TIME TO BUTTON UP
“A much cooler and unsettled pattern will prevail this weekend.” National Weather Service forecast
After weeks of dry weather, rain and cooler air were expected to move into the Valley by Thursday night and into early today, with cooler weather expected to continue through the weekend.
Forecasters say a strong Pacific storm and cold front heading east from California were expected to bring rain to the Phoenix area and winter weather to higher elevations.
Rainfall amounts were expected to be below a quarter-inch for most areas in the Valley, the National Weather Service reported. Areas in northern and northwestern Maricopa County could see up to a half-inch, according to county flood control.
“Expect a few lingering showers Friday, mainly east of Phoenix. A much cooler and unsettled pattern will prevail this weekend and early next week, with temperatures Sunday into Monday nearly 10 degrees below seasonal normals,” a Weather Service forecast said.
Temperatures were in the low 70s across much of metro Phoenix on Thursday. Today and Saturday, high temperatures were expected to reach the mid-60s, with lows in the upper 40s.
By Sunday and Monday, temperatures are forecast to reach only 60 degrees during the day and drop as low as 40 degrees at night.
In the Flagstaff area, a winter-weather advisory is in effect until noon today. One to 3 inches of snow was expected, with localized amounts up to 12 inches at higher elevations, the Weather Service said.
Flagstaff could see 3 to 5 inches of snow, with Doney Park getting 1 to 2 inches, Williams seeing 3 to 5 inches and 1 to 2 inches falling in Heber-Overgaard, the Weather Service said. Winter-weather travel tips:
❚ Prepare for possibly being delayed or even stranded. Wear warm clothing. Pack an emergency kit that includes blankets, snacks, water, cat litter or sand for traction, a first-aid kit including medications and a fully charged cellphone.
❚ Make sure your vehicle is in good working condition and consider using snow tires, chains or studded tires.
❚ Slow down and leave extra room between vehicles.
❚ Give snowplows room to work and avoid passing a plow until the driver pulls over to let traffic by.