First Alert Weather day Tuesday as winter storms returns to Arizona

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) - FIRST ALERT-TUESDAY! What a difference a day makes! Our warmest day of 2023 fell on Super Bowl Sunday, topping out at 79 degrees! That was quickly replaced by a cloudy, much cooler Monday with spotty showers now moving across the Valley with highs in the upper 50s to around 60 degrees, an almost 20-degree temperature drop. This is due to the low-pressure system moving through the state. But we are declaring a First Alert on Tuesday for the next storm expected to hit that day.

Expect more spotty showers tonight and very windy conditions tomorrow as a cold front is poised to sweep through our area, keeping our temperatures on the very cool side. A better chance of rain and even snow in the higher elevations just east of Phoenix above 2,500ft, and wind gusts could top 40mph in the afternoon. A wind advisory will be in effect for the Valley from 2 p.m.-11 p.m. Tuesday.

A major snow event is coming for northern and eastern Arizona Tuesday through Wednesday. A Winter Storm Warning goes into effect from early Tuesday across most of the High Country above 5,000ft until Wednesday morning, and that may be extended due to the amount of snow predicted to fall. Snow will fall tonight, with heavier amounts expected throughout Tuesday with blowing wind. This will make travel difficult. Be prepared for blowing and possible drifting snow with low visibility. Flagstaff and surrounding areas could receive anywhere from 9-13+ inches or more the higher you go in elevation. For Eastern Arizona, expect Heber-Overgaard and Show Low to receive anywhere from 9-13 inches. Because of these conditions in the High Country and the massive change in our weather pattern, we declare a First Alert to have you prepared across the state for this weather.

Behind this storm, the coldest air of the season so far will push into the state. A Freeze Warning will likely be issued for Thursday morning in the Valley, where current forecast lows are in the low to mid-30s. Dry weather is forecast for Wednesday through Saturday, with the potential for another storm system arriving Saturday night into Sunday.

AZFamily's First Alert Weather Mobile App

AZFamily's First Alert Weather App First lets you track storms and get severe weather alerts wherever you are. Get animated radar, hourly and 10-day forecasts, video updates, rainfall totals, and an interactive traffic map. It also provides a 250-meter radar, which is the highest resolution possible. This radar allows you to look into the future so you can see where the storm is headed.

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