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Visiting Arizona in winter is wonderful but there’s always one question to ask first: does it snow in Arizona?
The answer is yes! But not everywhere. Read on to find out where it snows in Arizona, how much snow it gets, where to ski in Arizona, typical winter weather, and more.
Does it snow in Arizona?
Yes, it does snow in Arizona! It snows in some areas more than others (like Flagstaff) but the whole state can get snow.
How much does it snow in Arizona?
Williams, Flagstaff, and Grand Canyon Village get the most snow in Arizona, averaging 65, 90, and 43 inches, respectively.
This is distantly followed by Show Low, Payson, and Prescott with 19, 18, and 10 inches on average each.
Jerome, Page, Petrified Forest, Canyon de Chelley, and Pipe Springs National Monument all average less than 10 inches but more than three inches per year.
Southern and western Arizona average 0 inches but that doesn’t mean they don’t get any snow, it’s just usually trace amounts that don’t hang around long.
Where does it snow in Arizona?
It can snow anywhere in Arizona but it’s not guaranteed everywhere. Even Page in northern Arizona and the sauna that is Phoenix get snow sometimes.
Flagstaff reliably gets the most snow but Mount Lemmon also gets a fair amount, enough for it to have skiing.
Can you ski in Arizona?
Yes, you can ski in Arizona! There are four ski resorts in Arizona and one place with groomed cross-country skiing trails (Arizona Nordic Village). Here are the Arizona’s ski resorts:
Arizona Snowbowl – This is in Flagstaff and open mid-November to late May. There is a hotel at Snowbowl, or you can stay in Flagstaff. This is the best ski resort in Arizona.
Book Basecamp at Snowbowl here
Sunrise Park Resort – This is in Pinetop and it’s open year-round but skiing usually starts in mid-December. It’s the only place with night skiing in Arizona! There are plenty of hotels in Pinetop.
Book the Nine Pines Motel here
Ski Resort Elk Ridge – This is near Williams and I really can’t find much about it so I would pick one of the other options if I we’re you. I’m letting you know this (probably) exists but that’s about it.
Mount Lemmon Ski Valley – This is just outside of Tucson on Mount Lemmon. You can visit year-round but skiing is obviously only available when there’s enough snow, usually January to March.
This is also the southernmost ski resort in the US! The Hampton Inn is a good hotel option near the base of Mount Lemmon.
Flagstaff in winter
Flagstaff is the best place to experience snow in Arizona thanks to its location at the base of the San Francisco Mountains.
Flagstaff is around 7000 feet of elevation and the highest peak (Humphrey’s Peak) is at 12,633 feet.
Snowbowl, the premier Arizona ski area, is right in the middle at 9200 to 11,500 feet of elevation.
For the averages below, just remember this is for Flagstaff and Snowbowl is higher and will be different.
Flagstaff in December
Temperatures in Flagstaff in December range from the 30s to the 50s, averaging around 43 degrees during the day and 11 at night, with about 11 inches of snow.
Flagstaff in January
Flagstaff in January is pretty much the same as December, averaging a high of 43 and low of 11 but with about 18 inches of snow.
Flagstaff in February
Flagstaff in February is a tiny bit warmer, averaging a high of 45 and low of 14 but still hovering around 17 inches of snow.
Northern Arizona in Winter
For this post, I’m considering north of Flagstaff northern Arizona. I’m going to use Page as the town for northern Arizona winter temperatures since it’s literally in the middle of the state on the northern border with Utah.
It may still vary going west a bit but winter, while not as snowy as Flagstaff, can still get chilly. Page’s elevation is 4100 feet.
It can snow but it’s usually just a dusting and doesn’t hang around too long. Higher elevations may see a bit more snow.
Northern Arizona in December
Page in December typically sees an average high of 45 and low of 30 with little to no snow. It can be a bit warmer, too.
Northern Arizona in January
January in Page has exactly the same averages as December: high of 45 and low of 29. Ok, almost exactly the same.
Northern Arizona in February
Page in February is a teeny bit warmer with an average high of 52 and average low of 33, still with little to no snow.
Southern Arizona in winter
For the sake of this post, I’m going to share Tucson temperatures since it’s further south than Phoenix.
Both will be similar but Phoenix may be a bit warmer since it’s just over 1000 feet above sea level while Tucson is about 2400.
Southern Arizona in December
Tucson in winter is perfect. It’s not too cold, it’s not too hot, and sometimes it gets a little snow! But just a little and it usually won’t hang around long.
Tucson sees average highs of 67 and lows of 37 in the winter with little to no snow.
Southern Arizona in January
Tucson in January has averages of just one degree higher than December: 68 and 38.
Southern Arizona in February
Tucson in February is a bit warmer with an average high of 71 and average low of 40. There may be some light rain throughout the winter.
Four great places to visit in Arizona in winter
While I would say winter is maybe the best time to visit Arizona, I chose four places I think are particularly great to visit in winter.
None of them are super top secret hidden gems in Arizona but they are either much less busy in winter or just much more pleasant weather wise.
Flagstaff
First up we have Flagstaff. If you want to see snow in Arizona, this is the place to do it.
It’s a great town, I love it, and you can do some of the best skiing/snowboarding in Arizona at nearby Snowbowl.
Phoenix
Phoenix is not a place you’d want to visit in summer (I think) so winter is perfect. Instead of battling average highs over 100, you’ll get much more enjoyable highs in high 60s/low 70s.
This is the perfect time to enjoy all of the hiking in the Phoenix area, like Lost Dutchman State Park and the Superstition Mountains.
Saguaro National Park
Saguaro National Park is one of my top national parks (I absolutely love it) so I had to include it.
There is tons of great hiking in Saguaro National Park and winter is the perfect time to enjoy all the views and trails.
Page
Finally, we have Page, home of Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend. Page is extremely busy and very hot in the summer.
While I think fall is the best time to visit Page, winter is still fantastic thanks to the cool temperatures and lack of crowds.
Holidays will be busy still but it’s wonderful in winter. Plus, there’s the chance of seeing some of the most iconic landmarks in the US dusted in snow which would be so cool.
Other posts you may like
Does it snow in Monument Valley?
Travel Services I Recommend:
AllTrails – This is my favorite hike tracking app.
America the Beautiful – The national park pass is essential.
Booking.com – This is great for finding and booking hotels.
Get Your Guide – I recommend Get Your Guide for booking tours.
National Park Obsessed – This is the best national park planner.
Skyscanner – Skyscanner is great for finding and booking flights.
Enterprise – This is my rental car recommendation.
See all my resources here.
Have you been to Arizona in winter? What did you think of it? Did you get to see snow in Arizona?