Few U.S. towns get less rain and snow than First Mesa: 8 inches a year
The depth of winter brings overnight lows near 17°. By July afternoons alone, it runs hotter than 85% of U.S. towns. March has warmed most since 1901–2000, part of a 1.3° rise. Plan time outside for May and September, when highs sit at 77–82°.
A year in First Mesa at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about First Mesa’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with First Mesa’s place in Arizona beside it.
What a year in First Mesa feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 147 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 16 and the first by October 10. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Keams Canyon, AZ, 10 miles from the town’s center, 480 ft higher.
The 2023 USDA map puts First Mesa’s center in zone 7a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 1°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 8 inches of rain a year
August is the wettest month and June the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in First Mesa
91% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Keams Canyon, AZ.
Living with First Mesa’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
147 frost-free days in zone 7a. The last frost comes by May 16 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 10.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May and September. 25 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in First Mesa from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (79%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 4%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →First Mesa and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around First Mesa yet.
Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in First Mesa averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.5°).
A smaller shift than in 54% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.
How First Mesa compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with First Mesa’s place among Arizona’s.
First Mesa weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at First Mesa’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 45° | 17° | 0.7" | 24° – 36° |
| February | 51° | 22° | 0.7" | 31° – 42° |
| March | 59° | 28° | 0.7" | 39° – 48° |
| April | 67° | 33° | 0.4" | 45° – 55° |
| May | 77° | 41° | 0.4" | 53° – 64° |
| June | 88° | 50° | 0.1" | 64° – 73° |
| July | 92° | 58° | 1.0" | 70° – 78° |
| August | 89° | 57° | 1.3" | 69° – 78° |
| September | 82° | 48° | 0.9" | 61° – 68° |
| October | 70° | 36° | 0.8" | 49° – 57° |
| November | 56° | 25° | 0.5" | 33° – 47° |
| December | 44° | 17° | 0.6" | 24° – 37° |
| Year | 68° | 36° | 7.9" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. November swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 33° to 47°. September is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Where First Mesa’s numbers come from
Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. How TownRatings reads climate data →
- Temperatures and precipitation: NOAA’s gridded 1991–2020 normals for the 5 km cell at First Mesa’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Keams Canyon, AZ, 10 miles from the town’s center, 480 ft higher; the nearest station that passes our checks for distance, height and agreement with the grid.
- Growing zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu/phzm, accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Then and now: NOAA’s gridded normals for 1901–2000 at the same cell.
- Storms and extremes: FEMA National Risk Index (expected annual losses to buildings).
Common questions about First Mesa’s climate
What is the weather like in First Mesa?
A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 17°. Colder January nights than 73% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 85% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in First Mesa in winter?
December nights average 17°. About 172 nights a year reach 32° or below and 3 reach 0° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 24°.
How hot does it get in First Mesa?
July, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 58°. About 31 days a year reach 90° (Keams Canyon, AZ).
When is the first and last frost in First Mesa?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 16 and the first fall frost by October 10, about 147 frost-free days, at Keams Canyon, AZ.
What growing zone is First Mesa in?
Zone 7a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 1°.
What is the best time of year to visit First Mesa?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is First Mesa getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.3° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 54% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in First Mesa.
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.