Tucson weather by month for golfers: highs, lows, rain, wind and frost

Tucson weather by month, in short: winter days in the mid-60s with cold mornings, spring warming from the mid-70s in March to the low 90s in May, summer over 100F in June and July, a July-to-September monsoon, and a dry, pleasant fall. For golf, March, April and November have the best weather.

The numbers below are NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals for Tucson International Airport, about 7 miles south of downtown at about 2,550 feet. They are long-term averages, not a forecast. We add what each month means on the course, and how much colder the mornings are in Green Valley and Oro Valley.

Quick facts

• Annual rain: a normal 10.61 in at the airport.
• Best golf weather: March (75.8F) and November (75.1F).
• Hottest: June, 101.2F normal high.
• Wettest: July, 2.21 in over 8.8 rain days.
• Windiest: April and May, about 8.1 mph average.
• Frost: January lows of 40.8F at the airport, 36.1F in Green Valley and 30.6F at Catalina State Park.
• Clock: Mountain Standard Time all year, no daylight saving.

Tucson weather by month: the normals

Rain days count days with at least 0.01 in. Wind is the average of NOAA's hourly normals over every hour of the month, so afternoon gusts run higher.

Green Valley and Oro Valley are colder at night

Afternoon highs are almost identical across the area: January is about 66.5F to 67F at the airport, in Green Valley and at Catalina State Park on the north edge of Oro Valley. The nights are different. Cold air drains into the valleys away from the city, so winter lows are about 4 to 5F colder in Green Valley and about 10F colder near Oro Valley.

Both outlying stations are a little wetter than the airport, about 12.9 in a year in Green Valley and 13.2 in at Catalina State Park, mostly from heavier monsoon storms. No normals exist in our data for SaddleBrooke or Tubac; expect SaddleBrooke close to Catalina State Park and Tubac close to Green Valley.

What this means on the course: frost delays and later first tee times are more likely at the Green Valley courses, such as Haven and Torres Blancas, and at the north-side courses, such as El Conquistador and SaddleBrooke, than at central ones like El Rio. Torres Blancas and Canoa Ranch run a Frost and Heat Index line, 520-352-1082, for same-day open or closed checks.

Winter: December to February

Mid-60s afternoons, cold dawns, and about four rain days a month from winter storms. Snow is common on Mount Lemmon but not in town. December has the coldest nights of the year at the airport, a normal 40.5F, with 36.1F in Green Valley and 31.0F at Catalina State Park, which bottoms out in January at 30.6F. Winters are also wetter near the mountains, with 1.35 in in January at Catalina State Park against 0.84 in at the airport. Dress in layers: a jacket for the first hour, a shirt by the back nine. The Torres Blancas course guide has the frost line and shop hours.

Spring: March to May

March is mid-70s and drying out, the best golf month of the year. April is low 80s, very dry and the breeziest stretch, though about 8 mph is still light. May is low 90s and almost rainless (0.20 in); summer rates begin and play moves earlier.

Summer: June to September

June is the hottest month by normal high, 101.2F, with very low humidity before the monsoon. The National Weather Service monsoon season runs June 15 to September 30, with most storms in July and August: humidity, afternoon thunderstorms with lightning, dust storms and flash floods in washes. July nights stay near 76F.

Golf becomes a dawn activity. Book the first tee time, carry water and expect lightning suspensions in the afternoon. Green Valley and Catalina State Park run about 1 to 2F cooler on summer afternoons and several degrees cooler at night. See Tucson summer golf and the Mount Lemmon day trip for the local escape.

Fall: October and November

The monsoon winds down by the end of September. October falls to the mid-80s with 0.67 in of rain, and November to the mid-70s, dry and sunny. The weather is excellent, but many courses overseed from mid-to-late September into October, so check each course. See Tucson golf overseed and Tucson golf in November.

Weather hazards beyond the thermometer

The normals leave out a few things that matter on a Tucson golf trip:

• Monsoon storms: lightning suspensions in the afternoon, dust storms on I-10 and flash floods in washes and dip crossings, which can flood quickly. Do not drive into a flooded crossing.
• Fire season: in May and June, fire restrictions can close parts of the Santa Catalinas and Santa Ritas, which affects hiking on rest days.
• Mount Lemmon in winter: snow is common near the summit (about 9,100 ft), so check chain and road restrictions before driving up.
• Morning frost: the colder valley nights in Green Valley and near Oro Valley mean frost delays, mostly December to February.

All of them shape when you book. The El Conquistador course guide covers one of the north-side courses where frost delays are more likely.

Reading the weather for a golf trip

• Morning tee times in winter: expect 40s at the airport and 30s in Green Valley and Oro Valley. A mid-morning start is often the better round.
• Wind is rarely the problem. Tucson's breeziest months average about 8 mph.
• Rain is concentrated. July, August and September bring 5.51 in of the 10.61 in annual normal; winter months have about four rain days each.
• Heat is the summer limit. From June to August, plan to finish before late morning.
• Time zone: Tucson does not change its clocks. From November 1, 2026 to March 14, 2027 it is one hour ahead of California and Las Vegas.

For how the weather combines with prices and crowds, read the best time to golf in Tucson and Tucson golf in January. For a warmer Arizona winter, compare Yuma weather for golf.

Plan it on the map

Open the Tucson golf map to see every course with its area and drive times between them. The $30 plan builds a trip around the season and your tee times, or a whole winter stay of 2 to 12 weeks with a weekly rotation.