Phoenix-area weather likely to hit year’s first 90 degrees Easter weekend
Mar 30, 2018, 9:39 AM | Updated: 10:15 am
(AP Photo)
(AP Photo)
PHOENIX — Easter may move around the springtime calendar, but Arizona’s warm weather has been more consistent.
Weather experts were predicting the temperature will likely reach 90 degrees before the holiday weekend is over, some predictions for Good Friday, others for Holy Saturday.
“Typically, the first 90-degree day is March 31, so we’re right on schedule,” National Weather Service meteorologist Mark O’Malley said.
The seven-day forecast 92 degrees on Saturday and a Sunday high of 91 under partly cloudy skies.
Tomorrow is our 1st good shot at 90 degrees…with above-normal temperatures lasting into next week. If you plan to be outdoors during the heat of the day…please (especially if you are from another/cooler part of the country) keep yourself well-hydrated! pic.twitter.com/CtMhfT5K3B
— NWS Phoenix (@NWSPhoenix) March 30, 2018
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A slight drop in temperatures was expected to follow for most of next week.
“We’ll be in the upper 80s,” O’Malley said, but he left room for the possibility of a push back into lower 90s.
One thing was nearly certain — there won’t be any rain.
Only an inch of rain has fallen since October, he said, adding the norm has been nearly 5 inches.
Historically, mid-April to early July has been the driest time of year in the state.
A map from the U.S. Drought Monitor showed most of Arizona was in some stage of drought, with some areas in extreme drought.
U.S. Drought Monitor Update for March 27, 2018 #DroughtMonitor https://t.co/mTwh6r5XDP
— NOAA NCEI Climate (@NOAANCEIclimate) March 29, 2018
The dry conditions that have wrapped around the state, have interfered with snow up north.
Flagstaff has had 37 inches of snow; the average to date was 92 inches.
Those numbers make little difference to Arizona Snowbowl, which announced this weeky it was extending the season to April 29.
Plans were for the site to be open Thursday to Sunday. Although the facility has snowmaking machines, a spokesman said the decision was based on past April snowfall totals.
KTAR News’ Jim Cross contributed to this report.
