NWS Phoenix

Weather Forecast Office

2023 Climate Year in Review for Phoenix, Yuma, and El Centro

The year 2023 ended up being the 4th warmest year recorded in the history of Phoenix, Arizona, and tied for 41st warmest in Yuma. Extensive missing temperature data at El Centro precludes any definitive ranking this year. Rainfall in Phoenix for the year was much below average, and ranked as the 15th driest. Equipment failures at Yuma failed to record events required to make an annual total. Records for Phoenix began in 1896, first taken in downtown and since moved to Sky Harbor airport in the 1950s. Records in Yuma began in 1878.

A persistent La Nina pattern from 2022 continued into 2023 marking the third consecutive winter of La Nina. However, unlike the typical dry La Nina pattern common in the Southwest, this La Nina episode produced unusually wet conditions lasting into the spring. In fact, one unusually strong weather disturbance in the beginning of March brought snow levels as low as 2000ft and light snow reported in the foothills north of Phoenix. With the higher frequency of storm systems, cloud cover, and rain, average temperatures during the first half of the year were largely below normal.

The start of the 2023 summer monsoon marked a distinct change in the overall pattern as the cooler and wetter conditions experienced earlier in the year turned dry and hot. In addition to numerous daily record highs throughout the summer, the month of July ended as the hottest month ever recorded in the city of Phoenix with an average monthly temperature above 100 degrees (the first time the 100 degree threshold has ever been reached with respect to monthly average temperature).

Only a handful of thunderstorm days impacted the region during the monsoon, and the recording station at Phoenix Sky Harbor airport reported its driest monsoon on record at only 0.15". The most active days actually occurred towards the end of the monsoon season with one transition event on September 12th producing extensive damaging winds. A more extensive review of Monsoon 2023 can be found here.

La Nina conditions had deteriorated quickly in the spring, then an El Nino episode rapidly evolved during the summer. This El Nino has continued to strengthen through the fall and winter reaching a "strong" category. While El Nino's can sometimes support cooler and wetter weather in the Southwest during the winter, 2023 ended similar to the latter half of the year in a drier and warmer regime.

Phoenix Statistics

2023	Value	Rank
Avg High	88.8	5th Warmest
Avg Low	65.3	4th Warmest
Avg Temp	77.0	4th Warmest
Rain	4.21	15th Driest

Yuma Statistics

2023	Value	Rank
Avg High	87.5	64th Warmest
Avg Low	62.4	27th Warmest
Avg Temp	75.0	41st Warmest
Rain	Missing	Missing

El Centro Statistics

2023	Value	Rank
Avg High	Missing	Missing
Avg Low	Missing	Missing
Avg Temp	Missing	Missing

***Please note all climatic data are considered preliminary until validated by the National Centers for Environmental Information***

Phoenix Annual Temperature Rankings (Warmest Years)

Year	Avg Daily Temp
2017	77.3
2020	77.2
2014	77.1
2023	77.0
1989	76.9
2016	76.7
2015	76.7
2012	76.7
2018	76.4
2007	76.4

Year	Avg Max Temp
1989	89.8
2020	89.5
2017	89.1
2014	88.9
2023	88.8
2012	88.7
2016	88.5
1934	88.3
2021	88.2
2018	88.1

Year	Avg Min Temp
2017	65.4
2015	65.4
2014	65.4
2023	65.3
2016	65.0
2020	64.9
2003	64.9
2007	64.8
2018	64.7
2012	64.7

