Hardly any U.S. towns collect less precipitation than Rough Rock: 7 inches a year
Midsummer highs settle at about 91°. Winter and summer sit 71° apart. Summer afternoons here are warmer than in 81% of U.S. towns. The heating season runs November to March: each of those months averages under 50°.
A year in Rough Rock at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Rough Rock’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Rough Rock’s place in Arizona beside it.
What a year in Rough Rock feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 7 inches of rain a year
August is the wettest month and June the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Living with Rough Rock’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 7a.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May and September. 12 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Rough Rock from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (71%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 7%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Rough Rock and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Rough Rock yet.
Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Rough Rock averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.6°).
A bigger 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 Rough Rock compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Rough Rock’s place among Arizona’s.
Rough Rock weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Rough Rock’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 42° | 20° | 0.5" | 24° – 38° |
| February | 48° | 25° | 0.4" | 31° – 43° |
| March | 58° | 30° | 0.6" | 39° – 49° |
| April | 66° | 36° | 0.3" | 46° – 56° |
| May | 76° | 44° | 0.4" | 54° – 64° |
| June | 87° | 54° | 0.1" | 66° – 74° |
| July | 91° | 61° | 1.0" | 72° – 79° |
| August | 88° | 60° | 1.2" | 70° – 78° |
| September | 81° | 51° | 0.8" | 60° – 69° |
| October | 68° | 39° | 0.8" | 49° – 58° |
| November | 54° | 28° | 0.4" | 34° – 47° |
| December | 42° | 20° | 0.6" | 24° – 37° |
| Year | 67° | 39° | 7.1" |
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 47°. July is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Rough Rock’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 Rough Rock’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 Rough Rock’s climate
What is the weather like in Rough Rock?
A typical July afternoon reaches 91°, a January night drops to 20°. Colder January nights than 57% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 81% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Rough Rock in winter?
December nights average 20°. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 24°.
How hot does it get in Rough Rock?
July, with a typical high of 91°. 90° days are rare.
What growing zone is Rough Rock in?
Zone 7a 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 Rough Rock?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Rough Rock getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.4° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 50% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Rough Rock.
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.