Christmas in Arizona: Rain, cloudy weather expected to affect most of Arizona this week

Travel and weather updates from across the state throughout the holiday weekend.

6 p.m. Monday: Rain, cloudy weather expected to affect most of Arizona this week

Rain and cloudy weather are expected to affect most of Arizona over the next week, according to the National Weather Service.

According to weather service meteorologist Jared Heil in Phoenix, cloudy weather conditions are expected to develop Tuesday, with a 60% chance of rain overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday and a 90% chance of rain during the day on Wednesday.

Rain will likely be light across western Arizona but will become heavier across central Arizona and heaviest in the eastern part of the state, Heil said.

"Those rainfall totals do increase as you go east to Phoenix," Heil said. "So areas like Gila County, Payson, and Globe are expecting an inch and a half to two inches, same for Sedona. And then if you look farther west toward Yuma, they're only expecting a tenth to a quarter of an inch. So the farther east, the higher the rainfall totals."

Most of Arizona is unlikely to be affected by rain on Thursday and Friday, Heil said, but cloudy conditions are likely to persist throughout the week.

According to Heil, rain could return over New Year's weekend. Right now there is a 50-60% chance of showers late Saturday which increases to 80% of showers on New Year's Day, Heil said.

Heil said it's hard to predict at this point how much rain might fall on New Year's weekend, but a better picture should develop later in the week.

3:30 p.m. Monday: Southwest Airlines leads delays and cancellations at Sky Harbor

Southwest Airlines has canceled more than 244 flights and delayed 45 others going in or out of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport as of 2:30 p.m. on Monday, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware. It's part of a nationwide string of air travel headaches for people trying to move around the country during the holiday week.

"We don’t have specific information to share on cancellations at airports we serve, including PHX, but it is a considerable portion of our published flight schedule," Chris Perry, a spokesperson for Southwest Airlines, said in an email on Monday.

Michael Doudna, a reporter for KPNX-TV (Channel 12) tweeted that Southwest was asking people to go home at Sky Harbor due to the cancellations.

In a news release issued Monday afternoon, the airline said its customers and employees were being affected in a "significant way that is unacceptable."

"Our heartfelt apologies for this are just beginning," the release says. "We’re working with safety at the forefront to urgently address wide-scale disruption by rebalancing the airline and repositioning crews and our fleet ultimately to best serve all who plan to travel with us."

The airline said it was fully staffed for the holiday weekend but the winter storm forced changes in the flight schedule.

"We anticipate additional changes with an already reduced level of flights as we approach the coming New Year holiday travel period," the airline said in the news release. The airline said it was working to reach customers whose plans will change with additional information and options.

Southwest Airline's website says customers who have a reservation from Dec. 25 through Jan. 2 may rebook in their original class of service or travel within 14 days of their original date between the original city-pairs without paying additional charges. Customers can also cancel their flights and request a refund by emailing the airline.

The airline was trending on Twitter much of the day, with reports of long delays and cancellations in Las Vegas, Denver, Chicago, Tampa, Baltimore and other locations.

1 p.m. Monday: High Pollution Advisory issued for Maricopa County

A High Pollution Advisory — along with a no-burn day order — was issued for Maricopa County on Monday.

According to the Maricopa County Air Quality Department, the advisory is for PM-2.5, dust particles or pollutants that are less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter that "result from fuel combustion from motor vehicles, power generation, and industrial facilities, as well as from residential fireplaces and wood stoves."

When inhaled, the tiny particles can be dangerous and can get into the deep parts of a person's lungs, or even blood, according to the CDC.

As a result of the advisory, the county is prohibiting government entities from operating leaf blowers and also encouraging residents to avoid operating them while the advisory is in effect.

Residents are also not allowed to burn wood in residential fireplaces, chimneys, or outdoor fire pits or burn any type of a similar fire, the air quality department said. Off-highway vehicles are prohibited throughout most of Maricopa County as well.

The air quality department offers a list of tips for people to reduce air pollution.

12:30 p.m. Monday: Delays and cancellations at Sky Harbor continue on Boxing Day

There have been 85 flight delays and 115 flight cancellations out of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport as of noon on Monday, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware.

Throughout much of the holiday weekend, Sky Harbor led the nation in the number of canceled and delayed flights to and from local airports surveyed.

11:30 a.m. Monday: Highways in White Mountains area closing ahead of schedule

State Route 261 and S.R. 273 will close on Tuesday as part of the Arizona Department of Transportation's winter shutdown schedule due to the amount of snowfall the area typically receives. The highways are scheduled to reopen in mid-April.

S.R. 261 will close between Eagar and Big Lake, and S.R. 273 will close between Sunrise Park and Big Lake. According to ADOT, the two highways will be closing three days earlier than was scheduled.

State routes 473 and 67 closed earlier for the winter.