	Avg Max Temp	Highest Temp	Avg Min Temp	Lowest Temp	Avg Temp	Rank (1=Warmest, 128=Coldest)
Jan	63.4	76 on the 13th	44.4	35 on the 24th	53.9 /-2.9	61st
Feb	68.1	79 on the 12th	46.1	35 on the 16th	57.1 /-2.8	68th
Mar	72.2	82 on the 12th & 29th	51.5	41 on the 2nd	61.8 /-4.5	63rd
Apr	88.0	102 on the 30th	60.5	46 on the 5th	74.3 /+1.1	18th
May	96.0	105 on the 16th	70.6	61 on the 5th	83.3 /+1.3	16th
Jun	103.3	112 on the 26th	75.6	69 on the 1st & 7th	89.5 /-1.9	41st
Jul	114.7	119 on the 20th & 25th	90.8	81 on the 1st	102.7 /+7.2	1st
Aug	109.5	117 on the 28th	88.0	76 on the 31st	98.8 /+4.4	2nd
Sep	103.4	114 on the 9th	78.9	72 on the 21st & 29th	91.2 /+2.0	6th
Oct	94.2	99 on the 3rd	69.7	53 on the 25th	81.9 /+4.5	3rd
Nov	80.6	93 on the 5th & 6th	58.1	47 on the 26th	69.4/+4.3	4th
Dec	71.6	84 on the 6th	49.3	43 on the 27th	60.5/+4.7	2nd

(*** click on month for more comprehensive monthly summary ***)

Record Highs Set in 2023

Date	Record	Previous Record
Apr 11	99	98 in 1989
Apr 30	102- tied record	102 in 1943
Jul 13	114 - tied record	114 in 2020
Jul 14	116 - tied record	116 in 2003
Jul 15	118	117 in 1998
Jul 17	116 - tied record	116 in 2005
Jul 18	118	115 in 1989
Jul 19	119	116 in 1989
Jul 20	119	114 in 1978
Jul 22	118	116 in 2006
Jul 24	116 - tied record	116 in 2018
Jul 25	119	116 in 2018
Jul 26	118	116 in 1995
Jul 29	115 - tied record	115 in 2020
Aug 5	116	115 in 2019
Aug 6	114 - tied record	114 in 2018
Aug 16	115 - tied record	115 in 2020
Aug 27	114	113 in 2020
Aug 28	117	113 in 2009
Aug 29	116	113 in 2009
Sep 8	110 - tied record	110 in 1979
Sep 9	114	111 in 2021
Sep 10	113	111 in 1990
Oct 16	105	102 in 2020
Oct 19	104	101 in 2003
Oct 20	104	103 in 2003
Dec 5	82 - tied record	82 in 1939
Dec 6	84	83 in 1939
Dec 21	78	77 in 1985

No Record Lows were set in 2023

Yuma Annual Temperature Rankings (Warmest Years)

Year	Avg Daily Temp
2017	77.5
2016	77.2
2008	77.1
1996	77.0
1995	76.8
1981	76.8
2012	76.6
2021	76.5
2018	76.5
1989	76.5

Year	Avg Max Temp
1981	91.0
1950	91.0
1958	90.6
1989	90.5
1954	90.5
1959	90.2
1962	90.1
1960	90.1
2008	90.1
2017	90.0

Year	Avg Min Temp
2017	64.9
2016	64.7
1996	64.4
2008	64.2
2005	64.2
2003	64.2
2018	64.1
2004	64.0
1997	63.9
1995	63.9

	Avg Max Temp	Highest Temp	Avg Min Temp	Lowest Temp	Avg Temp	Rank (1=Warmest, 147=Coldest)
Jan	66.8	75 on the 10th	45.8	37 on the 21st	56.3 /-2.5	67th
Feb	69.2	77 on the 20th	45.2	38 on the 15th & 16th	57.2 /-4.7	117th
Mar	74.7	82 on the 13th & 14th	51.8	39 on the 2nd	63.3 /-4.3	99th
Apr	88.2	103 on the 30th	58.7	45 on the 4th & 5th	73.4 / +0.3	42nd
May	92.2	101 on the 13th	65.7	57 on the 5th & 6th	79.0 /-1.6	63rd
Jun	98.4	108 on the 30th	70.5	64 on the 1st & 23rd	84.5 /-4.6	110th
Jul	110.7	116 on the 20th	84.3	75 on the 5th & 7th	97.5 /+2.9	1st
Aug	107.4	118 on the 28th	83.2	73 on the 20th	95.3 /+0.5	18th
Sep	100.1	111 on the 9th	75.6	68 on the 21st & 30th	87.8 /-1.7	57th
Oct	91.9	105 on the 20th	65.9	57 on the 31st	78.9 /+0.9	25th
Nov	79.0	92 on the 5th & 6th	54.3	47 on the 10th and 29th	66.6 /+0.5	26th
Dec	71.3	80 on the 6th	48.4	41 on the 14th	59.8 /+2.5	14th

