Murray Springs Clovis Site · Photo: Ammodramus · CC0Less rain and snow falls on Sierra Vista than on 94% of U.S. towns: 14 inches a year
January nights here settle around 32°. July is the wettest month, May the driest. Summer afternoons here are warmer than in 83% of U.S. towns. Comfortable outdoor weather, highs of 77–79°, belongs to April and October.
A year in Sierra Vista at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Sierra Vista’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Sierra Vista’s place in Arizona beside it.
What a year in Sierra Vista feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 216 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 5 and the first by November 9. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Sierra Vista, AZ, 2.7 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Sierra Vista’s center in zone 8b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 19°. 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 14 inches of rain a year
July is the wettest month and May the driest. Rain falls on about 51 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.4" in a normal year at Sierra Vista, AZ, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Sierra Vista
65% of the work is heating. Months averaging under 55° run from November through March.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Sierra Vista, AZ.
Living with Sierra Vista’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
216 frost-free days in zone 8b. The last frost comes by Apr 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 Nov 9.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: April and October. 157 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Heat waves are 45% of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Sierra Vista from natural hazards, the largest share. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Sierra Vista and its neighbors
Whetstone the hottest July afternoons (93°, 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 Sierra Vista’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra Vista, AZ | 32° | 91° | 14" | 0.4" |
| Ashland, OR | 31° | 91° | 19" | 0.5" |
| El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles), CA | 36° | 91° | 16" | 0.0" |
| Alpine, TX | 30° | 90° | 15" | 2.2" |
| Finley, WA | 29° | 91° | 9" | 2.0" |
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 Sierra Vista averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.3°).
A bigger shift than in 59% 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 Sierra Vista compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Sierra Vista’s place among Arizona’s.
Sierra Vista weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Sierra Vista’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Sierra Vista, AZ. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 61° | 32° | 0.9" | 0.4" | 4 | 0 | 42° – 51° |
| February | 64° | 35° | 0.7" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 44° – 54° |
| March | 70° | 39° | 0.7" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 49° – 60° |
| April | 77° | 44° | 0.2" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 55° – 66° |
| May | 85° | 51° | 0.2" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 62° – 72° |
| June | 94° | 61° | 0.5" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 72° – 80° |
| July | 91° | 65° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 75° – 82° |
| August | 89° | 64° | 3.3" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 74° – 82° |
| September | 87° | 59° | 1.9" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 69° – 75° |
| October | 79° | 48° | 0.7" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 61° – 68° |
| November | 69° | 38° | 0.5" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 46° – 61° |
| December | 60° | 32° | 1.0" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 42° – 51° |
| Year | 77° | 47° | 14.2" | 0.4" | 51 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. November swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 46° to 61°. July is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Sierra Vista’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 Sierra Vista’s center.
- Snow: Sierra Vista, AZ.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Sierra Vista, AZ, 2.7 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 Sierra Vista’s climate
What is the weather like in Sierra Vista?
A typical July afternoon reaches 91°, a January night drops to 32°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 75% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 83% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Sierra Vista in winter?
December nights average 32°. About 45 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 42°.
How much snow does Sierra Vista get?
About 0.4 inches in a normal winter at Sierra Vista, AZ, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Sierra Vista?
July, with a typical high of 91° and a low of 65°. About 87 days a year reach 90° and 7 reach 100° (Sierra Vista, AZ).
When is the first and last frost in Sierra Vista?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 5 and the first fall frost by November 9, about 216 frost-free days, at Sierra Vista, AZ.
What growing zone is Sierra Vista in?
Zone 8b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 19°.
What is the best time of year to visit Sierra Vista?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), April and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Sierra Vista getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.5° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 59% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Sierra Vista.
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.