As temperatures drop, 2018 to end with a chill in Phoenix area

PHOENIX – Those sweaters and jackets you got for Christmas are going to come in handy for the rest of 2018.

“We’re going to be well below normal for at least the foreseeable future,” Andrew Deemer of the National Weather Service in Phoenix told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Wednesday.

Wednesday was the last day of the year with a forecast high of at least 60 degrees.

“We’ll see those highs drop into the mid-50s toward the weekend, and we’re going to see those overnight lows and those morning low temperatures get really close to freezing, even in Phoenix,” Deemer said.

The biggest dip will come Saturday morning.

“We’re going to see a lot of places around town that will probably hit 32 (degrees), maybe even a little colder, especially if you live in more of the outside of town, definitely going to see some freezing temperatures,” he said.

A freeze watch was issued for Saturday morning for parts of the state, including northwest Pinal County, La Paz County, Superior, Parker and the Gila River Valley.

There was also a freeze watch for the Globe/Miami area for Thursday morning.

Very cold temperatures for later this week. Freeze Watch in the Globe area Thu. morning. Widespread cold temps by Saturday morning as Freeze Watch expands in scope. Cover sensitive plants & protect your pets! #azwx #cawx pic.twitter.com/Ox2iNowVWu

— NWS Phoenix (@NWSPhoenix) December 26, 2018

Residents were advised to cover plants with breathable material to keep them from freezing, Austin Jamison with National Weather Service in Phoenix said Thursday.

Things will warm up slightly after that, but be prepared for a chilly New Year’s Eve.

“We’ll be in the mid-50s by Friday and Saturday as far as the high temps, and then we’ll have that gradual increase by Sunday through the early work week,” Deemer said.

“Still below normal, but again, those morning temperatures, those are going to be what’s really cold.

Other than a small 10 percent chance for Thursday night, there’s no rain in the forecast through at least New Year’s Day.

Jonathan Suk with the National Weather Service in Flagstaff said much of northern Arizona will be blanketed by snow starting Thursday afternoon and continuing through the weekend.

.@ArizonaDOT will be ready to roll out the snowplows this afternoon and Friday across northern Arizona where a big winter storm is expected to dump several inches of snow across a wide area of the high country. @KTAR923 @AZMorningNews pic.twitter.com/5c5HkCcK0h

— Jim Cross (@Crossfire923) December 27, 2018

Snowfall was expected to begin in the area around noon, but the heaviest amounts weren’t expected to fall until after 5 p.m., Suk said.

Flagstaff could see about 2 inches of snow, while the Heber-Overgaard area was expected to see between 6 to 8 inches.

Winter Weather Advisory for parts of northern Arizona from 5 pm tonight – 5 pm Friday night. Snow showers and very cold temperatures this afternoon and through Friday afternoon. Low snow levels – to the valley floors with most significant accumulations over eastern Arizona. #azwx pic.twitter.com/mQJQcyohwD

— NWS Flagstaff (@NWSFlagstaff) December 27, 2018

The snow could make travel to and from northern Arizona more difficult, Suk added, so travelers were encouraged to get on the road before the storms hit.

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Jim Cross contributed to this report.

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