Phoenix could get rain this week in possible final storms of monsoon season

PHOENIX — Phoenix this week could get its final smattering of rain during the monsoon season, according to forecasters.

Some areas of the Valley got traces of moisture Tuesday morning, but chances of rain increase to 40% by the evening and top out at 60% on Wednesday, when a flash flood warning is in effect in Maricopa County until 9:30 a.m.

Rain will remain in the forecast through Thursday night, according to the National Weather Service. Some areas could get up to a quarter-inch.

Lots of clouds and a few showers/sprinkles out there this morning. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will continue through Thursday across AZ. A few stronger storms later today and again Wednesday could produce locally heavy rainfall and gusty winds. #AZwx pic.twitter.com/byuyhP3l7F

— NWS Phoenix (@NWSPhoenix) September 20, 2022

“Moisture increases during Wednesday and that should be our best coverage of showers and storms,” Tom Frieders, a meteorologist with NWS in Phoenix, told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Tuesday.

If it does rain, it’ll add to an average monsoon season, which runs annually from June 15 to Sept. 30.

Phoenix has received 2.16 inches of rain so far, the median total since 1991. The average for the season is 2.43 inches.

Phoenicians, at the very least, will get a break from triple-digit temperatures during the week.

Tuesday’s high is expected to top out at 96 degrees before a dip to 93 degrees on Wednesday. The high is forecast to jump back to 96 degrees on Thursday.

Highs will be back into the 100s again by Saturday and no rain is in the forecast next week.

“Once we get into the weekend and into next week, we have drier air coming from the west and that’s a sure sign of the shift in the pattern of more dry air,” Frieders said.

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

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