Arizona Cities With 4 Seasons
If you’re looking to move to Arizona but don’t want it to be hot year round, this article is for you. I’m going to share with you a list of 10 Arizona cities with 4 seasons.
Unlike the most typical destinations in Arizona with year round dry heat (check out my list of the warmest cities in Arizona), all these places have four seasons with warm, but not as extremely hot summer months, cooler temperatures in the transitional seasons and even colder winter months (sometimes downright cold at night).
A Quick Explanation on Average Temperatures
Generally speaking, the higher the average annual temperature, the less pronounced the seasons are and the more the climate resembles typical hot Arizona weather year round.
For example, the average temperature in Phoenix is 75.6 °F and 74.15 °F in Lake Havasu City. In comparison, Flagstaff, located at a much higher elevation, has four distinct seasons and an average annual temperature of 46.85 °F.
This is a huge difference showcasing how different a climate can be between two cities in the same state. In the case of Phoenix or Lake Havasu City, it’s almost always warm or hot. In the case of Flagstaff, the higher elevation (Flagstaff is one of the highest elevation cities in the United States) gives it proper winter, spring, summer, and fall.
A city like Tucson in southern Arizona, with its average temperature of 70.65 °F is cooler than the top cities forming the Phoenix metropolitan area. But it still largely has just two seasons: hot (between April and October) and warm (between November and March, with temperatures still above 65 °F).
A city like Sierra Vista close to the Mexican border, with an average temperature of 63.45 °F may have four seasons but daytime temperatures in winter can still be quite high (average highs over 60 °F in the case of Sierra Vista). This climate is more similar to Las Vegas with its more moderate winters.
A city like Dewey-Humboldt, with its average temperature of 57.45 °F, will have much more pronounced seasons (in the case of Dewey-Humboldt, with temperatures of about 50 °F during the day).
Top 10 Arizona Cities With 4 Seasons
The cities below are ranked by their average temperature, starting from the coldest one to the warmest one. Each also includes average temperatures in the winter and in the summer as well as snowfall amount.
1. Flagstaff – 46.85 °F
Flagstaff has by far the most temperate climate in Arizona out of all the major cities (and Flagstaff is the only bigger major city in Arizona in this ranking).
It has four distinct seasons, none of which go into extreme temperatures. Winter cold is tolerable (during the day; nights are very cold) and summer temperatures aren’t of the “heat stroke” kind usually associated with the rest of Arizona.
Flagstaff is the perfect place for those who want to live in the Grand Canyon state but don’t want to stay indoors because it’s too hot outside. And if summers in Flagstaff are ever too hot for your liking, you can head north to the San Francisco Peaks and cool off at an even higher elevation.
Here’s what the seasons are like in Flagstaff:
Winter (December-February) daytime temperatures: 43-46 °F
Winter (December-February) nighttime temperatures: 17-20 °F
Summer (June-August) daytime temperatures: 79-82 °F
Summer (June-August) nighttime temperatures: 43-51 °F
Snowfall: 90 inches, with 29 snowy days
As an extra curiosity, Coconino National Forest in the vicinity of Flagstaff is the largest Ponderosa pine forest in the world. Flagstaff offers a perfect combination of four seasons, recreational opportunities, and outstanding natural beauty.
2. Pinetop-Lakeside – 49.25 °F
Pinetop-Lakeside is a popular summer resort, with many second homes owned by Arizonians otherwise living in warmer cities. The town has a warmer climate than Flagstaff but still with very pronounced four seasons. Despite a small population, the area has three golf courses where you can still comfortably play in the summer (unlike many other places in the state).
Winter (December-February) daytime temperatures: 45-48 °F
Winter (December-February) nighttime temperatures: 19-22 °F
Summer (June-August) daytime temperatures: 80-82 °F
Summer (June-August) nighttime temperatures: 46-52 °F
Snowfall: 70 inches, with 25 snowy days
3. Taylor – 52.75 °F
Taylor is located 25 miles north of Pinetop-Lakeside. It’s also near Snowflake and Show Low which are ranked fourth and fifth. Taylor has a much drier climate, more typical of Arizona than the previous two cities. It also has hotter summers, with temperatures in the hottest month over 90 °F. It’s dry heat but much hotter than Flagstaff and Pinetop-Lakeside nonetheless.
