Phoenix could see first rain since Sept. 12 this week, with light showers in forecast

PHOENIX – The Valley’s two-month dry spell could come to an end this week, but don’t expect a significant downpour.

“Unfortunately, this isn’t going to be a soaker,” Matt Salerno of the National Weather Service in Phoenix told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Wednesday morning.

Three rounds of showers are possible during the overnight hours the next three nights. Even though three rounds of rain are possible, rainfall totals are expected to remain light, generally around 0.1" or less. #azwx #cawx pic.twitter.com/GQIyrykVbH

— NWS Phoenix (@NWSPhoenix) November 15, 2023

Phoenix hasn’t seen measurable rain since Sept. 12, the tail end of the driest monsoon season on record.

But the streak could end as soon as Wednesday night, when there’s a 40% chance for precipitation. Intermittent showers are expected to linger through Saturday morning.

“We’re hoping the Phoenix metro area could cash in the next couple nights as these rounds of rain move through beginning tonight,” Salerno said.

How much rain is in the Valley forecast?

Salerno said a low-pressure system off the coast of California is expected to create the energy needed to generate precipitation between Flagstaff and Tucson.

The higher terrains could see up to .25 inches of rain in the coming days, but lighter activity is expected for the Phoenix area.

“Down in the lower deserts here, we’re looking more around anywhere from a few hundredths to a tenth of an inch at most,” Salerno said.

How much rain has fallen in Phoenix in 2023?

Just 3.03 inches of rain has fallen in Phoenix this year, about 3 inches below normal.

Only .15 inches fell during the 2023’s dud of a monsoon season (June 15 to Sept. 30). The previous driest monsoon was .35 inches in 1924.

“If we don’t get any more measurable rain at Sky Harbor through the end of this year, we will finish the year as the third driest year on record,” Salerno said. “So, we definitely want to pick up on a little bit of rainfall here so we aren’t in the top-five driest years on record.”

The National Weather Service uses gauges at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport for the city’s official readings.

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

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