What is the hottest month at Petrified Forest?

July, with an average high of 92°F and an average low of 60°F at Painted Desert NP (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). The station averages 65 days a year at or above 90°F.

How cold does Petrified Forest get in winter?

December is the coldest month, averaging a low of 22°F and a high of 47°F at Painted Desert NP. About 128 nights a year drop to freezing or below.

Does it snow at Petrified Forest?

Painted Desert NP records almost no snowfall (1.6 inches a year). Higher elevations in the park can differ.

When is the rainy season at Petrified Forest?

August is the wettest month on average (1.7 inches of precipitation at Painted Desert NP); the station's annual total is 9.9 inches.

How many hours of daylight does Petrified Forest get?

About 14h 30m on June 15 and 9h 49m on December 15 (sunrise 5:05 AM, sunset 7:34 PM in June; 7:20 AM to 5:09 PM in December, America/Phoenix time).

What is the best month to visit Petrified Forest for weather?

By NOAA's normals, average highs sit between 55°F and 85°F in March, April, May, September, October and November. Of those, November is also well below the park's peak crowds. Weather in the park varies with elevation; this is the Painted Desert NP station.

Weather by month

Petrified Forest weather, month by month

Last verified October 6, 2026NOAA 1991–2020 normalsAmerica/Phoenix time

Average highs, lows, rain, snow and daylight for every month. Measured at the Painted Desert NP (5,760 ft, 0.7 mi from Painted Desert Visitor Center).

Sunlit Painted Desert hills of the Petrified Forest National Wilderness Area — Photo: NPS Photo

Jul high: 92°F; hottest month
Dec low: 22°F; coldest month
Rain + snowmelt: 9.9in / yr; wettest: Aug
Snowfall: 1.6in / yr; rare
Days ≥ 90°F: 65/ yr
Nights ≤ 32°F: 128/ yr

Painted Desert NP

Month by month

Normals are 30-year averages (1991–2020). Crowds = each month’s share of the park’s busiest month, from NPS visitor counts. Sunrise and sunset are for the 15th of each month in 2027.

Average high and low, every monthbars run from the low to the high · tan strip = precipitation

Month	High	Low	Rain	Snow	Wet days	Sunrise	Sunset	Daylight	Crowds
Jan	48°	22°	0.9″	0.7″	4	7:27 AM	5:30 PM	10h 04m	37
Feb	53°	25°	0.7″	0.1″	4	7:05 AM	6:01 PM	10h 56m	33
Mar	61°	30°	0.7″	0.2″	4	6:30 AM	6:26 PM	11h 56m	74
Apr	68°	35°	0.4″	0.2″	3	5:47 AM	6:51 PM	13h 04m	66
May	78°	44°	0.5″	—	3	5:16 AM	7:15 PM	13h 60m	91
Jun	89°	53°	0.3″	—	2	5:05 AM	7:34 PM	14h 30m	100
Jul	92°	60°	1.4″	—	8	5:17 AM	7:34 PM	14h 17m	84
Aug	88°	58°	1.7″	—	9	5:39 AM	7:08 PM	13h 29m	66
Sep	82°	51°	1.1″	—	6	6:02 AM	6:27 PM	12h 25m	67
Oct	71°	40°	1.0″	—	5	6:25 AM	5:45 PM	11h 20m	70
Nov	58°	28°	0.6″	0.3″	4	6:53 AM	5:14 PM	10h 21m	45
Dec	47°	22°	0.8″	0.1″	5	7:20 AM	5:09 PM	9h 49m	46

Sweet spot: November combines average highs between 55°F and 85°F with crowds under 60% of the peak month. Check what is open in those months — quiet can also mean closed roads.

How to read this

These are NOAA’s official 1991–2020 climate normals for one weather station, not a model of the whole park. The station is the one with complete temperature and precipitation normals nearest to a visitor center. Highs and lows are daily averages for the month; “wet days” are days with at least 0.01 inch of precipitation. Mountain parks can be 10–20 °F cooler at their high points than at the station, and the NPS weather page for Petrified Forest is the place for current conditions and seasonal closures.

Sunrise and sunset are computed with the NOAA solar equations for the park’s coordinates and shown in America/Phoenix time for the 15th of each month of 2027; they are accurate to about a minute.

Sources · 3

1.U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — monthly normals station inventory · National Centers for Environmental Information (NOAA)
2.Petrified Forest National Park — Weather (nps.gov) · National Park Service
3.Petrified Forest National Park — Visitor Use Statistics · National Park Service (IRMA)

FAQ

Petrified Forest weather questions

What is the hottest month at Petrified Forest?: July, with an average high of 92°F and an average low of 60°F at Painted Desert NP (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). The station averages 65 days a year at or above 90°F.
How cold does Petrified Forest get in winter?: December is the coldest month, averaging a low of 22°F and a high of 47°F at Painted Desert NP. About 128 nights a year drop to freezing or below.
Does it snow at Petrified Forest?: Painted Desert NP records almost no snowfall (1.6 inches a year). Higher elevations in the park can differ.
When is the rainy season at Petrified Forest?: August is the wettest month on average (1.7 inches of precipitation at Painted Desert NP); the station's annual total is 9.9 inches.
How many hours of daylight does Petrified Forest get?: About 14h 30m on June 15 and 9h 49m on December 15 (sunrise 5:05 AM, sunset 7:34 PM in June; 7:20 AM to 5:09 PM in December, America/Phoenix time).
What is the best month to visit Petrified Forest for weather?: By NOAA's normals, average highs sit between 55°F and 85°F in March, April, May, September, October and November. Of those, November is also well below the park's peak crowds. Weather in the park varies with elevation; this is the Painted Desert NP station.

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