If your visiting Arizona, their are a good amount of things you might want to know before exploring. Depending on the time of year or location will determine what kind of information you might like/need to know, for example if your visiting during June - September, you will want to to know more information about the Monsoon season's tips, dangers, etc.
Traveling around the United States I can understand why most people visit places during a "Peak Season" and Arizona has its "Peak Season" for most visitors, which is our winters of course. Contrary to belief, Arizona does in-fact have four seasons. While it is much different than most other states, as Arizonians prepare for the day, not for the season. An example, is during January and February, you might experience temperatures from low 20's in the early morning and then in the high 70's in the late afternoon.
One of the considerations that travelers should take into an account when traveling around Arizona is the geographical area that you are traveling through and your destination. Locations above 5000 feet might be in the high 70s to low 80's in the sun, and then at night drop down to the 30's, while in Phoenix, nighttime temperatures might be high 60's to low 70's. The only consistent thing about Arizona's weather is that it can change rapidly, no matter where you are.
Winter - Mid December - March
Arizona's Winter is usually what most visitors enjoy. With its cool temperatures, it is a great time to get out, explore the state, and enjoy the comfortable night time air. In the Phoenix area, most people wear (or take with them) sweaters or a light jacket, when out doing things. If your up in the mountains (about 5000 feet) you will need a jacket as snowfall can be found on most of the mountain caps. If your looking for snow activities or events, this is the best time to visit. Beware though, temperatures often drop into the teens (negatives with the win chill factor) and yes, we have snow blizzards as well. If your planning on driving, most snow days you will need chains in the high country.
Spring - March to May
Spring in Arizona is a very short season. If your into hiking, this is an awesome time to get out, as temperatures go up into the 80's. If your in the mountains, Spring can last a little bit longer than in the desert. Some of the benefits of Spring is with a little rain from winter, you can usually find an abundance of flowers blooming. If your visiting different parts of the desert or river area's, you will see a spectacular view of wildflowers, the Palo Verde trees (with golden blossoms and even some cacti with different types of flowers on them.
In the Phoenix area, you will usually smell of the citrus trees (which is one of Arizona's 5 C's) like oranges, grapefruits, lemons and limes. Driving around an orchard and you give you the feeling of being in the center of a basket, if you love the fragrances, the best time to visit is in the early morning or at night.
Spring in Southern Arizona is a great time to hike or bird watching as hundreds of hummingbirds and Sandhill Cranes migrate to Arizona.
Summer - May - October
Summer in Arizona to some is compared to like the fires of hell. There is no way around saying it: it's HOT! The desert areas can reach up to 128 degrees (Lake Havasu City, June 29th 1994), however, the averages are much lower. The Phoenix area averages between 105 - 110 degrees, while Tucson averages 100 - 104 degrees, but if your looking for some relief, head north toward the high plateau or mountain region where temperature averages drop to the low 80's (and the high 40's at night.
Arizona Summers wouldn't be complete if we didn't mention is famous "monsoons". A monsoon is basically a change in the direction (to a southerly/southeasterly) of the prevailing wind. This wind shift typically produces a radical change in moisture conditions (especially with daytime heating) and can lead to extreme heat, high winds, heavy rain (or thunderstorms), lighting (shows) and major dust storms. If your visiting during our summer, it would be highly advised to learn more about Arizona's Monsoons.
Fall - October - December
Autumn is considered one of the best time to visit Arizona. It's when the hot days start to lower down to comfortable temperatures (mid 60's to mid 80's) in the Phoenix area and the nights are considerable cooler. It's a time when the extreme weather mostly disappears, and if your willing to travel outside the city, you can visit many places to see all kinds of colorful foliage.
