Your nature year
Tucson, Arizonathrough the year
Also for Oro Valley, AZ, Sahuarita, AZ: the same nearby places.
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Tucson?
We follow 3 places within 150 miles of Tucson; the nearest lies 20 miles to the west. Saguaro, 20 miles from Tucson, is the nearest wildflowers spot on this site, often best mid-late March (local timing).
Cave Creek Canyon (101 mi) is the pick for fall foliage, Oct 1–Nov 30 (local timing). Expect about 307 frost-free days in Tucson: the last spring frost usually comes around Feb 5, the first fall one around Dec 9, going by NOAA's Tucson International Airport station 5.2 miles away. Spring green-up reaches town around Jan 26, with first blooms around Feb 20. At some 2,698 feet up, Tucson is high enough that seasons run on a mountain clock. Statewide, Arizona's fall color is usually well under way by late October.
Updated Sep 29. Sources: US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer (places) ↗ (opens in a new tab), US Census Bureau, city and town population estimates, 2024 ↗ (opens in a new tab), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal) ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Tucson's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~Feb 5 to ~Dec 9
- First leaf ~Jan 26
- First bloom ~Feb 20
- Fall color under way ~Oct 30 (AZ)
- Today
Near Tucson right now
- Fall color is usually well under way by late October in ArizonaStatewide · USA-NPN volunteer observations, 2020–2025 · not a forecast~4 weeks
- First fall frost usually around Dec 9 · last spring frost around Feb 5NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Tucson International Airport (5.2 mi, 50% dates)~2 months
- Fall foliage · Cave Creek Canyon · 101 miLocal timing: Oct 1–Nov 30~2 days
Tucson's nature year
- Jan: Spring green-upJan
- Feb: Last spring frostFeb
- Mar: Wildflowers · SaguaroMar
- Oct: Fall color (AZ)Oct
- Dec: First fall frostDec
Nearby, season by season
Fall foliage
- Cave Creek Canyon · 101 miLocal timing: Oct 1–Nov 30~2 days
Wildflowers
- Saguaro · 20 miLocal timing: often best mid-late March~5 months
- Organ Pipe Cactus · 114 miLocal timing: between February and April~4 months
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
Feb 5
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Dec 9
About 307 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Jan 26
First bloom around Feb 20
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Tucson International Airport (5.2 mi from Tucson), the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not. Green-up: the USA-NPN Spring Index, 1991–2020 average at the town.
Questions people ask
When is the first frost in Tucson?
On average around Dec 9, and the last spring frost around Feb 5: about 307 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Tucson International Airport, 5.2 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Tucson?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Jan 26 and first bloom around Feb 20, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see fall foliage near Tucson?
Cave Creek Canyon, 101 miles (local timing: Oct 1–Nov 30). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see wildflowers near Tucson?
Saguaro, 20 miles (local timing: often best mid-late March); Organ Pipe Cactus, 114 miles (local timing: between February and April). Distances are straight-line.
How we know
US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer (places) (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · US Census Bureau, city and town population estimates, 2024 (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal) (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · USA National Phenology Network, Spring Index 1991–2020 averages (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · USA National Phenology Network, colored leaves observations (opens in a new tab) (Sep 29)