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Best time to visit Phoenix

The best time to visit Phoenix is November–March, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.

Phoenix, Arizona, United States

°C

mm

−10°0°10°20°30°40°50°
0100200300400500600
  • Average daily high and low
  • Precipitation
  • Good month
  • Best month
  • Made good or best by an event
Average daily high and low temperature, average precipitation and each month's verdict
MonthAverage daily highAverage daily lowPrecipitationVerdict
January19.1 °C / 66 °F5.9 °C / 43 °F29 mm / 1.1 inbest month
February21.3 °C / 70 °F7.6 °C / 46 °F23 mm / 0.9 inbest month
March25.2 °C / 77 °F11 °C / 52 °F23 mm / 0.9 inbest month
April29.8 °C / 86 °F15 °C / 59 °F4 mm / 0.2 ingood month
May34.1 °C / 93 °F19.7 °C / 67 °F4 mm / 0.2 inneither best nor good
June40.3 °C / 105 °F25.5 °C / 78 °F3 mm / 0.1 inneither best nor good
July40.9 °C / 106 °F29.4 °C / 85 °F24 mm / 0.9 inneither best nor good
August40.1 °C / 104 °F28.7 °C / 84 °F27 mm / 1 inneither best nor good
September37.3 °C / 99 °F24.7 °C / 76 °F24 mm / 0.9 inneither best nor good
October31.3 °C / 88 °F17.3 °C / 63 °F17 mm / 0.7 ingood month
November24.8 °C / 77 °F10.8 °C / 51 °F19 mm / 0.7 inbest month
December18.7 °C / 66 °F6.5 °C / 44 °F28 mm / 1.1 inbest month
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen

Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:

  • Daytime highs
  • Night-time lows
  • How warm it feels
  • Humidity
  • How much of the day is sunny
  • Hours of daylight
  • Monthly rainfall
  • How many days it rains
  • Days of heavy rain
  • Wind
  • Snowfall and days with snow
  • Major events, such as festivals

The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.

The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.

Best months by activity

Exploring outdoors

Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.

  1. JJanuary: best
  2. FFebruary: best
  3. MMarch: best
  4. AApril: good
  5. MMay: neither
  6. JJune: neither
  7. JJuly: neither
  8. AAugust: neither
  9. SSeptember: neither
  10. OOctober: good
  11. NNovember: best
  12. DDecember: best
Best
November–March
Good
April, October

Mild, dry, sunny weather from November through March makes those the best months for exploring on foot, with April and October still good though warmer. Desert heat from May to September, worsened by monsoon humidity and storms in July-August, makes exploring outdoors uncomfortable to unsafe.

Why these months

  • January · best

    In its favour: feels like (high) 16 °C / 61 °F, average daily high 19.1 °C / 66 °F, precipitation 29 mm / 1.1 in, share of daylight that is sunny 88%, wet days 3.5 days, days with heavy rain 1 days, relative humidity 47%, average daily low 5.9 °C / 43 °F.

    Also on: Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction, Cityskate holiday ice rink and lightshows, Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon.

    Watch out for: Martin Luther King Jr. Day closures, New Year's Day closures, Thanksgiving-to-New Year holiday season travel crowds.

  • February · best

    In its favour: feels like (high) 18.3 °C / 65 °F, average daily high 21.3 °C / 70 °F, precipitation 23 mm / 0.9 in, share of daylight that is sunny 91%, wet days 3.2 days, days with heavy rain 0.8 days, relative humidity 42%, average daily low 7.6 °C / 46 °F.

    Also on: Arizona Beer Week, Devour Phoenix, Waste Management Phoenix Open, World Championship Hoop Dance Contest.

    Watch out for: Presidents' Day closures.

  • March · best

    In its favour: feels like (high) 22.5 °C / 73 °F, average daily high 25.2 °C / 77 °F, precipitation 23 mm / 0.9 in, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, wet days 2.8 days, days with heavy rain 0.9 days, average daily low 11 °C / 52 °F, relative humidity 34%.

