Weather watchers predicted a dry, warm winter for Arizona. As it turns out, this winter is shaping up as one of the driest on record for the state.
Arizona State University professor Randy Cerveny is the World Meteorological Organization’s Rapporteur of Weather and Climate Extremes. He says we’re now entering what is usually the driest part of the year.
"Between now and the start of the monsoon in July we don’t get much rainfall at all. So we’re not going to improve the situation at all," said Cerveny.
He says the upcoming monsoon season is likely to also be dry, a repeat of the last couple years.
Dust storms are likely for the summer, and Cerveny says any chances for a rainy season may not happen until next winter.
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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.
