Sunwest sits near the top of U.S. towns for July heat
On a normal January night the air cools to about 39°. Expect the heaviest rain or snow in February and the lightest in June. By precipitation alone, it ranks drier than almost every U.S. town. The frost-free window for a garden runs roughly March 17 to November 19.
A year in Sunwest at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Sunwest’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Sunwest’s place in Arizona beside it.
What a year in Sunwest feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 243 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 17 and the first by November 19. Frost and day counts come from Aguila, AZ, 24 miles away.
The 2023 USDA map puts Sunwest’s center in zone 9b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 26°. 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 6 inches of rain a year
February is the wettest month and June the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Sunwest
47% of the work is heating, so air conditioning is the bigger bill. Months averaging under 55°: December and January.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Aguila, AZ.
Living with Sunwest’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
243 frost-free days in zone 9b. The last frost comes by Mar 17 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 19.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: February, March, April and November. 5.9 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Sunwest from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (79%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 10%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Sunwest and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Sunwest 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 Sunwest averaged 2.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.9°).
A bigger shift than in 88% 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 Sunwest compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Sunwest’s place among Arizona’s.
Sunwest weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Sunwest’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 67° | 39° | 0.8" | 49° – 59° |
| February | 70° | 41° | 0.9" | 49° – 61° |
| March | 77° | 47° | 0.6" | 56° – 69° |
| April | 84° | 52° | 0.2" | 62° – 72° |
| May | 93° | 60° | 0.1" | 70° – 82° |
| June | 102° | 68° | 0.0" | 79° – 89° |
| July | 105° | 76° | 0.8" | 87° – 94° |
| August | 104° | 76° | 0.9" | 86° – 94° |
| September | 99° | 69° | 0.5" | 81° – 87° |
| October | 88° | 56° | 0.3" | 68° – 78° |
| November | 75° | 45° | 0.3" | 53° – 66° |
| December | 65° | 38° | 0.7" | 48° – 57° |
| Year | 86° | 55° | 6.1" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. March swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 56° to 69°. September is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Sunwest’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 Sunwest’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Aguila, AZ, 24 miles from the town’s center, 650 ft higher; no station nearby passes every check; this is the nearest one in the same valley, flagged above.
- 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 Sunwest’s climate
What is the weather like in Sunwest?
A typical July afternoon reaches 105°, a January night drops to 39°. Milder January nights than 87% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than all but 64 U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Sunwest in winter?
December nights average 38°. About 42 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 48°.
How hot does it get in Sunwest?
July, with a typical high of 105° and a low of 76°. About 145 days a year reach 90° and 68 reach 100° (Aguila, AZ).
When is the first and last frost in Sunwest?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by March 17 and the first fall frost by November 19, about 243 frost-free days, at Aguila, AZ.
What growing zone is Sunwest in?
Zone 9b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 26°.
What is the best time of year to visit Sunwest?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), February, March, April and November. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Sunwest getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 2.0° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 88% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Sunwest.
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.