    Also on: Arizona Aloha Fest, Arizona Matsuri, Cactus League Spring Training, Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market.

    Watch out for: Easter closures, Good Friday closures.

  • April · good

    In its favour: precipitation 4 mm / 0.2 in, share of daylight that is sunny 96%, wet days 0.8 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, average daily low 15 °C / 59 °F.

    Against: average daily high 29.8 °C / 86 °F, feels like (high) 27.2 °C / 81 °F, relative humidity 21%.

    Also on: Arizona Bike Week, Arizona Matsuri, Arizona Renaissance Festival, Arizona Taco Festival, March Nascar Weekend, Phoenix Film Festival.

    Watch out for: Easter closures, Good Friday closures.

  • October · good

    In its favour: precipitation 17 mm / 0.7 in, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, wet days 1.9 days, days with heavy rain 0.7 days, average daily low 17.3 °C / 63 °F, relative humidity 31%.

    Against: average daily high 31.3 °C / 88 °F, feels like (high) 29.5 °C / 85 °F.

    Also on: Arizona State Fair, Gilbert Oktoberfest, Scottsdale Art Walk.

    Watch out for: Columbus Day closures, Halloween closures.

  • November · best

    In its favour: feels like (high) 21.9 °C / 71 °F, average daily high 24.8 °C / 77 °F, precipitation 19 mm / 0.7 in, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, wet days 1.9 days, days with heavy rain 0.7 days, average daily low 10.8 °C / 51 °F, relative humidity 35%.

    Also on: Cityskate holiday ice rink and lightshows, Fountain Festival of Fine Arts & Crafts, Phoenix Pride, Uncorked Arizona Wine Festival.

    Watch out for: Thanksgiving-to-New Year holiday season travel crowds, Thanksgiving travel crowds and closures, Veterans Day closures.

  • December · best

    In its favour: feels like (high) 16 °C / 61 °F, average daily high 18.7 °C / 66 °F, precipitation 28 mm / 1.1 in, share of daylight that is sunny 85%, wet days 3.9 days, days with heavy rain 1.1 days, relative humidity 51%, average daily low 6.5 °C / 44 °F.

    Also on: Cityskate holiday ice rink and lightshows, FQ Story home tour, Fried Chicken & Wings Festival, Holidays at the Heard, Las Noches de Las Luminarias, Phoenix Festival of the Arts.

    Watch out for: Christmas closures, Thanksgiving-to-New Year holiday season travel crowds, Winter holiday travel rush.

Hiking and trekking

Cool enough to climb in, dry enough to enjoy, long enough days.

  1. JJanuary: best
  2. FFebruary: best
  3. MMarch: best
  4. AApril: good
  5. MMay: neither
  6. JJune: neither
  7. JJuly: neither
  8. AAugust: neither
  9. SSeptember: neither
  10. OOctober: good
  11. NNovember: best
  12. DDecember: best
Best
November–March
Good
April, October

The cool, dry stretch from November to March is prime hiking season, with comfortable temperatures and reliably dry trails; April and October are still workable but warm. May through September bring extreme heat, worsened by monsoon humidity and storms in July-August, that makes trekking risky.

Why these months

  • January · best

    In its favour: average daily high 19.1 °C / 66 °F, precipitation 29 mm / 1.1 in, wet days 3.5 days, days with heavy rain 1 days, feels like (high) 16 °C / 61 °F, average daily low 5.9 °C / 43 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 88%, wind (daily max) 13 km/h / 8 mph, daylight per day 10.2 h.

    Also on: Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction, Cityskate holiday ice rink and lightshows, Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon.

    Watch out for: Martin Luther King Jr. Day closures, New Year's Day closures, Thanksgiving-to-New Year holiday season travel crowds.

  • February · best

    In its favour: average daily high 21.3 °C / 70 °F, precipitation 23 mm / 0.9 in, wet days 3.2 days, days with heavy rain 0.8 days, feels like (high) 18.3 °C / 65 °F, average daily low 7.6 °C / 46 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 91%, daylight per day 11 h, wind (daily max) 13 km/h / 8 mph.