Winter (December-February) daytime temperatures: 49-55 °F
Winter (December-February) nighttime temperatures: 20-23 °F
Summer (June-August) daytime temperatures: 87-90 °F
Summer (June-August) nighttime temperatures: 48-56 °F
Snowfall: 15 inches, with 6 snowy days
4. Snowflake – 52.75 °F
Because it’s located just 4 miles north of Taylor, Snowflake features virtually the same climate.
Winter (December-February) daytime temperatures: 49-55 °F
Winter (December-February) nighttime temperatures: 20-23 °F
Summer (June-August) daytime temperatures: 87-90 °F
Summer (June-August) nighttime temperatures: 48-56 °F
Snowfall: 15 inches, with 6 snowy days
5. Show Low – 53.15 °F
The small city of Show Low is located much closer to the forested areas than Taylor and Snowflake. This gives it a slightly less dry climate. Like the previous cities, temperatures in Show Low stay cool in the winter months.
Winter (December-February) daytime temperatures: 46-51 °F
Winter (December-February) nighttime temperatures: 23-27 °F
Summer (June-August) daytime temperatures: 83-85 °F
Summer (June-August) nighttime temperatures: 54-59 °F
Snowfall: 19 inches, with 8 snowy days
6. St. Johns – 53.5 °F
Saint Johns is located in the White Mountains, close to the border with New Mexico. It has a cold semi-arid climate with cool winters and summers that are hotter than in Flagstaff and Pinetop-Lakeside.
Winter (December-February) daytime temperatures: 49-55 °F
Winter (December-February) nighttime temperatures: 19-23 °F
Summer (June-August) daytime temperatures: 87-90 °F
Summer (June-August) nighttime temperatures: 51-58 °F
Snowfall: 15 inches, with 5 snowy days
7. Chino Valley – 54.95 °F
Chino Valley is a small city located 17 miles north of Prescott. It features much hotter summers and also noticeably warmer winters than the previous cities.
Winter (December-February) daytime temperatures: 52-56 °F
Winter (December-February) nighttime temperatures: 21-24 °F
Summer (June-August) daytime temperatures: 89-92 °F
Summer (June-August) nighttime temperatures: 50-59 °F
Snowfall: 7.1 inches, with 6 snowy days
8. Prescott – 55.4 °F
Prescott is the second largest city in this ranking after Flagstaff and a major city in central Arizona. Located in the Bradshaw Mountains at a high elevation of 5,400 feet, Prescott is relatively humid for Arizona standards. With several lakes nearby, it offers rare in Arizona recreational opportunities.
Winter (December-February) daytime temperatures: 52-55 °F
Winter (December-February) nighttime temperatures: 24-26 °F
Summer (June-August) daytime temperatures: 87-90 °F
Summer (June-August) nighttime temperatures: 54-61 °F
Snowfall: 10 inches, with 5 snowy days
9. Holbrook – 56.6 °F
Holbrook is located 28 miles north of Snowflake. It has a semi-arid climate with some of the hottest summer months in this ranking (but still cool winters).
Winter (December-February) daytime temperatures: 50-57 °F
Winter (December-February) nighttime temperatures: 22-25 °F
Summer (June-August) daytime temperatures: 92-94 °F
Summer (June-August) nighttime temperatures: 55-62 °F
Snowfall: 3 inches, with 3 snowy days
10. Winslow – 56.7 °F
Winslow is located 33 miles northwest of Holbrook. It has a similar temperate semi-arid climate with hot summers and cool winters.
Winter (December-February) daytime temperatures: 49-56 °F
Winter (December-February) nighttime temperatures: 22-26 °F
Summer (June-August) daytime temperatures: 92-95 °F
Summer (June-August) nighttime temperatures: 55-64 °F
Snowfall: 8 inches, with 7 snowy days
Further Reading
Read more about winters in Arizona in this article. You may also be interested in my article “What City Has the Best Weather in Arizona?“