Cold front expected to chill Arizona, bring rain, snow Thursday
Nov 29, 2018, 4:00 AM | Updated: 3:48 pm
(Pixabay Photo)
(Pixabay Photo)
PHOENIX – A cold front is expected to hit Arizona on Thursday, bringing the possibility of rain to the Phoenix area and snow to the northern parts of the state.
The best chance for precipitation in the Valley, at 70 percent, will be Thursday night, with showers potentially lingering into Friday morning, according to the National Weather Service.
Widespread light showers will continue to move in from the west. Best chances in the phoenix area late tonight into tomorrow morning. Check out the storm total accumulations below! #azwx #cawx pic.twitter.com/dXzpY2DqZ1
— NWS Phoenix (@NWSPhoenix) November 29, 2018
A second front is expected to blow through Saturday and could bring more rain, with a 30 percent chance that night.
What’s more certain is that it will keep temperatures down in the coming days.
Thursday’s forecast high was around 70 degrees, but temperatures are expected to drop to around 10 degrees below normal through the weekend.
Enjoy the warmer weather while you can. A cold front with scattered showers will move through the area later on Thursday. Chilly conditions will settle into the region starting Friday with temperatures around 10° below normal. #azwx pic.twitter.com/Ivii7dLDem
— NWS Phoenix (@NWSPhoenix) November 28, 2018
The forecast calls for highs in the mid to low 60s – or even the upper 50s — from Friday until at least Wednesday.
The overnight lows, however, won’t be much different than the 40s and 50s seen in recent weeks.
The last time the Valley saw any rain was Oct. 23, according to ABC15 meteorologist Iris Hermosillo.
If you have plans to head north for the weekend, be prepared for wintry conditions.
“We’ve got a little bit of snow that’s going to be moving into the area, really more … Thursday evening through the overnight hours Friday and hopefully tapering off there Friday morning,” Jonathan Suk of the National Weather Service in Flagstaff told KTAR News 92.3 FM this week.
Suk said snow amounts could range, depending on elevations, from 3 inches in Flagstaff to more than 6 inches in the White Mountains.
The Arizona Department of Transportation said drivers should consider delaying travel while snow is falling so plows can clear the highways.
If that’s not possible, motorists should be prepared for the possibility of being delayed or even stranded, bringing along warm clothing, blankets, food for people and pets, a first-aid kit and a fully charged cellphone.
Drivers on snowy or icy roads should slow down, leave extra room between vehicles and consider using snow tires or chains.
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Jim Cross contributed to this report.
