LOOKING: For a place in AZ that does not get a lot of rain or snow but is 10 degree'ish cooler then Phoenix? (average, winter)

[new2colo]

Prescott Valley. PV sees less snow than Prescott and isn't as chilly. The difference in temperature is more probably more than 10 degrees, especially during the summer. Whenever I am up in the PV, I am always surprised by how suburban it is. You have most all of your chain restaurants/stores, including Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. It's closer to Phoenix than other suggested towns, like Tucson. Tucson is neither 10 degrees cooler than Phoenix, nor a place that you would want to live if you can avoid it (many run down areas, economically depressed, feels like it's perpetually stuck in 1975, etc.).

[magnum0417]

Tonto Basin near Lake Roosevelt. 2500 ft altitude surrounded by 7000 ft peaks. Superior fits the bill too.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by Katera

Hi all,

I would sincerely appreciate a little help. My wife and I are looking for some advice on an area to potentially move to that would run about 10 degree's cooler then Phoenix, but not be a big snow and overcast location. We looked at Prescott, but the stats say it gets 23" of snow a year which would be to much for us. Unfortunately, quick barometric pressure shifts (that come with snow and rain) create a migraine headache problem for us. We would possibly like to stay around the Phoenix region. Is there any place around Phoenix such as a distant suburb that runs cooler then the city? Thank you very much in advance!

Most distant suburbs are naturally going to run a little cooler than the city itself, but the main difference will be in the overnight low temps. Afternoon highs usually will only be a few degrees cooler at best. Some of the higher elevation suburbs near Phoenix that might offer a little extra cooling would be Carefree, Fountain Hills, and Anthem. Even those places will still get plenty hot during the day in the summer. Incidentally, shifts in barometric pressure are attributed to low pressure systems in general, and aren't only associated with the places that get snow. Pressure shifts of this kind may not always be associated with rain either.

[adriver]

Originally Posted by gemstone1

"Last winter we did not get any rain of note"....but winter is not "the" rainy season in the Tucson area...summer is with the arrival of the monsoon season. Data shows about 11"-12" average annual rainfall. monthly data. NOAA

Regards
Gemstone1

I think what OP should also know, In the areas where elevation is below ~ 2000ft; about 90% of our rain happens within a couple weeks out of the year during the monsoon. Below that height there really aren't any areas that get rain consistently, it mostly all just comes in a heavy downpour some time around the end of the summer/fall

[Travelin Mann]

I don't think there's anywhere close to Phoenix that's significantly cooler. It is in the middle of the Sonoran Desert. Tucson is almost a thousand feet higher so the nights are a bit cooler, but daytime highs are similar. And Tucson isn't exactly near Phoenix, to my way of thinking.

You'll need to get upcountry to Payson or maybe Dewey (part of the Prescott Quad-city area). Dewey is up around 4800 feet, whereas Prescott is 5300, and the difference is often the difference between snow and rain. Dewey usually gets one or two snows of a few inches that often melt on their own in hours. Dewey is also closer to Phoenix by up to a half hour. You can be down to Bell Road or 101 in 60 minutes.

The Prescott area is in a long term drought and regularly gets around 13 inches of it's normal historical 19 inches of rainfall. The monsoons in July-Sept account for most of that.

[Packard fan]

Originally Posted by Travelin Mann

I don't think there's anywhere close to Phoenix that's significantly cooler. It is in the middle of the Sonoran Desert. Tucson is almost a thousand feet higher so the nights are a bit cooler, but daytime highs are similar. And Tucson isn't exactly near Phoenix, to my way of thinking.

You'll need to get upcountry to Payson or maybe Dewey (part of the Prescott Quad-city area). Dewey is up around 4800 feet, whereas Prescott is 5300, and the difference is often the difference between snow and rain. Dewey usually gets one or two snows of a few inches that often melt on their own in hours. Dewey is also closer to Phoenix by up to a half hour. You can be down to Bell Road or 101 in 60 minutes.

The Prescott area is in a long term drought and regularly gets around 13 inches of it's normal historical 19 inches of rainfall. The monsoons in July-Sept account for most of that.

Agreed tho to be fair: the Prescott area's about the same distance from Phoenix as Tucson.

[Travelin Mann]

Packard Fan,
I thought of that after I posted. Depends whether you are trying to get to north Phoenix or the East Valley, I guess. To downtown, yes, roughly equidistant.

The drive to Tucson is hotter, through desert, whereas the road to Prescott ascends rapidly halfway, after Black Canyon City, into cooler climes. This may not matter to most, but it does to me in my New York truck with no air conditioning! lol.

[Katera]

Great posts and replies, I really appreciate the insight!

[mrshowtime3]

Cottonwood. Doesnt get quite as hot as Phoenix and not as cold in the winter as Prescott area.

[locolobo13]

The Safford area from Pima thru San Jose, from Wilcox south towards the border, Benson south towards Sierra Vista. All are a few degrees cooler than PHX. It will rain more than PHX tho.


There is nowhere in the desert to get away from the monsoon storms. You might not see the rain but the pressure changes will happen.