Arizona's Weather Authority

An almost perfect weather weekend is on tap for the Valley and the entire state of Arizona. Yes, we need rain and snow in the state, but when we get weather like this, why not enjoy it? A ridge of high pressure is building into the state. That’s shifting the jet stream out of Arizona and will allow us to warm up. In the Valley, we’re looking for highs in the mid-80s.

Next week, another series of storm systems will pass mainly to the north of Arizona, but close enough to bring cooler temperatures, some wind and a slight chance for precipitation mainly in northern Arizona. Right now, we expect highs in the 80s on Monday, dropping into the 70s on Tuesday and then down into the 60s on Wednesday and Thursday. There is a slight chance for showers on Thursday, about 20%, but with past storms, the chance is minimal.

Our drought situation remains grave, with much of the state in exceptional or extreme drought, the worst ratings from the U.S. Drought Monitor. The continuation of the drought is worrisome as we approach the wildfire season. The very dry conditions will result in a high fire danger that will spread from southern Arizona in April and May to the mountains of northern Arizona by June and July. While there is some correlation between high drought times and bad wildfire seasons, it’s not nearly predictive. But it does warn us to be extra careful this year.