(*** click on month for more comprehensive monthly summary ***)

Record Highs Set in 2023

Date	Record	Previous Record
Apr 30	103 - tied record	103 in 1943
Jul 19	115 - tied record	115 in 2000
Aug 17	114 - tied record	114 in 2020
Aug 28	118 - tied record	118 in 1981
Oct 20	105 - tied record	105 in 2003

No Record Lows were set in 2023

El Centro Annual Temperature Rankings (Warmest Years)

Year	Avg Daily Temp
2016	76.1
2017	75.8
2014	75.6
2018	75.5
2015	75.4
2020	74.9
1986	74.9
2021	74.8
2012	74.6
2006	74.4

Year	Avg Max Temp
1934	91.7
2016	91.0
2017	90.4
2014	90.3
2020	90.1
2018	90.0
2015	89.8
2021	89.6
2012	89.6
2009	89.6

Year	Avg Min Temp
2017	61.3
2016	61.2
2015	61.1
2018	61.0
2014	60.8
1983	60.8
1984	60.5
1986	60.4
1959	60.3
2021	60.0

	Avg Max Temp	Highest Temp	Avg Min Temp	Lowest Temp	Avg Temp	Rank (1=Warmest, 97=Coldest)
Jan	66.5	73 on the 10th	43.2	35 on the 22nd	54.9 /-1.1	49th
Feb	68.8	79 on the 21st	41.6	32 on the 16th	55.2 /-4.2	65th
Mar	74.2	83 on the 12th & 13th	49.6	37 on the 3rd	61.9 /-3.4	72nd
Apr	87.8	103 on the 29th	54.9	40 on the 6th	71.3 / +0.4	39th
May	92.6	103 on the 13th	62.4	53 on the 6th	77.5 /-0.7	52nd
Jun	98.3	109 on the 30th	67.3	60 on the 12th	82.8 /-4.0	88th
Jul	M	Missing	M	Missing	M / M	Missing
Aug	M	116 on the 28th & 29th	M	71 on the 4th & 22nd	M / M	Missing
Sep	99.2	111 on the 9th	71.6	62 on the 21st	85.4 /-1.8	65th
Oct	91.8	103 on the 20th	61.4	46 on the 31st	76.6/ +1.4	28th
Nov	77.9	90 on the 6th	49.4	40 on the 26th	63.7 /+0.4	41st
Dec	71.3	79 on the 5th & 6th	44.1	36 on the 10th	57.7 /+2.8	13th

(*** click on month for more comprehensive monthly summary ***)

Record Highs Set in 2023

Date	Record	Previous Record
Jul 15	116 - tied record	116 in 2019
Jul 18	117 - tied record	117 in 2009
Jul 20	118	117 in 1978
Oct 20	103 - tied record	103 in 2003

Record Lows Set in 2023

Date	Record	Previous Record
Apr 6	40	41 in 1929

Arizona Statewide Temperature Maps (Data courtesy of Western Region Climate Center)

Arizona 2023 Average Maximum Temperature	Arizona 2023 Maximum Temp Departure from normal
Arizona 2023 Average Minimum Temperature	Arizona 2023 Minimum Temp Departure from normal
Arizona 2023 Average Temperature	Arizona 2023 Average Temp Departure from normal

California Statewide Temperature Maps (Data courtesy of Western Region Climate Center)

California 2023 Average Maximum Temperature	California 2023 Maximum Temp Departure from normal
California 2023 Average Minimum Temperature	California 2023 Minimum Temp Departure from normal
California 2023 Average Temperature	California 2023 Average Temp Departure from normal

