Hardly any U.S. towns see fresher July days than Forest Lakes
Midwinter brings lows of about 25°. It is a dry place: less rain and snow fall here than on 86% of U.S. towns. Warming shows here too: 1.9° more than in 1901–2000, led by January. Comfortable outdoor weather lasts from May to September, with highs of 66–78°.
A year in Forest Lakes at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Forest Lakes’ climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Forest Lakes’ place in Arizona beside it.
What a year in Forest Lakes feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 135 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 23 and the first by October 5. Frost and day counts come from Heber (black Mesa) Rs, AZ, 15 miles away.
The 2023 USDA map puts Forest Lakes’ center in zone 7a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 5°. 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 29 inches of rain a year
February is the wettest month and June the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Forest Lakes
95% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through May.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Heber (black Mesa) Rs, AZ.
Living with Forest Lakes’ climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
135 frost-free days in zone 7a. The last frost comes by May 23 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 5.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 23 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Forest Lakes from natural hazards, wildfire is the largest share (58%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 1%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Forest Lakes and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Forest Lakes 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 Forest Lakes averaged 1.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.0°).
A bigger shift than in 83% 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 Forest Lakes compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Forest Lakes’ place among Arizona’s.
Forest Lakes weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Forest Lakes’ center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 43° | 25° | 3.8" | 29° – 39° |
| February | 45° | 26° | 3.8" | 30° – 43° |
| March | 51° | 30° | 2.9" | 33° – 46° |
| April | 57° | 34° | 1.2" | 39° – 51° |
| May | 66° | 42° | 0.8" | 48° – 59° |
| June | 77° | 52° | 0.4" | 59° – 68° |
| July | 78° | 56° | 3.3" | 64° – 71° |
| August | 76° | 55° | 3.8" | 62° – 70° |
| September | 71° | 50° | 2.1" | 56° – 63° |
| October | 61° | 40° | 1.7" | 47° – 55° |
| November | 51° | 32° | 2.3" | 33° – 49° |
| December | 42° | 25° | 3.5" | 29° – 39° |
| Year | 60° | 39° | 29.4" |
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 49°. July is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Forest Lakes’ 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 Forest Lakes’ center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Heber (black Mesa) Rs, AZ, 15 miles from the town’s center, 940 ft lower; no station nearby passes every check; this is the nearest one in the same valley, flagged above.
- 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 Forest Lakes’ climate
What is the weather like in Forest Lakes?
A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 25°. Milder January nights than 62% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 96% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Forest Lakes in winter?
January nights average 25°. About 170 nights a year reach 32° or below and 2 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 29°.
How hot does it get in Forest Lakes?
July, with a typical high of 78° and a low of 56°. About 8 days a year reach 90° (Heber (black Mesa) Rs, AZ).
When is the first and last frost in Forest Lakes?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 23 and the first fall frost by October 5, about 135 frost-free days, at Heber (black Mesa) Rs, AZ.
What growing zone is Forest Lakes in?
Zone 7a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 5°.
What is the best time of year to visit Forest Lakes?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Forest Lakes getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.9° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 83% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Forest Lakes.
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.