North Fork’s winters are milder but snowier than most of the U.S.
A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 24°, and about 70 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in North Fork at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about North Fork’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with North Fork’s place in Arizona beside it.
What a year in North Fork feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 162 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 5 and the first by October 15. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Show Low Airport, 18 miles from the town’s center, 150 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts North Fork’s center in zone 7a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 2°. 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 70 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Pinetop 2e, AZ, falls mostly in January and December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 22 inches a year; August is the wettest month and June the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 90 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in North Fork
89% 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 Show Low Airport.
Living with North Fork’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
162 frost-free days in zone 7a. The last frost comes by May 5 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 15.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August, September and October. 22 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in North Fork from natural hazards, wildfire is the largest share (53%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 7%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →North Fork and its neighbors
Hondah has the coldest January nights next door (21°, 3° colder) and Rainbow City the hottest July afternoons (89°, 6° 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 North Fork’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Fork, AZ | 24° | 83° | 22" | 70" |
| Moscow, ID | 25° | 84° | 25" | 51" |
| Liberty Lake, WA | 25° | 84° | 22" | 45" |
| Big Bear City, CA | 27° | 81° | 18" | 59" |
| Columbia Falls, MT | 18° | 82° | 20" | 54" |
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 North Fork averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.5°).
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 North Fork compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with North Fork’s place among Arizona’s.
North Fork weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at North Fork’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Pinetop 2e, AZ. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 47° | 24° | 2.2" | 16.5" | 7 | 17 | 28° – 41° |
| February | 50° | 26° | 2.2" | 14.7" | 7 | 11 | 32° – 44° |
| March | 56° | 30° | 2.0" | 10.4" | 7 | 6 | 36° – 48° |
| April | 63° | 34° | 0.8" | 4.4" | 4 | 1 | 43° – 53° |
| May | 72° | 41° | 0.7" | 0.7" | 4 | 0 | 51° – 62° |
| June | 83° | 51° | 0.5" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 61° – 71° |
| July | 83° | 57° | 3.3" | 0.0" | 15 | 0 | 67° – 73° |
| August | 81° | 55° | 3.7" | 0.0" | 16 | 0 | 65° – 73° |
| September | 77° | 50° | 1.9" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 59° – 66° |
| October | 67° | 40° | 1.5" | 2.8" | 6 | 1 | 50° – 58° |
| November | 56° | 31° | 1.5" | 5.2" | 5 | 3 | 36° – 52° |
| December | 46° | 24° | 1.9" | 15.6" | 7 | 12 | 30° – 40° |
| Year | 65° | 38° | 22.2" | 70.3" | 90 | 51 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. November swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 36° to 52°. July is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where North Fork’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 North Fork’s center.
- Snow: Pinetop 2e, AZ.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Show Low Airport, 18 miles from the town’s center, 150 ft lower; 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 North Fork’s climate
What is the weather like in North Fork?
A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 24°, and about 70 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 59% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 69% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in North Fork in winter?
January nights average 24°. About 121 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 28°.
How much snow does North Fork get?
About 70 inches in a normal winter at Pinetop 2e, AZ, most of it in January and December, with snow on the ground about 51 days a year.
How hot does it get in North Fork?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 57°. About 20 days a year reach 90° (Show Low Airport).
When is the first and last frost in North Fork?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 5 and the first fall frost by October 15, about 162 frost-free days, at Show Low Airport.
What growing zone is North Fork in?
Zone 7a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 2°.
What is the best time of year to visit North Fork?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June, July, August, September and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is North Fork 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 North Fork.
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.