More rain falls across Valley, disrupting 1st round of WM Phoenix Open in Scottsdale
Feb 8, 2024, 9:00 AM | Updated: 6:13 pm
(KTAR News Photo/Felisa Cárdenas)
PHOENIX – Another round of widespread rain hit the Valley on Thursday, disrupting WM Phoenix Open activities for the second consecutive day.
Play has been suspended and fans are trapped at the 16th hole sky box. pic.twitter.com/iJFWQR7c4O
— Heidi Hommel (@heidi_hommel) February 8, 2024
Rain was first recorded a little after noon at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, which the National Weather Service uses for the city’s officials records. One-tenth of an inch had fallen within an hour.
“It will only last about three-four hours, really, at any given location, with maybe a few lingering showers after that, and then we’ll have some dry weather return for the overnight hours,” Katherine Berislavich, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Phoenix, told KTAR News 92.3 FM Thursday morning.
Thursday’s rainfall totals were expected to range from about a tenth of an inch to a half an inch.
The unsettled weather pattern will continue over the next few days leading to another round of rainfall today and another on Saturday. Rainfall amounts are expected to range from around 0.25" in the Phoenix area to around a half inch or more in higher terrain areas. #azwx #cawx pic.twitter.com/maUeqeCzUi
— NWS Phoenix (@NWSPhoenix) February 8, 2024
That’s after an atmospheric river storm system flowed across the Phoenix area Tuesday night into Wednesday, dropping from a quarter of an inch to an inch of rain in most of the Valley.
The game resumed at 4 p.m.
How is the weather affecting WM Phoenix Open?
Thursday’s forecast put the chance for precipitation at 90%, which was gloomy news for the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale.
The first golfers teed off for the opening round of the four-day PGA Tour event at 7:20 a.m., and the final groups were scheduled to start at 1:50 p.m.
However, the tournament was suspended around 12:30 p.m. because conditions became unplayable.
Before play even started, the grass field parking lots were closed for the second consecutive day because of muddy conditions.
The grass lots were also closed Wednesday, before rain and hail interrupted play at the Annexus Pro-Am around noon. The event was canceled about an hour later.
Officials said they will broadcast weather warnings on the golf course’s electronic leaderboards during the tournament. A prolonged air horn blast signifies that play is suspended and spectators should seek shelter.
What’s in the Valley forecast for the rest of the week?
The possibility for rain remains in the metro Phoenix forecast through Saturday, with high temperatures in the mid to upper 50s.
“It looks like maybe late Friday afternoon, early evening there might be a few scattered showers out there, and then we’ll have more activity through the overnight hours into Saturday and throughout the day on Saturday,” Berislavich said.
Sunday’s forecast calls for clear skies and a high of around 60, followed by a warming trend early next week.
More snow expected in northern Arizona
Meanwhile, the snow continues to pile up in Flagstaff — which already has received about 60 inches this season, about 7 inches above normal — and across the northern part of the state.
A winter storm warning and winter weather advisory are in effect for much of the high country through Thursday night, with significant accumulations anticipated in altitudes above 6,000 feet and snow levels dropping to around 4,500 feet.
“After yesterday’s snow, we’re still looking at more snow today, with a band of moderate to heavy snow moving through Flagstaff this afternoon, so we could be looking at another 10 to 16 inches in Flagstaff through this evening,” Carter Humphreys of the National Weather Service in Flagstaff told KTAR News on Thursday morning.
With numerous road closures and widespread snowfall for much of northern AZ, travel will be dangerous to impossible this AM. Travel conditions remain poor the next several days before much improved conditions arrive Sunday. Stay safe! #azwx pic.twitter.com/tn8mB8bhdl
— NWS Flagstaff (@NWSFlagstaff) February 7, 2024
Humphreys said the heaviest snowfall will be Thursday afternoon, followed by an evening break and then more activity Friday afternoon into Saturday.
He said the storm will produce potentially treacherous driving conditions.
“It’s going to be difficult travel this afternoon as the heavy snow moves through — just going to be looking at quickly accumulating snowfall with a reduced visibility out there on the roads,” he said.
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Jim Cross contributed to this report.