What is the warmest month in Tucson?
On average July tops the year in Tucson at about 87°F.
What is the coldest month in Tucson?
The coldest stretch in Tucson falls in December, around 51°F on average.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Tucson?
Hardy spring crops go in near mid-March in Tucson; tender peppers and squash wait 10–14 days.
How many rainy days does Tucson get?
Expect roughly 78 wet days a year in Tucson.
What hardiness zone is Tucson?
Because Tucson bottoms near 51°F in December, that winter low sets Tucson's USDA zone — verify by ZIP.
What is the 10-day forecast for Tucson?
Tucson'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 Tucson?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Tucson in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Tucson?
Current conditions for Tucson and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Tucson forecast updated?
The Tucson forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Tucson?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Tucson 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 Tucson?
The next few days in Tucson's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

Set in a hot desert zone, Tucson, Arizona swings from 52°F in the heart of winter to 87°F at midsummer — a 35°F arc.

Tucson sees close to 10 inches of precipitation annually, falling across some 78 wet days.

Tucson sits at 32.2°N; that 35°F seasonal swing frames planting windows and frost dates across Tucson.

All cities in Arizona →

Phoenix, AZ weather →

ZIP codes in Tucson

  • 85705
  • 85707
  • 85706
  • 85709
  • 85710
  • 85756
  • 85723
  • 85726
  • 85724
  • 85701
  • 85708
  • 85719
  • 85748
  • 85745
  • 85747
  • 85716
  • 85714
  • 85715
  • 85712
  • 85713
  • 85711
  • 85734
  • 85730
  • 85721
  • 85702
  • 85703
  • 85717
  • 85725
  • 85731
  • 85732
  • 85738
  • 85751
  • 85754
  • 85775

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.