Skies clearing tonight, warmer weather ahead for Phoenix

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) - To use a phrase often heard in the gold-mining heyday of Arizona, “…it’s either boom or bust!” The west Valley had scattered showers, “booming” mostly on the light side throughout the morning hours. This was due to a low-pressure system sending up waves of tropical moisture that drenched parts of Yuma and southern Maricopa County overnight. Just west of Gila Bend, Mt. Oatman received over a half inch of rain. Arlington, just west of Buckeye, had well over a third of an inch of rain. According to the Phoenix Rainfall Index, produced by the NWS, rain coverage was about 14% of the gauges within 40 miles of downtown Phoenix. Nothing fell around the metro area, and it was completely dry in the sprawling east Valley. So the rain forecast was a “bust” for many parts of the Valley.

Snow reports up in northern Arizona ranged from six inches around the Grand Canyon to one inch at the Flagstaff Airport. Look for clearing skies by Wednesday afternoon. Lows tonight are in the low 40′s, with highs Wednesday in the mid to upper 60′s.

Dry, warm, and sunny weather will finally make a return to the Valley of the sun to welcome in the first weekend of February and to kick off Super Bowl and the WM Phoenix Open week. Highs will approach 70 degrees on Thursday and should top that mark on Friday. An absolute picture-perfect winter weekend is on tap, with sunny skies and highs in the mid 70′s both days. Slightly cooler weather with the approach of a dry system next week, lowering daytime highs into the upper 60′s.

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