After eclipsing the century mark for the first time this calendar year with a high temperature of 105° at 4:44 PM
yesterday afternoon (fell just 2° short of the record for that date), it is expected to be even hotter today
in Phoenix. Yesterday also saw Yuma, Arizona reach a record high temperature for yesterday's date of 113°,
breaking the old record of 109° set back in 1958.
Much of that hot air that gripped the west coast of California late last week and into the just completed weekend
where records were set in cities such as Sacramento, San Francisco and Los Angeles, has moved into the
desert southwest of the country and also into the southern Great Plains with unseasonably very hot conditions.
Today and tomorrow are forecast to be between 105° to 110° in Phoenix before cooling off to the low 80s
by Thursday with a slight chance of thunderstorms.
It should be interesting to see how hot it gets during the daytime hours of today and tomorrow for Phoenix
in addition to locations west of the city. An Excessive Heat Warning is in effect for Phoenix until
8:00 PM Mountain Standard Time. Check out the latest National Weather Service statement for more details
as well as this page.
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/psr/pns/FirstHeatWave.phpSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT by the National Weather Service in Phoenix on May 19, 2008AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING is in effect from until 8:00 PM Mountain Standard Time.After an unseasonably hot period, much cooler and windy weather headed our way by midweek.
A strong area of high pressure aloft will make for unseasonably hot temperatures the first couple of days this week,
with afternoon high temperatures from 15° to 20° above normal. In fact, if the official high temperature at
Sky Harbor International Airport reaches the predicted high of 110° today (Monday), it will mark the first time
in recorded history that the initial 100° high temperature of the season was immediately followed the next day
by the first 110° reading.
Although the week will start out unusually hot, it will certainly not end that way. A strong Pacific low pressure
system will be taking shape the next few days and will drop south into the desert southwest by Wednesday
and beyond. This system will help to push a strong cold front through the area Wednesday and Thursday,
giving much cooler temperatures. In fact, by Thursday, we can expect high temperatures at least
25° to 30° lower over those expected today and Tuesday.
In addition, as the system approaches, strong winds are expected to develop by late Tuesday and especially
on Wednesday. Gusts exceeding 40 MPH are likely across most areas of southwest and south-central Arizona
as well as southeast California. These strong winds will likely produce areas of blowing dust and sand that
could reduce visibilities at times to under one mile.
As the cold upper low gets closer to the area by Thursday and Friday, it will begin to pull some moisture into
the region from the south. As a result, there will be a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms Thursday
into the upcoming Holiday weekend.
By Sunday and Memorial Day, the upper low is expected to move away from the region, allowing some warming
to return to the area, along with more settled weather.
Stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio or your other favorite sources of weather information for the latest
regarding this upcoming significant change in the weather.PLEASE NOTE:
Blythe, California did not provide their latest weather conditions, so that location is only included on
the regional forecast map.
LATEST METROPOLITAN AREA AND REGIONAL MAP WIND SPEEDS AND GUSTS (at least 10 MPH sustained)
Goodyear, Arizona... southwest at 21 MPH
Mesa, Arizona (Falcon Field)... west-northwest at 17 MPH
Casa Grande, Arizona... west-southwest at 15 MPH, gusting to 28 MPH
Chandler, Arizona... west at 15 MPH, gusting to 25 MPH
Yuma, Arizona... south-southwest at 14 MPH
Glendale, Arizona (Glendale Municipal Airport)... south-southwest at 12 MPH
Tucson, Arizona... north-northwest at 10 MPH, gusting to 21 MPH
LATEST NON-MAP WIND GUSTSPhoenix (Deer Valley Airport)... 20 MPHMesa, Arizona (Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport)... 18 MPH
Buckeye, Arizona... 13 MPH
LATEST HEAT INDEXAvondale, Arizona... 110°
Peoria, Arizona... 108°
Buckeye, Arizona... 105°
Surprise, Arizona... 105°
Gilbert, Arizona... 102°
Queen Creek, Arizona... 101°
Wickenburg, Arizona... 101°
Tempe, Arizona... 100°
Apache Junction, Arizona... 99°
Fountain Hills, Arizona... 98°
LATEST HUMIDITY LEVELSFountain Hills, Arizona... 4%
Bullhead City, Arizona... 5%
Gila Bend, Arizona... 5%
Glendale, Arizona (Glendale Municipal Airport)... 5%
Phoenix (Deer Valley Airport)... 5%Chandler, Arizona... 6%
Gilbert, Arizona... 6%
Glendale, Arizona (Luke Air Force Base)... 6%
Mesa, Arizona (Falcon Field)... 6%
Mesa, Arizona (Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport)... 6%
Scottsdale, Arizona... 6%
Tempe, Arizona... 6%
Tucson, Arizona... 6%
Yuma, Arizona... 6%
Wickenburg, Arizona... 7%
Queen Creek, Arizona... 8%
Casa Grande, Arizona... 9%
Apache Junction, Arizona... 10%
Buckeye, Arizona... 10%
Flagstaff, Arizona... 10%
Goodyear, Arizona... 10%
Surprise, Arizona... 10%
Avondale, Arizona... 19%
Peoria, Arizona... 19%
LATEST VISIBILITIESCasa Grande, Arizona... 10 miles
Flagstaff, Arizona... 10 miles
Glendale, Arizona (Luke Air Force Base)... 10 miles
Phoenix (Deer Valley Airport)... 10 milesScottsdale, Arizona... 10 miles
Surprise, Arizona... 10 miles
Tempe, Arizona... 10 miles
Tucson, Arizona... 10 miles
Wickenburg, Arizona... 10 miles
Yuma, Arizona... 10 miles
Gila Bend, Arizona... 20 miles
Glendale, Arizona (Glendale Municipal Airport)... 20 miles
Peoria, Arizona... 20 miles
Apache Junction, Arizona... 30 miles
Bullhead City, Arizona... 30 miles
Chandler, Arizona... 30 miles
Gilbert, Arizona... 30 miles
Mesa, Arizona (Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport)... 30 miles
Queen Creek, Arizona... 30 miles
Avondale, Arizona... 40 miles
Buckeye, Arizona... 40 miles
Fountain Hills, Arizona... 40 miles
Goodyear, Arizona... 40 miles
Mesa, Arizona (Falcon Field)... 40 miles