PHOENIX — There's a little something for everyone in the forecast for this last weekend of 2023!
First, a warm-up as high pressure builds in overhead, sending Valley highs into the 70s through Saturday.
High clouds will move through at times but we're staying dry through the early part of the holiday weekend.
Then a quick-moving disturbance will move across our state this weekend, bringing a dose of cool air that will drop Valley highs back into the low 60s by Sunday.
This disturbance will also bring a slight chance of a sprinkle or two to the Valley early Sunday morning. The impacts will be minimal and it looks like it will be dry for those New Year's Eve celebrations Sunday night.
We could also see light snow showers along the Mogollon Rim early Sunday, but accumulation looks minimal at this point.
Pollution will be a concern for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day due to an increase in fireplace, fire pit, and fireworks use across the Valley and our inversion layer that traps that pollution near the surface this time of year.
Smoke pollution will likely reach unhealthy levels in the Phoenix Metro and High Pollution Advisories have been issued for Sunday and Monday. All of the smoke in the air could make breathing difficult, even for those without respiratory conditions, so you may want to limit your time outdoors, especially on Monday morning when we expect the worst air quality.
We will see a more active weather pattern that brings several storm systems through our state for the first week of 2024.
Another area of low pressure will track across southern Arizona on Monday and Tuesday, bringing more clouds and a better chance of light rain and snow showers to the Valley and around the state.
We'll see an even better chance for rain and snow across the state as another storm comes our way on Thursday.
Stay tuned for updates on this one as we get closer.
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2023 Rainfall totals:
Sky Harbor Official Rainfall: 4.21" (-2.96" from average)
Valley Average (Phoenix Rainfall Index): 5.45"
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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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