It was the warmest March on record. Based on local station measurements, the Phoenix and Tucson Forecast Offices of the National Weather Service report monthly averages of minimum temperatures 8 to 10 °F above normal and maximum temperatures 12 to 15 °F above normal. Plainly, the legend for our standard map needs an update, as it only depicts monthly average temperatures that were more than 5 °F above the 1991-2020 normal for all of Arizona (dark red-orange area on map), even though values across the state are in line with those reported above. For reference, monthly average temperatures in March 2025 were near normal for much of the state.

Area-average maximum and minimum temperatures during March 2026 were 78.4 and 46.5 °F for the Sonoita AVA, 83.3 and 47.4 °F for the Verde Valley AVA, and 80.7 and 43.9 °F for the Willcox AVA. Respective March normals are 67.1 and 36.9 °F, 68.0 and 37.6 °F, and 69.4 and 37.1 °F.

Temperature last month ranged between 95.4 and 29.3 °F at the AZMet Bonita station, 93.4 and 29.5 °F at the AZMet Elgin station, and 95.5 and 27.9 °F at the AZMet Willcox Bench station.

Monthly precipitation totals ranged from 25 % below to near normal for several locations in the southeastern part of the state (yellow, light-yellow, and white areas on map). Otherwise across Arizona, amounts were less than 25 % of normal (dark yellow areas on map). Precipitation during March 2025 was less than 75 % of normal for parts of the northeastern, southeastern, southwestern, and northwestern corners of the state. In contrast, amounts were 125 to 200 % above normal for an area in north-central Arizona.

Area-average precipitation totals in March 2026 were 0.30 inches for the Sonoita AVA, 0.06 inches for the Verde Valley AVA, and 0.25 inches for the Willcox AVA. Respective March normals are 0.97, 1.31, and 0.76 inches.

Total precipitation last month was 0.36, 0.30, and 0.05 inches at the AZMet Bonita, Elgin, and Willcox Bench stations, respectively.

Dig further into daily weather summaries for the AZMet Bonita and Willcox Bench stations in the Willcox AVA and the AZMet Elgin station in the Sonoita AVA.

Learn more about PRISM climate data.

Temperatures over the course of this month have a slight increase in chances for being above the 1991-2020 normal across the southern tier and west-central part of Arizona (orange area on map). For the rest of state, there is a moderate increase in chances for above-normal temperatures (red-orange and red areas on map). Monthly average temperatures in April 2025 were within 2 °F above normal for almost all of the state.

Area-average maximum and minimum temperatures during April 2025 were 73.8 and 42.1 °F for the Sonoita AVA, 75.4 and 42.9 °F for the Verde Valley AVA, and 77.0 and 41.8 °F for the Willcox AVA. Respective April normals are 73.5 and 41.9 °F, 75.5 and 42.6 °F, and 76.7 and 42.0 °F.

Temperature in April last year ranged between 92.7 and 32.4 °F at the AZMet Bonita station and between 93.4 and 29.1 °F at the AZMet Willcox Bench station.

Precipitation totals for this month have a slight increase in chances for being below normal across all of Arizona (tan and light-tan areas on map) except for the extreme southeastern part of the state, where there are equal chances for below-, near-, or above-normal amounts (white area on map). Precipitation during April 2025 was less than 50 % of normal for much of western and southern Arizona. These areas transitioned to one in north-central and northwestern parts of the state where amounts were greater than 125 % of normal.

Area-average precipitation totals in April 2025 were 0.18 inches for the Sonoita AVA, 1.03 inches for the Verde Valley AVA, and 0.08 inches for the Willcox AVA. Respective April normals are 0.38, 0.55, and 0.25 inches.

Total precipitation in April last year was 0.00 and 0.01 inches at the AZMet Bonita and Willcox Bench stations, respectively.

To stay informed of long-range temperature and precipitation possibilities beyond the coverage of a standard weather forecast, check in, too, with the six-to-ten-day outlook and eight-to-fourteen-day outlook issued daily by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center.

With the warmest March on record following well-above-normal temperatures for the Willcox AVA during the months of November, December, and February (January was near to slightly above normal), it is no surprise that chill accumulation, heat accumulation, and soil temperature remain in a relatively similar ranking as last month. Through April 2, 2026, temperature data from the AZMet Willcox Bench station unsurprisingly show heat accumulation, expressed by growing degree hours, and soil temperature at 20-inch depth to be well above average and the warmest since data collection started there in June 2016. Chill accumulation, expressed by chill portions, is well below average and less than the previously lowest value currently in the station record from 2018.

Needless to say, we’re curious to hear how conditions this dormancy season may have affected bud break timing relative to previous growing seasons. Please let us know.