8:15 p.m. Sunday: Weather service says Sunday was warmest Christmas since 2010

The high temperature this afternoon at Sky Harbor was 74 degrees, which is 9 degrees above normal, according to the National Weather Service in Phoenix. It was only 4 degrees shy of the daily record of 78 degrees, set in 1980.

According to the weather service, Sunday was the warmest Christmas since 2010.

7 p.m. Sunday: Flight delays at Sky Harbor double by evening

Twice as many flights were delayed at Sky Harbor by Sunday evening compared to the morning count.

There were 276 flight delays and 121 flight cancellations from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport as of 6:35 p.m. on Sunday.

There were 112 flight delays and 27 flight cancellations around noon on Sunday, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware.

6 p.m. Sunday: Arizona state parks offer New Year's day hikes

Arizona State Parks and Trails will offer First Day Hike events at 12 state parks on Jan. 1. Many of these hikes will feature park rangers or volunteers sharing their knowledge of the natural resources people see while on the outings.

State parks across the U.S. celebrate New Year's Day with First Day Hikes to give people opportunities to follow through on resolutions to get in shape and spend more time outdoors.

5:10 p.m. Sunday: Phoenix Public Transit running on holiday hours Monday

Transit centers will be closed for Christmas day on Monday and Valley Metro will run on a Sunday schedule. Customer service will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

4:45 p.m. Sunday: Sky Harbor Rental Car Station lights up green for Christmas and Kwanzaa

Are you wondering what the Sky Harbor Rental Car Station is wearing for the holidays? It’s gone green -  with green lights at the top of the building - until Dec. 31 to celebrate Christmas and Kwanzaa.

4 p.m. Sunday: Catch the Suns and Cardinals on Christmas Day

For the second year in a row, both the Phoenix Suns and the Arizona Cardinals are playing on Christmas Day. It’s nice to see the hometown favorites getting prime national exposure, even though the Cardinals have underachieved, to put it kindly, this season and Suns star Devin Booker is battling an injury. Here’s how to watch both games.

3:40 p.m. Sunday: Flagstaff to see snow through New Year

Flagstaff can expect rain and snow to start Tuesday and continue through New Year’s eve, and could total 3 to 10 inches by Thursday.

The rain and high elevation snow is expected to start on Tuesday, says the National Weather Service Flagstaff.

3:30 p.m. Sunday: Phoenix city offices closed on Monday, but trash and recycling pick-up on schedule

Even though Phoenix city offices will be closed on Monday, residents can still expect trash and recycling pick-up to continue on schedule. As always, the city has a 24/7 hotline for any concerns that can be reached at 311 or at https://phxatyourservice.dynamics365portals.us/

3 p.m. Sunday: Mid-week rain heading to Phoenix

Phoenix residents are going to see a shift in the cool, dry weather they’ve enjoyed so far this week when rain and fog hit the area midweek.

The National Weather Service Phoenix says there could be minor flooding impacts in south-central Arizona.

Tweets by NWSPhoenix

2:30 p.m. Sunday: South Mountain Summit Road cleared for cyclists and runners

Merry Christmas - and happy Silent Sunday! Phoenix’s South Mountain has cleared the park's main roadway for non-motorized activities such as walking, cycling, jogging and hiking.

And if you miss it today, don’t worry - every Sunday there are at least a few hours where Summit Rd. is cleared for bikers and pedestrians.

1:30 p.m. Sunday: Phoenix falls short of warmest Christmas on record - but we’re close

It’s a balmy Christmas day in Phoenix at a high of 72 degrees - but not the balmiest.

That was in 1970, when temperatures hit 78 degrees, according to the National Weather Service Phoenix.

1 p.m. Sunday: Air quality worsens in Phoenix

Air quality in Phoenix has progressively worsened over Christmas weekend, with air quality on Sunday afternoon labeled unhealthy with a score of 178.

That means everyone should choose less strenuous activities and shorten the amount of time they are active outdoors. On Saturday, air quality index was at 132, which is unhealthy for sensitive groups that include people with heart or lung disease, older adults or children.

Noon Sunday: Delays and cancellations at Sky Harbor continue on Christmas Day

There have been 112 flight delays and 27 flight cancellations out of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport as of 11:50 a.m. on Sunday, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware.

11 a.m. Sunday: Chinese restaurants that will be open on Christmas

Eating Chinese food on Christmas Day has been a well-documented Jewish-American tradition since the early 20th century. More recently, celebrating Christmas with specialties like Peking duck, noodles and dumplings has become mainstream. Fortunately, there's no shortage of Chinese restaurants in Phoenix, so if you're planning to dig into some Chinese food this Christmas, here are 9 great places that will be open on Christmas Day. Hours are subject to change, so make sure to call ahead.

