Ice dam risk in Phoenix, AZ
Ice dams in Phoenix, AZ: how often
0.0 dam days a winter
Almost never. An ordinary house in Phoenix sees 0.0 days a winter when an ice dam can form, because snow rarely stays on a roof long enough below freezing.
Phoenix averages 0 inches of snow a year and about 0 days with snow on the ground. Too little lies on the roof for long. The conditions that make a dam need all three at once: snow, cold at the eave and heat above it.
Do you need to do anything in Phoenix?
- Nothing for ice dams. If you are buying here and an inspector mentions water at the eaves, ask what they saw: it is far more likely a gutter, flashing or drip-edge problem than ice.
Snowy places are not always the worst: why snowfall misleads.
Phoenix next to nearby towns
Phoenix ranks 7 of 44 Arizona cities here for ice-dam days, behind Flagstaff at 16.2 days.
- Glendale, AZ 6 mi, 0.0 days
- Paradise Valley, AZ 8 mi, 0.0 days
- El Mirage, AZ 14 mi, 0.0 days
- Scottsdale, AZ 15 mi, 0.0 days
- Tempe, AZ 16 mi, 0.0 days
Where these numbers come from
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals from Youngtown, 12.2 miles from Phoenix. A dam day is a day with snow on the roof and freezing at the eave while heat or sun melts the snow above it. This describes a normal winter, not this one.