    Also on: Arizona Beer Week, Devour Phoenix, Waste Management Phoenix Open, World Championship Hoop Dance Contest.

    Watch out for: Presidents' Day closures.

  • March · best

    In its favour: precipitation 23 mm / 0.9 in, wet days 2.8 days, days with heavy rain 0.9 days, average daily high 25.2 °C / 77 °F, average daily low 11 °C / 52 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, daylight per day 12 h, feels like (high) 22.5 °C / 73 °F, wind (daily max) 14 km/h / 9 mph.

    Also on: Arizona Aloha Fest, Arizona Matsuri, Cactus League Spring Training, Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market.

    Watch out for: Easter closures, Good Friday closures.

  • April · good

    In its favour: precipitation 4 mm / 0.2 in, wet days 0.8 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, share of daylight that is sunny 96%, daylight per day 13 h, average daily low 15 °C / 59 °F, wind (daily max) 16 km/h / 10 mph.

    Against: average daily high 29.8 °C / 86 °F, feels like (high) 27.2 °C / 81 °F.

    Also on: Arizona Bike Week, Arizona Matsuri, Arizona Renaissance Festival, Arizona Taco Festival, March Nascar Weekend, Phoenix Film Festival.

    Watch out for: Easter closures, Good Friday closures.

  • October · good

    In its favour: precipitation 17 mm / 0.7 in, wet days 1.9 days, days with heavy rain 0.7 days, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, daylight per day 11.3 h, wind (daily max) 13 km/h / 8 mph.

    Against: average daily high 31.3 °C / 88 °F, feels like (high) 29.5 °C / 85 °F, average daily low 17.3 °C / 63 °F.

    Also on: Arizona State Fair, Gilbert Oktoberfest, Scottsdale Art Walk.

    Watch out for: Columbus Day closures, Halloween closures.

  • November · best

    In its favour: precipitation 19 mm / 0.7 in, wet days 1.9 days, days with heavy rain 0.7 days, average daily high 24.8 °C / 77 °F, feels like (high) 21.9 °C / 71 °F, average daily low 10.8 °C / 51 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, wind (daily max) 12 km/h / 8 mph, daylight per day 10.4 h.

    Also on: Cityskate holiday ice rink and lightshows, Fountain Festival of Fine Arts & Crafts, Phoenix Pride, Uncorked Arizona Wine Festival.

    Watch out for: Thanksgiving-to-New Year holiday season travel crowds, Thanksgiving travel crowds and closures, Veterans Day closures.

  • December · best

    In its favour: average daily high 18.7 °C / 66 °F, precipitation 28 mm / 1.1 in, wet days 3.9 days, days with heavy rain 1.1 days, feels like (high) 16 °C / 61 °F, average daily low 6.5 °C / 44 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 85%, wind (daily max) 12 km/h / 7 mph.

    Against: daylight per day 10 h.

    Also on: Cityskate holiday ice rink and lightshows, FQ Story home tour, Fried Chicken & Wings Festival, Holidays at the Heard, Las Noches de Las Luminarias, Phoenix Festival of the Arts.

    Watch out for: Christmas closures, Thanksgiving-to-New Year holiday season travel crowds, Winter holiday travel rush.

An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Arizona Snowbowl, 212 km away.

Weather averages

Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.

  JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Feels like (high) 16 °C18.3 °C22.5 °C27.2 °C32 °C38.9 °C41.8 °C41.3 °C37.4 °C29.5 °C21.9 °C16 °C
Days with heavy rain 1 days0.8 days0.9 days0.1 days0.1 days0.1 days0.6 days0.8 days0.7 days0.7 days0.7 days1.1 days
Time rain usually falls 10 pm12 am10 pm1 am2 am6 am6 pm4 am1 am2 pm11 pm12 am
Sunshine per day 9 h10 h11 h12.5 h13 h13.6 h12.7 h12.6 h11.6 h10.7 h9.6 h8.5 h
Relative humidity 47%42%34%21%19%16%30%33%32%31%35%51%

Air quality

Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.

  JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–202515.7 µg/m³13.3 µg/m³12.9 µg/m³11 µg/m³10.2 µg/m³10.4 µg/m³11 µg/m³9.7 µg/m³9.8 µg/m³10.7 µg/m³13.6 µg/m³17.6 µg/m³
Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–202530.2 µg/m³24.2 µg/m³22.5 µg/m³17.9 µg/m³17.2 µg/m³18.7 µg/m³16.9 µg/m³15.3 µg/m³16.7 µg/m³20 µg/m³25.8 µg/m³34.3 µg/m³
  • Good 15 µg/m³ or less
  • Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
  • Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
  • Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
  • Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
  • Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³

Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.

Events and seasons

What the weather records cannot show. A major event can lift a month to good or best. The warnings are there to help you plan, and never count against a month.

Reasons to go

  • Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction

    January

  • Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon

    10–20 January, dates vary from year to year

  • Cityskate holiday ice rink and lightshows

    24 November–7 January

  • Waste Management Phoenix Open

    February

  • Arizona Beer Week

    February

  • World Championship Hoop Dance Contest

    February

  • Devour Phoenix

    February

  • Cactus League Spring Training

    March

  • Arizona Aloha Fest

    March

  • Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market

    March

  • Arizona Matsuri

    March, April and May

  • Arizona Taco Festival

    April

  • March Nascar Weekend

    April

  • Arizona Renaissance Festival

    April

  • Arizona Bike Week

    April

  • Phoenix Film Festival

    April

  • Cinco de Mayo Phoenix Festival

    May

  • Scottsdale Annual 4th of July Celebration

    4 July

  • Creekwest Summerfest

    July

  • New Works Festival (Phoenix Theatre)

    July

  • Real, Wild and Woody Beer Festival

    21–31 July

  • Flashlight Nights and night-blooming desert plants

    August

  • Arizona Restaurant Week

    September

  • Red Rocks Music Festival

    September

  • Mask Alive! Festival of Masks

    September

  • Arizona State Fair

    October

  • Gilbert Oktoberfest

    October

  • Scottsdale Art Walk

    October

  • Phoenix Pride

    November

  • Fountain Festival of Fine Arts & Crafts

    November

  • Uncorked Arizona Wine Festival

    November

  • Holidays at the Heard

    December

  • Las Noches de Las Luminarias

    December

  • Phoenix Festival of the Arts

    December

  • Fried Chicken & Wings Festival

    December

  • FQ Story home tour

    15–24 December

Worth knowing before you go

  • New Year's Day closures

    1 January

  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day closures

    15–21 January, dates vary from year to year

  • Thanksgiving-to-New Year holiday season travel crowds

    21 November–1 January, dates vary from year to year

  • Presidents' Day closures

    15–21 February, dates vary from year to year

  • Good Friday closures

    March and April, dates vary from year to year

  • Easter closures

    March and April, dates vary from year to year

  • Memorial Day closures

    25–31 May, dates vary from year to year

  • Juneteenth closures

    19 June

  • Independence Day closures

    4 July

  • Labor Day closures

    1–7 September, dates vary from year to year

  • Columbus Day closures

    8–14 October, dates vary from year to year

  • Halloween closures

    31 October

  • Veterans Day closures

    11 November

  • Thanksgiving travel crowds and closures

    21–30 November, dates vary from year to year

  • Winter holiday travel rush

    December

  • Christmas closures

    24–25 December

Other places in United States

Compare places month by month on the travel calendar

Monthly averages over 2006–2025, unless stated otherwise.

Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (CC-BY 4.0), generated using Copernicus Climate Change Service information (ERA5). City data from GeoNames (CC-BY 4.0). Air quality from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) and sea temperature from Météo-France / Copernicus Marine, both via Open-Meteo.com. Coastline from Natural Earth. Ski areas from OpenSkiMap.org, © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Skimap.org. World Heritage sites from Wikidata (CC0), from the World Heritage List © UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Readership from Wikimedia pageview data (CC0). Destination classification derived from English Wikivoyage, © Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).