Tucson, Arizona Weather
Heat hardens the dust. Day 76 of spring. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →
Tucson weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar
- TodayJun 3Overcast——101°68°—
- ThursdayJun 4Overcast——100°70°-1°
- FridayJun 5Overcast——99°71°-1°
- SaturdayJun 6Overcast——98°73°-1°
- SundayJun 7Overcast——99°74°+1°
- MondayJun 8Overcast——98°72°-1°
- TuesdayJun 9Mostly Clear——102°75°+4°
Ozone at AQI 53 now. AQI up 7 over the last 6 hours (gradual rise). With UV 11 peaking around 1 PM under clear skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 76 by mid-afternoon.
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 53 now. With UV 11 peaking around 1 PM under clear skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 76 by mid-afternoon.
- Present
- AQI 53
- UV peak
- 10.8 at 1 PM
- Sky at peak
- clear
- Projected peak
- AQI 76
PM × Wind × Precip
PM2.5 at 5.4 µg/m³, PM10 at 20.0 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.
- PM2.5/PM10
- 0.27
- Wind
- calm
- 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).
The higher the clouds, the finer the weather.
- Moonrise
- 4:51 AM
- Moonset
- 2:51 PM
- In sign
- ♑︎ Capricorn
Heat hardens the dust
Tucson at a glance
- Today vs. normal: 15°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 3, 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
- TOMORROWTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
- 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
July brings Tucson's warmest temperatures (~88°F mean) while December delivers the coldest (~53°F). Rainfall peaks in July (2.2 inches) and reaches its lowest point 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
Tucson falls within a hot desert climate region — sharing similar temperature ranges, seasonal patterns, and growing conditions with nearby cities in this climate zone.
Similar climates: Phoenix, AZ, Mesa, AZ, Gilbert, AZ, Chandler, AZ, Glendale, 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?
- 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 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 Tucson?
- July is typically warmest, averaging about 88°F.
- What is the coldest month in Tucson?
- December is typically coldest, averaging about 53°F.
- When can I start a vegetable garden in 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 Tucson get?
- Tucson averages about 25 rainy days per year.
- What hardiness zone is Tucson?
- 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
Tucson, Arizona sits in a hot desert climate zone. Temperatures hover near 54°F in January while July averages 88°F — a 35°F seasonal swing.
Throughout the year, Tucson receives about 11 inches of precipitation spread over roughly 25 rainy days.
Latitude (32.2°N), proximity to large water bodies, and elevation set the rhythm of the year — shaping what grows here, when frost occurs, and the daily weather patterns.