Weather Outlook
Date & Time: 05/26/2023 @ 9:30 AM MST
Forecaster: Malloy, J.
Synopsis:
Many folks are likely looking forward to the extended holiday weekend! The good news is that AZ statewide has beautiful May weather in store for us each day. The only forecast element to call attention to is daytime breeziness, especially if taking a retreat up in the high country where gusts may exceed 30-35 mph at times. If you were curious, the tighter pressure gradient with nearby troughiness and deep daytime atmospheric mixing of faster winds aloft to the surface are the weather mechanisms behind the recent winds. As for the current and projected weather pattern, our region is positioned on the southern extent of a West Coast trough today (as has been the case this past week). That feature weakens and pushes east of AZ on Saturday only to be replaced by another area of low pressure west of AZ by Sunday/Memorial Day. The Saturday transition does yield a brief break in local breeziness here in the Valley. Another note to pass along is moisture in general continues to track on the drier side (dewpoints in the 20s/30s and precipitable water values under 0.40 inches). The combination of upper-level troughing in close proximity and a dry air mass allow both morning and afternoon temps to hover near climatological norms. For Phoenix that means 90s for highs and lows near 70°F. Further ahead, there are some indications that subtropical moisture sneaks into AZ from the south by mid/late next week. We’ll be watching that, so stay tuned. Enjoy the holiday!
Today: Dry, sunny, and becoming breezy (southwesterly 10-25 mph). Afternoon in the mid-90s for Phoenix (low to mid-70s near 5,000 feet elevation).
Saturday: Dry, sunny, and light terrain-driven winds early becoming southwesterly 5-15 mph. A cool late spring season morning in the County (60s for the rural, high deserts and low 70s for the metropolitan). Afternoon will be warm in the middle to upper 90s for Phoenix (mid to upper 70s near 5,000 feet elevation).
Sunday: Dry, sunny, and breezy once again after morning (southwesterly 10-25 mph). Same daily temperature trends.
Memorial Day: Staying dry, some high clouds possible early, and more afternoon/evening breeziness (southwesterly 10-25 mph). Diurnal temperatures maintaining similar trends.