Expect a rainy week in Phoenix ahead of the Christmas holiday

PHOENIX — Phoenix could see its heaviest rainfall in nearly nine months this week ahead of the Christmas holiday.

Rain is in the forecast from Tuesday evening through Sunday, according to the National Weather Service. Most places in metro Phoenix will see more than an inch of rain during that time, NWS meteorologist Alex Young told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Monday.

“When it’s all said and done, it looks like the Phoenix metro area could range anywhere from an inch toward the central metro to maybe even up to an inch-and-a-half toward the northern parts of the metro and then higher amounts of two inches in the higher terrain areas north and east of Phoenix,” Young said.

A major pattern change is in store for the latter half of the upcoming week with cooling temperatures and increasing rainfall potential. Rain chances rise to 20-30% as early as Wednesday, with higher chances (60-80%) Thursday through Saturday. #azwx #cawx pic.twitter.com/vd9HEgVdpD

— NWS Phoenix (@NWSPhoenix) December 17, 2023

Most of the rain is expected to come down between Thursday night and Saturday morning, according to Young. Friday represents the highest chance of rain at 90%. Rain chances during the six-day stretch won’t drop below 30%, according to NWS.

Temperatures will drop toward the end of the week with highs in the 60s beginning Friday after hovering in the mid-70s to start the week.

How much has it rained in Phoenix in 2023?

If the rain comes as expected, it’ll be the wettest stretch Phoenix has experienced since March.

The capital city has seen just .44 inches of rain recorded at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, where NWS keeps its gauges for its official readings, since March 22.

Phoenix endured a 147-day rainless streak earlier this year, the second-longest in its history.

The city has recorded 3.32 inches of rain in 2023, about three inches below the annual average.

“This will be a good reprieve from the dry weather that we’ve been seeing since basically March,” Young said.

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

Related

The streak ends! Phoenix gets rain for 1st time in 147 daysPhoenix breaks nearly 85-year-old daily heat record on WednesdayConstruction begins on $20.1M medical office condominium development in Queen CreekDeveloper announces completion of Nexus Commerce Center industrial park in Tempe2 found dead after fire at home in MaricopaNewborn found safe in northern AZ after being abducted from West Valley