ARIZONA NEWS

Arizona predicted to see above average temperatures this summer

May 22, 2023, 4:25 AM

Sign warning about heat at Phoenix hiking trail...

(KTAR News Photo)

(KTAR News Photo)

PHOENIX — Residents of the Valley of the Sun may be in for above average temperatures this summer, according to meteorologists with the National Weather Service.

According to the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center, in June-August the western and central part of the state has 50-70% chance of exceeding average temperatures.

 

The western part of the state, though, has about a 35% chance of higher average temperatures.

Precipitation predictions by the center also anticipate the eastern and central portions of the state seeing less rainfall while the western portion of the state will be about average.

These conditions are evolving as the El Nino climate pattern – warmer waters in the Pacific Ocean — takes hold after four years of La Nina conditions.

According to a El Nino report issued by the Climate Prediction Center on May 15, equatorial sea surface temperatures are near-to-above average across most of the Pacific Ocean. A transition from neutral Pacific temperatures to elevated temperatures is expected in the next couple of months, with a greater than 90% chance of El Nino persisting into the Northern Hemisphere winter.

May 16 had both the highest temperature so far in 2023 — 105 degrees — and set a new record for the highest daily low of 82 degrees.

For those looking for a rosier outlook, Weather.com is forecasting a cooler-than-average start to the summer for the Southwest.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.

Arizona News

File photo of construction on a home with downtown Phoenix, Arizona, in the background. Phoenix has...

Associated Press

Phoenix becomes largest US city to successfully challenge 2020 census numbers

Phoenix has become the largest U.S. city to successfully challenge its population count from the 2020 census.

16 hours ago

Arizona State Route 87 was closed northeast of metro Phoenix on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, because of a...

KTAR.com

Brush fire closes portion of State Route 87 northeast of metro Phoenix

State Route 87 was closed northeast of metro Phoenix on Tuesday afternoon because of a brush fire, authorities said.

16 hours ago

Tazbah Spruhan of Window Rock, Arizona, reacts after misspelling "Groenendael" during a preliminary...

KTAR.com

2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee starts with 3 Arizona students

Three Arizona middle school students, including one from the Valley, qualified to compete in this week's Scripps National Spelling Bee.

16 hours ago

Booking photo for Marco Antonio Aguilera, who is accused of stabbing a Scottsdale Quarter security ...

KTAR.com

Man accused of stabbing Scottsdale Quarter security guard

A man was arrested over the weekend after allegedly stabbing a Scottsdale Quarter security guard, authorities said.

16 hours ago

Booking photo for Iren Byers, the suspect in a murder spree in Phoenix and Mesa, Arizona, and Mesa ...

Kevin Stone

Here’s what Mesa police have learned about suspect in weekend killing spree

With a suspect in custody, police are piecing together the details of a weekend killing spree in Mesa and Phoenix.

16 hours ago

(Pexels Photo, File)...

KTAR.com

Pedestrian crossing Glendale street on red light dies after getting hit by vehicle

A pedestrian died Tuesday morning after she was hit by a vehicle in Glendale while crossing a street on a red light.

16 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center

5 mental health myths you didn’t know were made up

Helping individuals understand mental health diagnoses like obsessive compulsive spectrum disorder or generalized anxiety disorder isn’t always an easy undertaking. After all, our society tends to spread misconceptions about mental health like wildfire. This is why being mindful about how we talk about mental health is so important. We can either perpetuate misinformation about already […]

...

Desert Institute for Spine Care

Spinal fusion surgery has come a long way, despite misconceptions

As Dr. Justin Field of the Desert Institute for Spine Care explained, “we've come a long way over the last couple of decades.”

(Photo: OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center)...

OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center

Here’s what you need to know about OCD and where to find help

It's fair to say that most people know what obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders generally are, but there's a lot more information than meets the eye about a mental health diagnosis that affects about one in every 100 adults in the United States.

Arizona predicted to see above average temperatures this summer