A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued by the National Weather Service for Anthem, effective until 10:15 p.m. The storm system, which may also affect parts of Sun City and Peoria, is moving at only 5 mph, creating the potential for significant rainfall in a short period.
The alert follows scattered showers earlier in Scottsdale and Surprise that resulted in wet roads and at least one freeway spinout. This activity marks the return of Arizona’s monsoon season, breaking a two-week stretch of extreme heat.
On Wednesday night, isolated storms moved through the Valley, with some rain gauges in the West Valley recording more than an inch of precipitation. However, the rainfall was not widespread, as only 8% of gauges monitored by the Maricopa County Flood Control District registered any rain.
Looking ahead, there is a 30% chance of showers through Thursday night and into early Friday morning. The probability of rain is expected to increase Friday afternoon, rising to 50% across the Valley by Friday night. While most locations are anticipated to receive some precipitation, forecast models differ on the amount, with some predicting less than a tenth of an inch and others suggesting accumulations of a third of an inch or more.
The potential for rain is expected to end abruptly on Saturday. A trough of low pressure is forecast to move into the state, pushing moisture eastward and leading to drier conditions.
Source link
