358
FXUS65 KPSR 022058
AFDPSR

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Phoenix AZ
158 PM MST Wed Jul 2 2025


.KEY MESSAGES...

- Today is expected to bring isolated to scattered thunderstorms
  across south-central and eastern Arizona with the potential for
  strong gusty winds, blowing dust, and localized heavy rainfall.

- After lingering chances for a few isolated thunderstorms on
  Thursday, drier conditions will end any rain chances starting
  Thursday night.

- Near normal temperatures are forecast for today through
  Saturday, before heating back up by early next week.

&&
.NEAR TERM/THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY MORNING/...
Current RADAR indicates showers and thunderstorms occurring in
Gila County at this time. The primary forecast concerns in the
near term are scattered thunderstorms across south-central and
eastern Arizona, with associated strong gusty winds, blowing dust,
and localized heavy rainfall. Convection, which is already
occurring, is expected to intensify over higher terrain areas
with hi-res CAMs indicating scattered showers and thunderstorms
developing and moving into the foothills of the east valley and
potentially into the Phoenix metro, by late afternoon/early
evening where even a thunderstorm or 2 could be severe. Strong
outflow winds could impact the Phoenix valley, with DCAPE values
of 1200-1400 J/kg promoting blowing dust and reduced visibility.
Thunderstorm activity will gradually weaken after midnight, with
isolated showers lingering over higher terrain east of Phoenix
into early Thursday morning.

.SHORT TERM/TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
The current synoptic set up shows an unseasonably strong Pacific
low centered near Los Angeles and the sub-tropical high slowly
retreating to the northeast into Colorado. Southeasterly flow
since yesterday continues to feed modestly moist air into Arizona
to as far north as southern Nevada with PWATs now up to between
1.0-1.2" over the southern half of Arizona. This moist fetch is
expected to last into this afternoon with PWATs likely peaking
between 1.2-1.4" and low level mixing ratios mostly between 8-10
g/kg. This amount of moisture would normally not be sufficient for
a good amount of monsoon storm activity, but with the help of the
incoming (weakening) Pacific low, the moisture should end up
being sufficient.

For Thursday, model guidance continues to show the weakening
Pacific trough tracking northeastward through northern Arizona
with dry air surging eastward across the state. For the most
part, guidance shows only 10-15% chances for any additional
showers or thunderstorms across the south-central Arizona lower
deserts Thursday morning and early afternoon to as high as 30-35%
over Gila Co. Given the drying, any activity will likely be on
the weaker side with potential rainfall amounts much less than
today. Temperatures for today and Thursday will be noticeably less
hot than the past few days with highs at or just below normal.

&&

.LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
As the weather pattern settles back into westerly dry flow over
the majority of the region, rain chances are expected to come to
an end by Thursday night. PWATs are forecast to drop down to
between 0.8-1.0" starting Friday and likely last there through
the rest of the 4th of July weekend. Near normal temperatures are
likely to continue into Saturday with overnight lows for rural
desert areas easily falling into the 70s as moisture decreases,
but lows within Phoenix area still likely to stay just above 80
degrees.

Model uncertainty increases considerably next week as the GEFS
shows an increase in moisture by around Tuesday, whereas the EPS
keeps the moisture well to the south. Both generally agree the
sub-tropical ridge will again set up over our region by early next
week, first centered just to our east before gradually shifting
westward through our region during the middle of next week.
Heights are also favored to rise during this time as the ridge
strengthens, pushing H5 heights from 590-592dm starting Sunday to
as high as 595-597dm by the middle of next week. The recent shift
for a stronger ridge setting up over our region has abruptly
turned conditions noticeably hotter for next week with NBM highs
now mostly between 110-113 degrees by Tuesday. If this new
scenario of a stronger ridge comes to fruition and moisture stays
out of our area, expect forecast temperatures to trend even hotter
than the latest forecast. If the GEFS is more correct showing
better moisture, than we may see at least a return of monsoon
activity for higher terrain areas. However, for now it does not
look very promising for any decent monsoon storms through at least
the first half of next week.

&&

.AVIATION...Updated at 1800Z.

South Central Arizona including KPHX, KIWA, KSDL, KDVT:
Ongoing convection west of the terminals expected to continue into
the afternoon hours, but no impacts anticipated at any terminals.
Some very weak showers near the 10 mile range of KIWA and KPHX
over the last couple of hours is also not expected to cause any
impacts, as this convection is expected to dissipate. Variability
in wind directions over the last several hours will prevail
S/SW`rly through mid-afternoon with some gustiness 15-20 kts.

The greatest aviation impacts will occur late this afternoon and
into this evening, as there is somewhat lower certainty in wind
direction changes and speeds as thunderstorm outflows are
anticipated to move into the metro. At this time, the favor is for
an initial S/SE`rly outflow with some gusty winds upwards of 30
kts (50-70% chances), with potential visibility reductions due to
blowing dust. However, multiple outflows remain possible and could
result in multiple wind shifts, especially with any VCTS/TS
conditions that develop near any terminals. The best timing for
convection continues to be around 02-05Z, but remains as a PROB30
group due to uncertainties on how things evolve going into the
afternoon hours. Ceilings with any TS will generally be aoa 8 kft,
with skies clearing going through the overnight hours. A second
prevailing group late this evening out of the north was introduced
as a northerly outflow may reach the terminals prior to a return
to either light and variable or light southeasterly winds going
into tomorrow morning.

Southeast California/Southwest Arizona including KIPL and KBLH:
No major aviation concerns are anticipated during the next 24
hours. Some light shower activity continue to be observed over
parts of SE CA this morning, so a shower in the vicinity of a
terminal (mainly KBLH) cannot be ruled out through this afternoon.
Winds will follow typical diurnal trends, SE to W`rly a KIPL, and
S`rly at KBLH with occasional afternoon breeziness around 20 kts.
Outside of a FEW-SCT mid-level clouds this morning, skies should
be mostly clear through the period.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
Increased moisture along with an incoming weather system is
expected to bring an active day today across the eastern
districts. Shower and thunderstorm chances today across the
eastern districts are between 30-50% with gusty erratic winds
likely to occur with the thunderstorm activity. Humidities will
continue to improve today with MinRHs of 20-30% for the eastern
districts to 15-20% for the western districts. A drying trend
will begin Thursday with much more isolated chances for showers
and thunderstorms for the eastern districts. MinRHs Thursday will
mainly dip to between 15-20%. Even drier air will filter into the
region by the weekend with MinRHs falling to 10-15% by Sunday.
Temperatures will run near normal through Saturday before heating
up again into next week.

&&

.PSR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AZ...Blowing Dust Advisory until 7 PM MST this evening for AZZ553-554.

CA...None.
&&

$$

SHORT TERM/LONG TERM...Kuhlman/95
AVIATION...Young/RW
FIRE WEATHER...Kuhlman