Breezy tonight, blowing dust possible around fireworks time for metro Phoenix

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) - Seasonally hot temperatures are expected this weekend as a monsoon break continues for metro Phoenix. Tonight, just in time for the fireworks, we could see an outflow boundary move up from the south and produce some blowing dust and gusty winds. While the chance for that is low, we mention it because of the outdoor activities planned around the Valley tonight. Temperatures will be in the 90s for most of the Valley during “fireworks” time.

It’s a quite different story for next weekend. A ridge of high pressure will return highs to 110 degrees plus for the first time in two and a half weeks. And while we’re later in the season and the National Weather Service does NOT contemplate any excessive heat warnings for the weekend, we want you aware that we’re going to return to very hot days, with highs in the 110-112 degree range this weekend.

The overall monsoon pattern is poor due to a storm system parked over the Pacific Northwest. That brings a southwesterly flow into the state essentially scouring all the moisture into eastern and southeast Arizona. That flow is not expected to change until next week.

So far this year we’ve had only 6 days above 110. By the way, last year we had 19 days of 110 degrees or more which is below average. In the past 30 years, we’ve been averaging about 21 such days a year and in 2020, the summer of Covid, we had 53 days of 110 degrees or more

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