2023 Phoenix Precipitation Statistics

	Precip Total	Departure	Rank (1=Wettest, 128=Driest)
Jan	1.03	+0.16	38th
Feb	0.38	-0.49	73rd
Mar	1.47	+0.64	21st
Apr	0.00	-0.22	128th
May	Trace	-0.13	128th
Jun	0.00	-0.02	128th
Jul	Trace	-0.91	128th
Aug	0.12	-0.81	114th
Sep	0.03	-0.54	105th
Oct	0.00	-0.56	128th
Nov	0.29	-0.28	67th
Dec	0.89	+0.15	47th

(*** click on month for more comprehensive monthly summary ***)

Phoenix Record Daily Rainfall for 2023

Date	Record	Previous Record
Jan 1	0.43	0.22 in 1906

2023 Yuma Precipitation Statistics

	Precip Total	Departure	Rank (1=Wettest, 147=Driest)
Jan	0.16	-0.23	75th
Feb	0.14	-0.24	66th
Mar	0.29	-0.10	47th
Apr	0.00	-0.14	147th
May	0.00	-0.06	147th
Jun	0.00	-0.01	147th
Jul	0.00	-0.24	147th
Aug	Missing	Missing	Missing
Sep	1.71	+1.03	8th
Oct	0.00	-0.13	147th
Nov	0.32	+0.09	30th
Dec	Missing	Missing	Missing

(*** click on month for more comprehensive monthly summary ***)

Yuma Record Daily Rainfall for 2023

Date	Record	Previous Record
Sep 2	1.67	1.49 in 1967

Arizona Statewide Precipitation Maps (Data courtesy of Western Region Climate Center)

Arizona 2023

Precipitation

Arizona 2023 Precip Departure from normal

Arizona 2023 Precip Percent Normal

California Statewide Precipitation Maps (Data courtesy of Western Region Climate Center)

California 2023

Precipitation

California 2023 Precip Departure from normal

California 2023 Precip Percent Normal

CLIMATE REPORT 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
712 AM MST TUE JAN 02 2024

...................................

...THE PHOENIX AZ CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE YEAR OF 2023...

CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1991 TO 2020
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1895 TO 2024

WEATHER         OBSERVED          NORMAL  DEPART   LAST YEAR'S         
                VALUE   DATE(S)   VALUE   FROM     VALUE               
                                          NORMAL                       
..............................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
 HIGH            122   06/26/1990                                      
 LOW              16   01/07/1913                                      
HIGHEST          119   07/19        114       5                        
                       07/20                                           
                       07/25                                           
LOWEST            35   01/24         35       0                        
                       02/16                                           
AVG. MAXIMUM    88.8               87.1     1.7                        
AVG. MINIMUM    65.3               64.1     1.2                        
MEAN            77.0               75.6     1.4                        
DAYS MAX >= 90   185              173.4    11.6                        
DAYS MAX <= 32     0                0.0     0.0                        
DAYS MAX >= 100  133                                                   
DAYS MAX >= 110   55                                                   
DAYS MIN <= 32     0                0.6    -0.6                        
DAYS MIN <= 0      0                0.0     0.0                        
DAYS MIN >= 90    35                                                   

PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
 MAXIMUM       19.73   1905                                            
 MINIMUM        2.82   2002                                            
TOTALS          4.21               7.22   -3.01                        
DAYS >= .01       27               33.4    -6.4                        
DAYS >= .10       12               17.2    -5.2                        
DAYS >= .50        3                4.1    -1.1                        
DAYS >= 1.00       0                0.9    -0.9                        
GREATEST
 24 HR. TOTAL   0.80   03/15 TO 03/16                                  


DEGREE DAYS
HEATING TOTAL    844                874     -30                        
 SINCE 7/1       168                378    -210                        
COOLING TOTAL   5363               4765     598                        
 SINCE 1/1      5363               4764     599                        
..............................................................

WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED              6.6                                    
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION    73/190    DATE  08/31                  

AVERAGE RH (PERCENT)     31                                            

WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH 
THUNDERSTORM             14     HEAVY RAIN                 5           
RAIN                      8     LIGHT RAIN                34           
FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE     1

CLIMATE REPORT 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
712 AM MST TUE JAN 02 2024

...................................

...THE YUMA AZ CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE YEAR OF 2023...

CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1991 TO 2020
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1876 TO 2024

WEATHER         OBSERVED          NORMAL  DEPART   LAST YEAR'S         
                VALUE   DATE(S)   VALUE   FROM     VALUE               
                                          NORMAL                       
..............................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
 HIGH            124   07/28/1995                                      
 LOW              22   01/24/1937                                      
                       12/26/1911                                      
                       01/20/1883                                      
HIGHEST          118   08/28        115       3                        
LOWEST            37   01/21         36       1                        
AVG. MAXIMUM    87.5               88.1    -0.6                        
AVG. MINIMUM    62.4               63.8    -1.4                        
MEAN            75.0               75.9    -0.9                        
DAYS MAX >= 90   178              180.8    -2.8                        
DAYS MAX <= 32     0                0.0     0.0                        
DAYS MAX >= 100  103                                                   
DAYS MAX >= 110   36                                                   
DAYS MIN <= 32     0                0.1    -0.1                        
DAYS MIN <= 0      0                0.0     0.0                        
DAYS MIN >= 90     6                                                   

PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
 MAXIMUM       11.41   1905                                            
 MINIMUM        0.03   2002                                            
TOTALS            MM               3.28      MM                        
DAYS >= .01       18               16.6     1.4                        
DAYS >= .10        4                7.9    -3.9                        
DAYS >= .50        2                1.4     0.6                        
DAYS >= 1.00       1                0.4     0.6                        
GREATEST
 24 HR. TOTAL   1.71   09/01 TO 09/02                                  


DEGREE DAYS
HEATING TOTAL    762                679      83                        
 SINCE 7/1       181                306    -125                        
COOLING TOTAL   4499               4705    -206                        
 SINCE 1/1      4499               4704    -205                        
..............................................................

WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED              7.0                                    
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION    69/140    DATE  08/20                  

AVERAGE RH (PERCENT)     37                                            

WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH 
THUNDERSTORM             11     HEAVY RAIN                 2           
RAIN                      6     LIGHT RAIN                17           
FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE     2

CLIMATE REPORT 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
712 AM MST TUE JAN 02 2024

...................................

...THE IMPERIAL CA CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE YEAR OF 2023...

CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1991 TO 2020
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1925 TO 2024

WEATHER         OBSERVED          NORMAL  DEPART   LAST YEAR'S         
                VALUE   DATE(S)   VALUE   FROM     VALUE               
                                          NORMAL                       
..............................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
 HIGH            122   06/20/2017                                      
 LOW              16   01/22/1937                                      
HIGHEST          118   07/20        116       2                        
LOWEST            32   02/16         31       1                        
AVG. MAXIMUM      MM               88.6      MM                        
AVG. MINIMUM      MM               58.7      MM                        
MEAN              MM               73.7      MM                        
DAYS MAX >= 90    MM              181.1      MM                        
DAYS MAX <= 32     0                0.0     0.0                        
DAYS MAX >= 100   MM                                                   
DAYS MAX >= 110   MM                                                   
DAYS MIN <= 32     1                4.1    -3.1                        
DAYS MIN <= 0      0                0.0     0.0                        
DAYS MIN >= 90     0                                                   



DEGREE DAYS
HEATING TOTAL   1025                966      59                        
 SINCE 7/1       292                430    -138                        
COOLING TOTAL   3838               4162    -324                        
 SINCE 1/1      3838               4162    -324                        
..............................................................

WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED              7.5                                    
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION    66/140    DATE  08/20                  

AVERAGE RH (PERCENT)     40                                            

WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH 
THUNDERSTORM              6     HEAVY RAIN                 2           
RAIN                      4     LIGHT RAIN                20           
FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE     3