PHOENIX — Our 147-day dry streak is finally over!
Sky Harbor picked up measurable rain Thursday night, marking the latest first monsoon rain ever on record.
Chances for more rain and monsoon storms will be increasing over the next few days. Any thunderstorms that develop could produce powerful wind gusts, areas of heavy rain and dangerous lightning.
As we head into the weekend, parts of Arizona could see flooding too as moisture from Hurricane Hilary flows in.
Hurricane Hilary has strengthened to a major hurricane and is spinning off of the western coast of Mexico. It will be moving north along the Baja Peninsula over the next few days.
Moisture from that storm will get pulled up in our monsoon flow increasing chances for rain and thunderstorms over the next few days.
Flood Watches are in effect Friday for Coconino and Yavapai counties and then Saturday through Monday for western Arizona.
Flooding will be possible in creeks, normally dry washes, slot canyons, and swimming holes. Low-water crossings could also become flooded, which would create deadly travel conditions.
This will also help drop our temperatures, bringing Valley highs down into the upper 90s to low 100s through the weekend.
Temperatures will steadily climb throughout next week and we could approach 110 degrees again by the end of the week.
Phoenix has now had 46 days this summer at 110 degrees or hotter. That's the second most ever recorded. The record is 53 days set in 2020 and we will definitely make a run at that record this year as high heat continues through August.
This year has also tied the record for the most lows in the 90s in any year. We're now up to 28 days with lows in the 90s, tying the record set in 2020. We will likely add a few more to this tally before the summer ends.
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2023 Rainfall totals:
Sky Harbor Official Rainfall: 2.88" (-1.49" from average)
Valley Average (Phoenix Rainfall Index): 3.63"
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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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