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

Tucson, Arizona Weather

The first anvil tops. Day 89 of spring. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

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

Tucson, AZ
Tuesday, June 16 at 11:18 AM
97
°
Clear
Feels like
97°
Humidity
24%
Wind
12 mph
Sunrise
10:16 PM
Sunset
12:31 PM
Tucson, AZ
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastTucson, AZ: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 79 to 102 degrees Fahrenheit.
L 79°H 102°
Tucson, AZ
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Jun 16
    Overcast
    —
    —
    102°76°—
  2. Wednesday
    Jun 17
    Overcast
    31%
    —
    101°79°-1°
  3. Thursday
    Jun 18
    Clear
    —
    —
    99°76°-2°
  4. Friday
    Jun 19
    Mostly Clear
    —
    —
    100°79°+1°
  5. Saturday
    Jun 20
    Clear
    —
    —
    99°77°-1°
  6. Sunday
    Jun 21
    Clear
    —
    —
    99°75°0°
  7. Monday
    Jun 22
    Clear
    —
    —
    100°75°+1°
Tucson, AZ
Next 24 hours · Hot now
HOT 90°70°90°110°6a12p6p12anow 97°high 102°low 79°
Tucson, AZ
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
NW
323° · backing 33°
Direction
NW
323°
Sustained
12
mph
Gust
14
mph
Peak 24h
21
avg 7
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 · pk 21 @ 6:00p
0102030MPHB1B2B3B4B5B6-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 248SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Light breeze backing 33° from the nw.
Tucson, AZ
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
922.7
+0.6 mb in 3h · rising · 27.25 inHg
Now
922.7
mb
3h
+0.6
mb
12h
+1.8
mb
24h
-1.8
mb
Regime · STORM
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 919–925
915920925930-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW924.6919.4922.8
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Deep low — expect rough seas, strong wind, and persistent rain.
Tucson, AZ
Air quality
28
AQI
Good
↓-6 in 6h▲Peak ~38 @ 11 PM

AQI 28 (Good), driven by PM2.5. AQI down 6 over the last 6 hours (gradual decline). PM10 at 23.6 µg/m³ (AQI 22) with a 0.33 fine-to-coarse ratio under 12 mph wind — coarse road or agricultural dust being kicked up.

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

PM 2.5DRIVERGood
7.7μg/m³
PM 10Good
24μg/m³
NO₂Good
1μg/m³
OzoneModerate
84μg/m³
UV IndexExtreme
10.8

What's driving it

Ozone × UV × Sky

Ozone at AQI 40 now. With UV 12 peaking around 1 PM under clear skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 64 around 1 PM.

Present
AQI 40
UV peak
12.0 at 1 PM
Sky at peak
clear
Projected peak
AQI 64

PM × Wind × Precip

PM10 at 23.6 µg/m³ (AQI 22) with a 0.33 fine-to-coarse ratio under 12 mph wind — coarse road or agricultural dust being kicked up.

PM2.5/PM10
0.33
Wind
breezy
Recent rain
0h in last 6h
Pattern
blown dust

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 TREND50100TUEWEDTHUFRISATSUNMONTUE7-DAY PM2.5 TREND · μg/m³300
Tucson, AZ
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
0%
CLEAR
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
142.1mi
UNLIMITED
161 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
18:18 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
18:18 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 · Tuesday, June 16
Cut your thistles before St. John, you will have two instead of one.
Civil dawn
4:49 AM
Sunrise
10:16 PM
Daylight
14h 15m
Sunset
12:31 PM
Civil dusk
8:01 PM
Planting note
Stake and prune tomato suckers. Watch for squash vine borers.
Tucson, AZ
The moon
Waxing Crescent
4% illuminated
Moonrise
6:40 AM
Moonset
8:46 PM
In sign
♋︎ Cancer
Tucson, AZ
Microseason
Jun 16–20

The first anvil tops

weather
Jan 146% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Tucson at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 14°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: February 28 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Jun 16–20
  • Planting window: Stake and prune tomato suckers. Watch for squash vine borers.

16-Day Forecast — Tucson

  1. Tue102°76°6%
  2. Wed101°79°31%
  3. Thu99°76°1%
  4. Fri100°79°0%
  5. Sat99°77°0%
  6. Sun99°75°0%
  7. Mon100°75°0%
  8. Tue105°81°1%
  9. Wed106°84°4%
  10. Thu106°84°5%
  11. Fri104°81°3%
  12. Sat103°80°19%
  13. Sun103°79°29%
  14. Mon103°78°27%
  15. Tue101°77°29%
  16. Wed100°77°30%

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

Live wind & temperature near Tucson

Right now in the garden

Peak growing season

As of June 16, 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 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.

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 · June 16–20

The first anvil tops

Cloud towers build daily by 3 p.m. Dry lightning flickers within clouds. No rain reaches the ground yet, but wind gusts and the smell of ozone precede the collapse.

Day 167 of 365 · Wedge 34 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?
Day length in Tucson peaks around the June solstice — earliest sunrise and latest sunset — and is shortest near the December 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.