A big winter storm is moving into Arizona just ahead of Christmas.
Widespread rain moved into the Phoenix metro area early Friday morning and more is expected into tonight.
Friday is an ABC15 Weather Action Day with widespread rain impacting travel around the Valley and across the state. This will impact outdoor activities and could cause some Christmas events to be canceled. Take action now by preparing and planning ahead for the impacts this storm will bring.
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Ponding water and roadway flooding will be possible across the Valley and there is also chance of isolated flash flooding across parts of central and southwestern Arizona.
A Flood Watch is in effect until 6 a.m. Saturday for all of central and southwestern Arizona, including the Phoenix metro area.
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.
Travel will become hazardous across the high country too, especially once snow begins to accumulate on the roads.
This storm is fairly warm as it moves in, so snow levels will stay near 8,000 feet through the day Friday.
We'll see them drop to near 7,500 feet Friday night and down to 6,500 to 7,000 feet on Saturday.
Snow levels fall to as low as 5,500 feet by Sunday as colder air moves in with another storm system approaching from Utah, but much of the snow will be clearing out by then.
Flagstaff and other areas along the Mogollon Rim will mostly see rain through Friday, but by Friday night and Saturday it will switch to snow as the colder air arrives.
Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories are in effect until 5 p.m. Saturday for parts of eastern Arizona above 8,000 feet, including the Chuska and White Mountains.
Areas along the Mogollon Rim, like Flagstaff and Pinetop-Lakeside, could pick up one to three inches of snow through the weekend.
Showers will wind down across our state on Christmas Eve and we're looking dry across most of the state on Christmas Day.
Temperatures get much cooler, too. The Valley will see highs drop into the mid-60s over Christmas weekend.
