Photo: Hank Goede · CC BY-SA 3.0Fort Apache’s winters are milder than most of the U.S.; July afternoons average 90°
A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 24°.
A year in Fort Apache at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Fort Apache’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Fort Apache’s place in Arizona beside it.
What a year in Fort Apache feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 18 inches of rain a year
August is the wettest month and June the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Living with Fort Apache’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 7b.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, September and October.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Fort Apache from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (42%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 9%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Fort Apache and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Fort Apache in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Fort Apache averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.6°).
A smaller shift than in 50% 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 Fort Apache compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Fort Apache’s place among Arizona’s.
Fort Apache weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Fort Apache’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 53° | 24° | 1.6" | 32° – 44° |
| February | 56° | 27° | 1.7" | 36° – 47° |
| March | 63° | 31° | 1.5" | 40° – 52° |
| April | 70° | 36° | 0.6" | 48° – 58° |
| May | 78° | 43° | 0.5" | 55° – 65° |
| June | 89° | 52° | 0.4" | 66° – 75° |
| July | 90° | 59° | 2.9" | 71° – 77° |
| August | 87° | 58° | 3.4" | 70° – 77° |
| September | 83° | 52° | 1.7" | 62° – 70° |
| October | 73° | 40° | 1.2" | 54° – 61° |
| November | 62° | 30° | 1.2" | 39° – 55° |
| December | 52° | 23° | 1.4" | 33° – 43° |
| Year | 71° | 40° | 18.0" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. November swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 39° to 55°. July is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Fort Apache’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 Fort Apache’s center.
- 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 Fort Apache’s climate
What is the weather like in Fort Apache?
A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 24°. Milder January nights than 60% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 75% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Fort Apache in winter?
December nights average 23°. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 33°.
How hot does it get in Fort Apache?
July, with a typical high of 90°. 90° days are rare.
What growing zone is Fort Apache in?
Zone 7b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 8°.
What is the best time of year to visit Fort Apache?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, September and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Fort Apache getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.4° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 50% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Fort Apache.
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.