242 FXUS65 KPSR 051720 AFDPSRArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Phoenix AZ 1020 AM MST Fri Sep 5 2025
.UPDATE...Updated Aviation Discussion.
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.KEY MESSAGES...
- Chances for showers and isolated thunderstorms will remain through Saturday before rain chances end completely starting Sunday.
- Temperatures will be below normal through Sunday before warming back into the normal range for at least south-central and eastern Arizona through the middle of next week.
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.SHORT TERM /Today through Saturday/... Today into Saturday will bring a diminishing threat of storms as drier air aloft begins to spread over the region and increased subsidence likely limits areal coverage. For the rest of the overnight hours, we may see a few isolated showers but most locations will see clearing skies and somewhat humid conditions. The trough axis that aided in storm development the last couple of days has now moved to the east of the area with weak ridging moving in from the west. Moisture in the low and mid levels will remain quite high today, but above 600mb northerly dry air will act to limit storm activity today. Hi-res CAMs mostly shows isolated showers and weak storms across the Arizona high terrain and maybe an isolated shower or two over the lower deserts. We can`t rule out some isolated shower activity during the overnight hours tonight, but there is no model consensus for exactly where. PoPs through tonight have been lowered to between 10-20%.
Going into the weekend, the large Pacific trough off the West Coast will begin to influence our region more bringing westerly dry flow across the entire Desert Southwest. The drier air aloft will persist and get even drier, gradually mixing out whats left of the mid level moisture this weekend. Moisture levels on Saturday are likely to still be enough for some isolated showers and maybe a few weak storms, but as with today the favored areas for this activity will be over the Arizona high terrain.
Temperatures over the next couple of days will barely budge with daytime highs from the mid 90s across the south-central Arizona lower deserts to the upper 90s across the western deserts, or around five degrees below normals.
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.LONG TERM /Sunday through Thursday/... Overall quiet and drying conditions are forecast for Sunday through at least the middle of next week. The Pacific trough is expected to deepen and fully close off west of Northwest U.S. coast this weekend before moving onshore on Monday. As it deepens starting Sunday, it should promote amplified upper level ridging centered along the Arizona/New Mexico border northward into Wyoming. This is expected to briefly boost H5 heights over much of our region into a 590-593dm range leading to warmer temperatures for at least Sunday and Monday. NBM forecast highs show readings right around 100 degrees for Sunday across the lower deserts to between 101-104 degrees on Monday and Tuesday. Further drying through early next week should completely end rain chances even across the higher terrain by Monday and eventually lower surface dew points into the 40s by next Tuesday or Wednesday.
Model uncertainty increases somewhat during the middle to latter part of next week as there are differences within the models with the eventual evolution of the Pacific trough. There is at least good agreement with H5 heights lowering over our region by next Wednesday as the trough moves fully over the Western U.S., but there are bigger differences late next week with how far south and east the base of the trough will track. For now, we can safely say this pattern should keep considerable dry air over most if not all of our region through late next week. Forecast temperatures show higher spread later next week, but the overall consensus shows a slight cooling trend and readings staying at or just below normals during the latter half of next week.
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.AVIATION...Updated at 1720Z.
South Central Arizona including KPHX, KIWA, KSDL, and KDVT: Shower and storm chances are showing signs of increasing across the valley TAF sites into early afternoon. A complex of showers and storms continues to drift southeast toward the area with good instability in place. This has resulted in renewed development on the leading edge with its progression to the southeast. Whatever does develop, should be a late morning and early afternoon event. Have introduced VCTS on the valley TAFs through the 21-22z time frame. Primary impacts would be lightning and brief heavy rainfall. Some slightly elevated gusty and erratic winds with nearby storms, but otherwise and overall variable wind in forecast through the TAF period with low confidence with any easterly duirnal shift.
Southeast California/Southwest Arizona including KIPL and KBLH: No major aviation weather concerns are expected throughout the TAF period at at least KIPL. These areas should see typical wind patterns with speeds generally aob 10 kts. FEW to SCT mid to high clouds will persist throughout the period.
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.FIRE WEATHER... Higher low level moisture will continue into the weekend, but rain chances will be diminishing and ending altogether by Sunday. Expect periods of isolated showers and weak storms through Saturday, but wetting rain chances will mostly range between 10-20%. MinRHs are only expected to drop into a 30-45% range through the weekend as temperatures stay below normal. Winds will tend to favor diurnal patterns across the eastern districts, while favoring the south across the western districts. The gradual drying conditions will continue during the first half of next week keeping rain chances near zero and eventually lowering MinRHs back into the teens by next Tuesday.
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.PSR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AZ...None. CA...None. &&
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SHORT TERM...Kuhlman LONG TERM...Kuhlman AVIATION...Frieders FIRE WEATHER...Kuhlman
NWS PSR Office Area Forecast Discussion