Fort Defiance, AZ Climate

Fort Defiance, AZ is located in the heart of the Navajo Nation and has a semi-arid climate. It experiences hot summers with temperatures often reaching into the upper 90s and mild winters when temperatures drop into the low 30s. The area receives less than 10 inches of precipitation annually, primarily during the summer months when thunderstorms occur regularly. During this time, the surrounding area can experience strong winds that can cause dust storms or even wildfires. Overall, Fort Defiance's climate is dry and arid with extreme temperature fluctuations throughout the year.

Fort Defiance, Arizona gets 12 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.

Fort Defiance averages 15 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.

On average, there are 278 sunny days per year in Fort Defiance. The US average is 205 sunny days.

Fort Defiance gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 57 days per year. Precipitation is rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground. In order for precipitation to be counted you have to get at least .01 inches on the ground to measure.

Weather Highlights

Summer High: the July high is around 85 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 15
Rain: averages 12 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 15 inches of snow a year

Bestplaces Comfort Index

The annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for Fort Defiance is 7.4 (10=best), which means it is less comfortable than most places in Arizona.

8.9 Summer - 5.8 Winter

June, August and September are the most pleasant months in Fort Defiance, while January and December are the least comfortable months.

Climate	Fort Defiance, Arizona	United States
	11.6 in.	38.1 in.
	14.5 in.	27.8 in.
	56.8 days	106.2 days
	278 days	205 days
	85.1°	85.8°
	15.0°	21.7°
	7.4	7
	6	4.3
	6834 ft.	2443 ft.

Climate

YOU SHOULD KNOW

Many people confuse weather and climate but they are different. Weather is the conditions of the atmosphere over a short period of time, and climate is how the atmosphere is over long periods of time.

Weather is how the atmosphere is behaving and its effects upon life and human activities. Weather can change from minute-to-minute. Most people think of weather in terms of temperature, humidity, precipitation, cloudiness, brightness, visibility, wind, and atmospheric pressure.

Climate is the description of the long-term pattern of weather in a place. Climate can mean the average weather for a particular region and time period taken over 30 years. Climate is the average of weather over time.

July is the hottest month for Fort Defiance with an average high temperature of 85.1°, which ranks it as one of the coolest places in Arizona. In Fort Defiance, there are 4 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for Fort Defiance are September, June and August.

In Fort Defiance, there are 10.6 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is one of the coolest places in Arizona.

December has the coldest nighttime temperatures for Fort Defiance with an average of 14.7°. This is one of the coldest places in Arizona.

In Fort Defiance, there are 183.7 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is one of the coldest places in Arizona.

In Fort Defiance, there are 4.6 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below zero°, which is one of the coldest places in Arizona.

Humidity is low in Fort Defiance, and some people might find the dryness to be uncomfortable. Days with noticeable humidity are rare throughout the year. A very dry climate can lead to cracked, itchy skin and dry eyes.

July is the wettest month in Fort Defiance with 1.9 inches of rain, and the driest month is June with 0.4 inches. The wettest season is Autumn with 35% of yearly precipitation and 16% occurs in Summer, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 11.6 inches in Fort Defiance means that it is about average compared to other places in Arizona.

August is the rainiest month in Fort Defiance with 8.1 days of rain, and June is the driest month with only 2.0 rainy days. There are 56.8 rainy days annually in Fort Defiance, which is rainier than most places in Arizona. The rainiest season is Autumn when it rains 31% of the time and the driest is Summer with only a 20% chance of a rainy day.

An annual snowfall of 14.5 inches in Fort Defiance means that it is snowier than most places in Arizona. February is the snowiest month in Fort Defiance with 4.0 inches of snow, and 6 months of the year have significant snowfall.