The Fourth of July weekend traditionally signals the start of monsoon season in Arizona — and this year is no different. Some parts of the state are already seeing early storm activity.
Thunderstorms popped up over Tucson and Flagstaff midday Wednesday, with activity in the Phoenix area that evening. But this burst of monsoon moisture is expected to be short-lived.
Dalton Van Stratton with the National Weather Service in Tucson said the atmosphere is primed for storms now — but that will shift heading into the weekend.
“We’ll really start to feel the effects of that drying out and it’ll start to heat up again, especially on Sunday," he said.
High pressure will build over Arizona, he said, cutting off moisture and driving up temperatures through early next week. That heat, in turn, is what helps fuel the stronger monsoon storms expected later in July.
Metro Phoenix forecast
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 104. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon. Mostly clear in the evening, with a low around 84. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 106. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon. Mostly clear in the evening. with a low around 86. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Sunday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 111. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon. Mostly clear in the evening, with a low around 88. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Monday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 112. Calm wind becoming west southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. A 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11 p.m. Mostly clear, with a low around 88. West wind around 5 mph becoming south southeast after midnight.
Tuesday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 111. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon. A 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 90. West wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 113. West southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. A 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 90. West southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Source: National Weather Service
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