PHOENIX – Rain fell Monday morning in parts of metro Phoenix, but that might not be the biggest weather news of the day.
“I think really the big story is what’s going to be expected later this afternoon and into the evening hours,” Alex Young of the National Weather Service (NWS) in Phoenix told KTAR News 92.3 FM.
The morning activity began in the 1 a.m. hour and was largely over by 6 a.m.
“We had some very isolated activity, specifically southern Tempe area, (where) there was actually a couple of cells that developed and dumped anywhere from a half to three-quarters of an inch,” Young said.
In addition, pockets with up to 0.3 inches of precipitation popped up in northeast Scottsdale and Cave Creek. However, the West Valley and the East Valley beyond Tempe were largely unaffected.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, which the NWS uses for city’s official measurements, was among the areas that saw rain, getting sprinkled with 0.01 inches. That increased the city’s total 0.21 inches during what’s been an underwhelming monsoon season.
The airport typically receives more than 1.5 inches by this point of Arizona’s annual “rainy” season, which runs from June 15 to Sept. 30.
What’s in the Phoenix weather forecast for later Monday?
The Valley’s morning activity was largely over by 6 a.m. However, Mother Nature could have more in store for the day, Young said.
Strong winds are expected to move into the Valley from the south and southeast, which could lead to blowing dust and thunderstorms. A flood watch and blowing dust advisory have been issued for Monday afternoon in south and southwest Arizona.
“Dependent on how strong those winds are and whether we have activity in other areas, we might have the potential for some thunderstorm activity to develop over the metro this evening. So, we’ll see how that goes,” Young said.
There’s also a chance for storms on Tuesday, especially if there isn’t much activity on Monday night, Young said.
“But generally speaking, after Tuesday we’re going to be drying out again,” he said. “So, our shower and thunderstorm activity is going to dissipate quickly. We’re going to be below 10% chances even as early as Wednesday.”
Tuesday’s high temperature could be in the 90s
Furthermore, the Valley is getting a break after a stretch of extreme heat.
Phoenix reached at least 110 degrees each of the last five days, but that streak will likely end on Monday, when the forecast calls for a high of around 103 degrees, a tick below normal for this time of year.
The cooldown will continue on Tuesday, which could be the first day in over a month when the temperature doesn’t reach triple digits in Phoenix, before temperatures tick back up.
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Colton Krolak contributed to this report.
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