Take a moment and picture Arizona in your mind. What do you see?

Large rock formations, a landscape bathed in a dusty red color. Perhaps the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam.

At any point did you picture snow? We’re betting not.

Arizona is well known as having a climate that’s hot and arid, a desert. What happens there during the winter?

If you’re looking at apartments for rent in Phoenix, you’ll want to know what the Arizona weather is like during those months when much of the nation is seeing snow.  

Pack a parka – and a light jacket.

In Arizona the temperature very rarely drops below freezing, and if it does it’ll happen in the higher regions. The temps feel more comfortable than anything, so be prepared with a light jacket in the lower regions and something a little more substantial in the upper ones.

You can keep doing things outdoors.

Because the weather is mostly mild, you won’t have to cease outdoor activity during the winter.

Hiking and biking will still be enjoyable thanks to the cooler air that doesn’t leave you shivering like it might in the Northern parts of the country.

Snow can be scarce.

So often during winter are skies tinted dark grey or white as snow begins to accumulate and cover the ground. Not so in most parts of Arizona, particularly the lower regions.

In fact, the skies are often blue with white clouds and not a chance of snow in sight.

Some of the higher elevation areas might get snow during the months of December through February.

The end of the calendar year is the peak.

December is the coldest month of the year in Arizona with temperatures dropping as low as 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Highs go up to only 66 degrees Fahrenheit, which may sound like a dream to people who experience harsh winter elsewhere.

What about the seasons outside of winter?

The summertime is quite hot with little humidity. This trends into the early fall before the temperatures gradually dip towards the natural winter warmth.

June and July tend to be the hottest months with the thermometer often hitting 104 degrees Fahrenheit. An average low temperature during the summer sits around 83 degrees Fahrenheit.

July through September’s summer monsoons have short bursts of heavy rain and rolling thunderstorms in the southern part of the state.

Spring is a nice time to visit as temperatures begin to climb and the local flora begins to bloom. You can catch not only gorgeous wildflowers popping up, but cacti showing off colorful flowers.

In April the average temps hit between the 80s for a high and lower 60s for a low.

It all depends on location.

Generally, there are two specific climates in Arizona that depend largely on the landscape.

The lower elevations like Tucson and Phoenix see a much milder winter and hot and dry summers.

Higher elevations like Flagstaff see much colder winters that get closer to freezing, particularly during the months of December, January, and February.