PHOENIX — Our first big winter storm is on the way!
Temperatures will drop, breezes will pick up and widespread rain will move in.
Friday is an ABC15 Weather Action Day with rain likely impacting your Valley commute and road travel across Arizona. Take action now to prepare for a wet day.
Cities across the Phoenix metro area could see anywhere from a half an inch to over an inch of rain through the weekend, with the bulk of it falling on Friday.
There is also a chance for a few thunderstorms on Friday, especially in the evening, which could lead to heavier downpours and flooding.
A Flood Watch is in effect from 6 a.m. Friday until 6 a.m. Saturday for all of central and southwestern Arizona, including the Phoenix metro area.
This storm will be fairly warm, so snow levels will stay near 8,000 feet through Friday. We'll see them drop to 7,000 feet on Saturday before falling to 5,500 feet late Saturday into Sunday as another storm system approaches with colder air from Utah.
Flagstaff and other areas along the Mogollon Rim will mostly see rain through Friday, but by Saturday into Sunday it will switch to snow as the colder air arrives.
Right now, we are tracking the possibility of one to three inches of snow in Flagstaff, Pinetop-Lakeside and other areas along the Mogollon Rim just in time for Christmas!
Here in the Valley, a slight chance of spotty rain showers will linger into Sunday but we will dry out by Christmas Day.
It will get much cooler too, with the highs falling into the mid-60s over Christmas weekend.
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2023 Rainfall totals:
Sky Harbor Official Rainfall: 3.48" (-3.49" from average)
Valley Average (Phoenix Rainfall Index): 4.67"
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Daily rainfall reports from all across the Valley can be found here.
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PHOENIX IS GETTING DRIER - LOWER RAINFALL AVERAGES NOW
Average Monsoon Rainfall in Phoenix (1981-2010): 2.71" of rain
NEW Average Monsoon Rainfall in Phoenix (1991-2020): 2.43" of rain
Average Yearly Rainfall in Phoenix (1981-2010): 8:03" of rain
NEW Average Yearly Rainfall in Phoenix (1991-2020): 7.22" of rain
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