First Alert Weather: Winter storm brings high winds, rain to Arizona

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) - We have a First Alert Weather day for gusty winds and rain across the Valley, with heavy snow in the High Country through tomorrow morning. On the state’s birthday and on this Valentine’s Day of 2023, every county in the state of Arizona is under a weather watch or warning.

For the Valley tonight, expect scattered rain showers and cold, blustery winds with gusts up to 40mph in some areas. A Wind Advisory remains in effect until 11 p.m. Some patchy, blowing dust is possible on rural roads and freeways. Snow and blowing snow will continue to fall in the High Country tonight as a Winter Storm Warning continues through early Wednesday morning.

Expect rainfall amounts to generally be around .25″ in the upslope areas and a tenth or less in the rest of the Valley. With the bulk of the cold air coming in tonight, a light dusting of snow may be possible above 2,500ft in the foothills north and east of Scottsdale and the Usery Mountains in the far East Valley. With the cold front arriving this evening, snowfall rates and wind speeds will dramatically increase, dropping visibility on all roads. Therefore, travel is strongly discouraged for this evening. Sunny and cooler Wednesday here in the Valley, but still breezy with highs in the mid 50′s.

As we roll into Thursday, the backside of this storm system will be to the east of Arizona, drawing down much colder air from the north. With clear skies, clouds clearing, and calming winds, those are conditions for freezing temperatures here in the Valley. Therefore, we will declare a First Alert for freezing temperatures across parts of the Valley Thursday morning. This is your heads up to allow you to protect any sensitive plants, protect any exposed outdoor water pipes and bring in your pets.

Several schools in the High Country have also delayed classes and buses for Wednesday. For more information, visit https://www.azfamily.com/weather/closings/.

Our daytime highs should approach 60 degrees or more by Thursday under sunny skies. Friday will continue to warm to the upper 60s under partly cloudy skies. President’s Day weekend looks partly sunny and warmer, with highs in the low 70s on Saturday and Sunday. Slight chance of showers Sunday night and into President’s Day Monday.

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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