Chance of rain in Phoenix area creeps up to 30% by Thursday night

PHOENIX – Sprinkles that have teased the Valley this week have a chance to turn into the first storm of the monsoon season by Thursday, forecasters said.

Metro Phoenix has gone 100 days without measurable rainfall as of Monday, but the National Weather Service said the odds of thunderstorms would increase Thursday and Friday to 30%.

That number will drop to 20% for Friday and the remainder of the weekend.

The sometimes gloomy weather has brought down temperatures to the least hot in nearly a month. Monday topped out at 103 degrees. The last time it was nicer that that – relatively speaking – was June 30 when it was 100 degrees.

And while there was only a trace of rain measured at the official gauge at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, there was enough moisture in the air Monday to produce a rainbow:

Virga-bow?! The virga is leading to a rainbow over the city this evening. Image from @CityofPhoenixAZ south webcam. #azwx #rainbow pic.twitter.com/1PDuTcAVPK

— NWS Phoenix (@NWSPhoenix) July 21, 2020

The monsoon season began June 15 and runs through Sept. 30 but true storm activity doesn’t usually begin until July and picks up in August.

A dust storm with rain and lightning swept through the East Valley on May 30, with winds strong enough to overturn trees.

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