Rainfall is expected in Phoenix on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. A low-pressure system off the West Coast will move south bringing rain into the Valley. It won’t be a white Christmas as Phoenix is preparing for a wet holiday.
A storm is expected to bring two rounds of rainfall before moving east and returning to dry temperatures on Christmas afternoon.
Sean Benedict with the National Weather Service says records dating back to 1896 show rain has fallen quite a few times on Dec. 25.
"On Christmas day, we have seen rain 23 times, and the highest that we've ever seen on a Christmas day is 0.63 inches, and that was back in 1994," Benedict said.
Benedict said we will continue to see high temperatures and coastal weather systems throughout the season. Unless a low-pressure system fully moves through, Benedict said temperatures will remain high.
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Temperatures in the Valley are projected to reach the mid- to upper 70s later in the week, which the National Weather Service said is well above what he would expect this time of year. -
A proposed Arizona bill would make it a felony to try to affect the climate or weather. -
SRP senior hydrologist Stephen Flora said while the state is experiencing a mild La Niña weather pattern, the unpredictable climate in Arizona may bring unexpected conditions this winter. -
The weather almost everywhere else except Phoenix is looking frightful. There are blizzard conditions in parts of the Northeast and Midwest, and storms in the South. -
What started as a rainy, muggy Christmas morning is expected to mostly clear up, as the rain moves east. Though the National Weather Service says some cloud cover and sprinkling may continue.
