Photo: John from tucson az · CC BY 2.0Less rain and snow falls on Pinetop-Lakeside than on 89% of U.S. towns: 20 inches a year
In July the day’s top temperature is typically 84°. In January, nights here are colder than in 60% of U.S. towns. March has warmed most since 1901–2000, part of a 1.4° rise. The frost-free window for a garden runs roughly May 22 to October 6.
A year in Pinetop-Lakeside at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Pinetop-Lakeside’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Pinetop-Lakeside’s place in Arizona beside it.
What a year in Pinetop-Lakeside feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 138 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 22 and the first by October 6. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Pinetop 2e, AZ, 3 miles from the town’s center, 410 ft higher.
The 2023 USDA map puts Pinetop-Lakeside’s center in zone 6b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −3°. 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 20 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 Pinetop-Lakeside
97% 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 Pinetop 2e, AZ.
Living with Pinetop-Lakeside’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
138 frost-free days in zone 6b. The last frost comes by May 22 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 6.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August and September. 17 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Pinetop-Lakeside from natural hazards, wildfire is the largest share (66%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 4%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Pinetop-Lakeside and its neighbors
Show Low the hottest July afternoons (86°, 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 Pinetop-Lakeside’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinetop-Lakeside, AZ | 20° | 84° | 20" | 70" |
| Castle Rock, CO | 18° | 85° | 18" | 58" |
| Whitefish, MT | 17° | 82° | 18" | 63" |
| Ranchettes, WY | 16° | 85° | 16" | 65" |
| Spearfish, SD | 15° | 86° | 25" | 71" |
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 Pinetop-Lakeside averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.5°).
A bigger shift than in 54% 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 Pinetop-Lakeside compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Pinetop-Lakeside’s place among Arizona’s.
Pinetop-Lakeside weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Pinetop-Lakeside’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 | 46° | 20° | 2.1" | 16.5" | 7 | 17 | 25° – 39° |
| February | 50° | 23° | 1.9" | 14.7" | 7 | 11 | 30° – 43° |
| March | 57° | 27° | 1.7" | 10.4" | 7 | 6 | 35° – 47° |
| April | 64° | 32° | 0.7" | 4.4" | 4 | 1 | 42° – 53° |
| May | 72° | 39° | 0.6" | 0.7" | 4 | 0 | 50° – 60° |
| June | 83° | 47° | 0.5" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 60° – 69° |
| July | 84° | 55° | 2.8" | 0.0" | 15 | 0 | 67° – 73° |
| August | 81° | 54° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 16 | 0 | 65° – 73° |
| September | 77° | 47° | 1.8" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 58° – 65° |
| October | 67° | 36° | 1.6" | 2.8" | 6 | 1 | 48° – 56° |
| November | 56° | 26° | 1.4" | 5.2" | 5 | 3 | 34° – 50° |
| December | 46° | 20° | 1.8" | 15.6" | 7 | 12 | 28° – 38° |
| Year | 65° | 35° | 20.2" | 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 34° to 50°. July is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Pinetop-Lakeside’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 Pinetop-Lakeside’s center.
- Snow: Pinetop 2e, AZ.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Pinetop 2e, AZ, 3 miles from the town’s center, 410 ft higher; 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 Pinetop-Lakeside’s climate
What is the weather like in Pinetop-Lakeside?
A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 20°, and about 70 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 60% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 60% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Pinetop-Lakeside in winter?
January nights average 20°. About 163 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 25°.
How much snow does Pinetop-Lakeside 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 Pinetop-Lakeside?
July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 55°. About 8 days a year reach 90° (Pinetop 2e, AZ).
When is the first and last frost in Pinetop-Lakeside?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 22 and the first fall frost by October 6, about 138 frost-free days, at Pinetop 2e, AZ.
What growing zone is Pinetop-Lakeside in?
Zone 6b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −3°.
What is the best time of year to visit Pinetop-Lakeside?
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 Pinetop-Lakeside getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.4° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 54% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Pinetop-Lakeside.
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.