Photo: Renjishino · CC BY 3.0Golden Valley sits near the top of U.S. towns for July heat
Deep winter brings January lows near 38°. Precipitation peaks in February and eases off in June. Its yearly precipitation falls short of 98% of U.S. towns. The outdoor season, with highs of 68–81°, runs through March, April, October and November.
A year in Golden Valley at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Golden Valley’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Golden Valley’s place in Arizona beside it.
What a year in Golden Valley feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 220 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 2 and the first by November 11. Frost and day counts come from Kingman Mohave Co Airport, 17 miles away.
The 2023 USDA map puts Golden Valley’s center in zone 9a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 21°. 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 9 inches of rain a year
February is the wettest month and June the driest. Rain falls on about 28 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Yucca 1 Nne, AZ, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Golden Valley
58% of the work is heating. Months averaging under 55° run from December through February.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Kingman Mohave Co Airport.
Living with Golden Valley’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
220 frost-free days in zone 9a. The last frost comes by Apr 2 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Nov 11.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: March, April, October and November. 238 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Golden Valley from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (51%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 7%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Golden Valley and its neighbors
McConnico has the coldest January nights next door (36°, 2° colder). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Golden Valley’s, farther away
TownRatings’ own comparison of NOAA 1991–2020 normals, not a NOAA product: places of 5,000+ at least 150 miles away, one per state, closest on January low, July high, precipitation and snow.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Valley, AZ | 38° | 101° | 9" | 0.0" |
| Hillcrest, CA | 40° | 100° | 10" | 0.1" |
| Monahans, TX | 30° | 98° | 12" | 0.7" |
| Sunland Park, NM | 32° | 96° | 9" | 2.0" |
| Fallon, NV | 22° | 96° | 4" | 4.5" |
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 Golden Valley averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.5°).
A bigger shift than in 63% 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 Golden Valley compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Golden Valley’s place among Arizona’s.
Golden Valley weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Golden Valley’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Yucca 1 Nne, AZ. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 59° | 38° | 1.2" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 44° – 55° |
| February | 62° | 40° | 1.6" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 44° – 58° |
| March | 69° | 44° | 1.1" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 49° – 65° |
| April | 77° | 50° | 0.4" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 57° – 68° |
| May | 86° | 58° | 0.2" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 66° – 78° |
| June | 97° | 67° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 76° – 87° |
| July | 101° | 74° | 0.7" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 84° – 90° |
| August | 100° | 73° | 0.8" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 82° – 91° |
| September | 93° | 66° | 0.6" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 76° – 83° |
| October | 81° | 54° | 0.7" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 63° – 74° |
| November | 68° | 44° | 0.5" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 48° – 62° |
| December | 58° | 37° | 0.8" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 44° – 52° |
| Year | 79° | 54° | 8.5" | 0.0" | 28 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. March swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 49° to 65°. July is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Golden Valley’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 Golden Valley’s center.
- Snow: Yucca 1 Nne, AZ.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Kingman Mohave Co Airport, 17 miles from the town’s center, 600 ft higher; 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 Golden Valley’s climate
What is the weather like in Golden Valley?
A typical July afternoon reaches 101°, a January night drops to 38°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 85% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than all but 115 U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Golden Valley in winter?
December nights average 37°. About 66 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 44°.
How much snow does Golden Valley get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Yucca 1 Nne, AZ, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Golden Valley?
July, with a typical high of 101° and a low of 74°. About 114 days a year reach 90° and 32 reach 100° (Kingman Mohave Co Airport).
When is the first and last frost in Golden Valley?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 2 and the first fall frost by November 11, about 220 frost-free days, at Kingman Mohave Co Airport.
What growing zone is Golden Valley in?
Zone 9a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 21°.
What is the best time of year to visit Golden Valley?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), March, April, October and November. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Golden Valley getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.6° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 63% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Golden Valley.
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.