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Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026

Did Arizona experience record temperatures this past winter? 

Mia Osmonbekov, Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting
yes

Yes. The period from December 2025 through January 2026 marked Arizona’s warmest winter on record, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The statewide average temperature for those two months was 48 degrees Fahrenheit, up from 44 degrees during the same period in 2024-2025.  A four-degree difference may appear small, but as a seasonal average, it reflects consistently warmer conditions across the winter. 

NOAA’s broader climate database goes back to 1895, but statewide winter records for Arizona begin in 1936. 

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