Tonopah sits near the top of U.S. towns for July heat
January mornings start at about 40°. It is a dry place: less rain and snow fall here than on almost every U.S. town. Warming shows here too: 2.2° more than in 1901–2000, led by March. Picnics, hikes and garden evenings suit February, March and November, with highs of 71–78°.
A year in Tonopah at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Tonopah’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Tonopah’s place in Arizona beside it.
What a year in Tonopah feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 7 inches of rain a year
February is the wettest month and June the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Living with Tonopah’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 9b.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: February, March and November.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Tonopah from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (53%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 21%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Tonopah and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Tonopah 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 Tonopah averaged 2.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+3.1°).
A bigger shift than in 97% 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 Tonopah compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Tonopah’s place among Arizona’s.
Tonopah weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Tonopah’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 67° | 40° | 0.9" | 50° – 59° |
| February | 71° | 43° | 1.0" | 50° – 62° |
| March | 78° | 48° | 0.8" | 57° – 70° |
| April | 85° | 53° | 0.1" | 63° – 73° |
| May | 94° | 61° | 0.1" | 72° – 83° |
| June | 104° | 70° | 0.0" | 81° – 92° |
| July | 106° | 78° | 0.6" | 88° – 96° |
| August | 105° | 78° | 0.9" | 88° – 96° |
| September | 100° | 71° | 0.6" | 82° – 88° |
| October | 88° | 58° | 0.4" | 69° – 78° |
| November | 76° | 46° | 0.5" | 54° – 68° |
| December | 66° | 39° | 0.8" | 49° – 57° |
| Year | 87° | 57° | 6.7" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. November swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 54° to 68°. September is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Tonopah’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 Tonopah’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 Tonopah’s climate
What is the weather like in Tonopah?
A typical July afternoon reaches 106°, a January night drops to 40°. Milder January nights than 89% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than all but 36 U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Tonopah in winter?
December nights average 39°. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 49°.
How hot does it get in Tonopah?
July, with a typical high of 106°. 90° days are rare.
What growing zone is Tonopah 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 Tonopah?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), February, March and November. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Tonopah getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 2.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 97% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Tonopah.
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.