Phoenix Braces for Weekend Rainfall After month-Long Dry Spell
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A much-anticipated return to wet weather is forecast for the Phoenix metropolitan area this weekend,offering a potential respite from a month-long dry spell. While conditions remain favorable for outdoor activities Friday, residents shoudl prepare for increasing chances of rain beginning Saturday afternoon and continuing through Sunday.
Forecast Details: A Shift in the Weather Pattern
According to a representative from the National Weather Service (NWS) in Phoenix, “Today is going to be actually a fairly nice day.” however, the weather pattern is shifting. the earliest possibility of showers is expected in the afternoon on Saturday, though these will likely be isolated. The most important rainfall is predicted to occur late saturday night and throughout Sunday morning.
Forecasters anticipate rainfall totals between half an inch and one inch – an amount that is not expected to cause flooding. “We’re not looking for any storms that are going to cause any winds or anything like that,” the NWS representative stated. “So, itS generally just going to be a fairly quiet weather event with just rain showers, maybe a few rumbles of thunder.”
The initial forecast earlier in the week predicted rain arriving on Friday, but the weather system developed at a slower pace than projected.
Cooler Temperatures on the horizon
Beyond the rainfall, a noticeable cooldown is expected. High temperatures will be in the mid-80s on Friday, dropping slightly on Saturday. “It will start to cool off Saturday, but it’s not going to be a dramatic cooldown,” the NWS representative explained. “The biggest cooldown is going to be from Saturday to Sunday, where Sunday we’ll see highs only around 70 degrees.”
Looking ahead, another storm system is expected to bring even cooler temperatures and additional rainfall early next week. This system will follow a brief dry period of 18 to 24 hours after the initial storm moves out on Sunday. The best chance for further rain will be Tuesday and Wednesday, with conditions similar to those expected this weekend.
“And probably we’ll get colder, maybe the coldest might be during the middle part of next week, where we might only see highs around 65 degrees,” the NWS representative added. This would mark the first time Phoenix has experienced a high temperature in the 60s as April 2, and approximately 10 degrees below normal for the third week of November.
Regional Impact and Recent Precipitation
The high country of northern Arizona is also expected to receive rainfall over the weekend. However, snow is currently only forecast for high-elevation mountain ranges. the chance of snow will increase at lower elevations, such as Flagstaff, as temperatures drop early next week.
Why is this happening? A shift in the jet stream is bringing a series of storm systems from the Pacific Northwest into the Southwest. These systems are tapping into moisture from the Pacific ocean, resulting in increased rainfall and cooler temperatures.
Who will be affected? Residents across the Phoenix metropolitan area and northern Arizona will experience the effects of these storms. While the Phoenix area will primarily see rain and cooler temperatures, higher elevations in northern Arizona may experience snowfall.
What is the expected impact? The rainfall is expected to provide relief from the month-long dry spell, but is not anticipated to cause significant flooding. Cooler temperatures will offer a break from the recent warmth, with highs possibly dropping into the 60s next week.
How will it end? The initial storm system is expected to move out by Sunday, with a brief dry period before another system arrives early next week. This pattern of alternating storms and dry periods is expected to continue
