Phoenix, Arizona is mostly known for its hot and dry summers. But the weather that keeps everyone coming back is every other season of the year: beautiful fall weather that allows everyone to get back outside, gorgeous crisp winter days, and bright, sunny spring temperatures (as well as spring training!)
Phoenix boasts 211 sunny days per year as well as 85 partly sunny days, for a total of 296 days of sun per year. This compares well with places like Seattle (only 164 total), and even Texas (slightly over 200 total in most cities). This means it will almost always be bright outside, and when the weather isn’t too hot from fall to spring, there’s hardly any rain to speak of. Most rain in phoenix comes in the form of monsoons during the summer months, which are a welcome relief from the heat. The city receives just over 8 inches of rainfall annually (compare that to Seattle, which gets about 34 inches, or Nashville, which gets 47 inches a year.)
Everyone has probably told you how hot Phoenix gets in the summers. They’re right, we have highs reaching 122 degrees sometimes. But those heat waves don’t stick around too long, and in the hottest parts of summer you’ll usually find highs of around 100-110 degrees. The low temperatures in the summers are typically in the mid-80 degree range, but the further you live outside of the urban center, the more the weather cools off at night. Although the summers are brutal, the other seasons are amazing. Typically by October, high temperatures are below 90 degrees and lows are in the 60s, prompting all Phoenix residents to emerge from their summer hibernation and spend time outside. The winter is even nicer, with highs in the 60s and 70s and lows in the 40s or 50s. You’ve never enjoyed a winter like a Phoenix winter! Spring is the favorite of locals and visitors, as many events are held in the valley to get people outside. Highs in the spring are around 70-80 degrees and lows are typically in the 60s. Overall, if people in Chicago can handle freezing temperatures all winter, Phoenicians figure that we can handle a few months of hot weather, with access to indoor malls and gyms, water parks, and swimming pools!
