Los Burros Ranger Station · Photo: U.S. Forest Service · Public domainAfternoon heat in McNary trails that of 90% of U.S. towns
Nights in January average 21°. Its yearly precipitation falls short of 88% of U.S. towns. Warming shows here too: 1.2° more than in 1901–2000, led by June. The heating season runs November to April: each of those months averages under 50°.
A year in McNary at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about McNary’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with McNary’s place in Arizona beside it.
What a year in McNary feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 142 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 20 and the first by October 11. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Mc Nary 2n, AZ, 1.2 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts McNary’s center in zone 6b: 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 66 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Mc Nary 2n, AZ, is heaviest from January through February, about 14 inches a month. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 23 inches a year; August is the wettest month and June the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 97 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in McNary
98% 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 Mc Nary 2n, AZ.
Living with McNary’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
142 frost-free days in zone 6b. The last frost comes by May 20 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 11.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August and September. 13 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in McNary from natural hazards, wildfire is the largest share (69%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 2%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →McNary and its neighbors
Hondah the hottest July afternoons (82°, 2° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like McNary’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McNary, AZ | 21° | 81° | 23" | 66" |
| Big Bear Lake, CA | 25° | 80° | 24" | 59" |
| Columbia Falls, MT | 18° | 82° | 20" | 54" |
| Moscow, ID | 25° | 84° | 25" | 51" |
| Porter, NY | 21° | 79° | 33" | 55" |
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 McNary averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in June (+2.1°).
A smaller shift than in 60% 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 McNary compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with McNary’s place among Arizona’s.
McNary weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at McNary’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Mc Nary 2n, AZ. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 45° | 21° | 2.3" | 14.8" | 8 | 20 | 26° – 39° |
| February | 48° | 24° | 2.1" | 13.9" | 7 | 17 | 29° – 41° |
| March | 54° | 27° | 1.9" | 11.9" | 8 | 10 | 34° – 45° |
| April | 61° | 32° | 0.9" | 4.7" | 5 | 3 | 40° – 51° |
| May | 69° | 39° | 0.7" | 0.6" | 5 | 0 | 49° – 59° |
| June | 80° | 48° | 0.6" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 59° – 68° |
| July | 81° | 54° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 15 | 0 | 64° – 70° |
| August | 78° | 53° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 17 | 0 | 63° – 70° |
| September | 74° | 47° | 2.0" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 56° – 63° |
| October | 65° | 37° | 1.7" | 2.1" | 6 | 1 | 47° – 55° |
| November | 54° | 27° | 1.6" | 5.2" | 5 | 5 | 33° – 49° |
| December | 45° | 21° | 2.2" | 12.8" | 8 | 14 | 27° – 37° |
| Year | 63° | 36° | 23.4" | 66.0" | 97 | 70 |
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 6°.
Where McNary’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 McNary’s center.
- Snow: Mc Nary 2n, AZ (NOAA station in town).
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Mc Nary 2n, AZ, 1.2 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; 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 McNary’s climate
What is the weather like in McNary?
A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 21°, and about 66 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 56% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 90% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in McNary in winter?
January nights average 21°. About 170 nights a year reach 32° or below and 1 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 26°.
How much snow does McNary get?
About 66 inches in a normal winter at Mc Nary 2n, AZ, heaviest from January through February, about 14 inches a month, with snow on the ground about 70 days a year.
How hot does it get in McNary?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 54°. About 2 days a year reach 90° (Mc Nary 2n, AZ).
When is the first and last frost in McNary?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 20 and the first fall frost by October 11, about 142 frost-free days, at Mc Nary 2n, AZ.
What growing zone is McNary in?
Zone 6b 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 McNary?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is McNary getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 60% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in McNary.
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.