Arizona Climate
Arizona features many different localized conditions in climate largely attributed to varied changes in elevation. The climate in the lower elevations produce mild winters and high temperature summer days that exceed 125 degrees. Temperature patterns range from 40 - 75 degrees in the late fall and mid winter months, making Arizona a popular vacation spot to those looking to escape cold winters in the north and east. Although the average daily temperatures are moderate, large temperature swings may occur at night as large as 50 degrees during the summer months.
Arizona receives most of its precipitation during its two distinct seasons of rain. These rainy seasons occur during the monsoon season during summer and early springtime culminating in an average annual rainfall of 12.7 inches (323 mm).
Typically a dry region some mountain peaks in the state receive an annual rainfall in excess of 30 inches of precipitation. A great part of the development in Arizona has be influenced by water availability and projects to bring water to places that do not have natural sources of moisture. Large scale irrigation projects have been constructed in Arizona's valleys, including Roosevelt, Horse Mesa, Mormon Flat, and Stewart Mountain dams. These along with reservoirs and storage lakes, provide water to the Salt River valley and the fields that grow a large portion of Arizona's produce and other related agricultural exports.