6:45 p.m. Saturday: Sky Harbor leads in most delayed or canceled flights in US on Christmas Eve

There were 131 flight cancellations and 330 delays out of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport by Saturday evening, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware.

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport continued to lead the nation in the number of canceled and delayed flights to and from local airports surveyed Saturday.

4:40 p.m. Saturday: Tracker says Santa, reindeer making their way around the world

After crossing over Kyrgyzstan in the morning, Santa and his nine reindeer were flying over France on Saturday afternoon, according to the website PlaneFinder.

The team was flying at an altitude of 60,000 feet and a speed of about 4,461 knots.

You can track Santa here: https://planefinder.net/flight/SANTA2022.

4 p.m. Saturday: Delays and cancellations at Sky Harbor continue to tick up

There were 106 flight cancellations and 322 delays out of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport by Saturday afternoon, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware.

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport continued to lead the nation in the number of canceled and delayed flights to and from local airports surveyed Saturday.

3:35 p.m. Saturday: Arizona gas prices one of lowest prices in the last month

Just in time for the burst of holiday travel, gas prices in Arizona have hit one of the lowest average gas prices this month.

Retail prices in Maricopa County are $3.380 for regular gas − down from $4.12 one month ago, according to AAA’s analysis of gas prices.

Coconino, Gila and Graham counties had the highest average gas prices in the state on Saturday, with an average high of $3.74 in Gila County.

2:30 p.m. Saturday: Pacific storms will bring snowfall to Flagstaff next week

Residents of Arizona’s chilly northern city of Flagstaff can expect rain plus snowfall in high elevation areas next week.

That will be a shift from the current weather pattern, the National Weather Service said Saturday. Christmas day saw a high of 49 degrees and a low of 22 degrees.

The threat of flooding below recent burn scars is low, however.

2 p.m. Saturday: Crash-related highway closures clear

Highway closures from several collisions this morning have mostly been cleared, ADOT said Saturday afternoon.

Southbound lanes and one northbound lane are open on State Route 69 following an afternoon crash.

All 1-17 lanes are now open as well following a northbound crash.

1:30 p.m. Saturday: Calm and cool weather for Phoenix on Christmas Eve

Unlike much of the rest of the United States that was battered by winter storms this holiday season, the weather in Arizona was calm and cool going into the holiday weekend.

The low at Sky Harbor this morning was 44 for the low this morning at Sky Harbor International, which the National Weather Service Phoenix said is “right at the normal for today's date.”

12:30 p.m. Saturday: ADOT reports highway closure on 1-17 Northbound

A crash on the 1-17 Northbound, just south of Munds Park and near milepost 312, has closed the highway.

There is no estimated time to reopen the highway, the Arizona Department of Transportation said Saturday afternoon.

11:30 a.m. Saturday: Unhealthy air quality affects sensitive Phoenicians

Air quality continues to be unhealthy for sensitive groups in the Phoenix area this Christmas weekend.

The air quality index was at 132 on Saturday which is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups, including children, older adults, people with heart or lung disease, and those suffering from asthma and bronchitis.

AirNow, an air quality monitoring partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other local and state agencies, suggests those groups should choose less strenuous activities and shorten the amount of time they are active outdoors.

11 a.m. Saturday: Phoenix tops list of airports with delayed flights

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport led the nation in the number of canceled and delayed flights to and from local airports Saturday morning.

As of 11 a.m. Saturday, there were 77 flight cancellations and 146 delays in and out of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware. Southwest had the most canceled flights Saturday − a total of 37 − while Delta had 13.

9 a.m. Saturday: Where to see the best holiday lights around the Valley

You have loads of options to see over-the-top light displays. Glendale Glitters is back in a big way after being scaled back in 2021. The lights at the Mesa Arizona Temple are back on after a five-year pause for temple renovations. Perennial favorite ZooLights at the Phoenix Zoo has lots of new attractions this year. And if DIY viewing is more your style, our holiday lights map will guide you to the biggest, best options around the Valley.

7:30 p.m.: ADOT reports lane closures in Phoenix area

A vehicle fire is blocking the right lanes on Loop 101 northbound at Olive Avenue, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

A crash is blocking the left lanes of Interstate 10 at 27th Avenue in Phoenix.

4 p.m.: Sky Harbor flight cancellations edge up slightly

As of 3:55 p.m. Friday, there were 111 cancellations and 354 delays out of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware. Southwest Airlines, American Airlines and Alaska Airlines each had at least 20 flights canceled.

2:40 p.m. Friday: Road closure roundup

If you're traveling by road this holiday weekend, here's a roundup of all road closures:

Goodyear

• Road closure Interstate 10 eastbound near Bullard Avenue (Milepost 128).

Glendale

• Exit ramp closed on-ramp from Interstate 17 southbound to West Thunderbird Road. Lane closed. This ramp will be closed until May 26.

• SB I-17 off-ramp at Thunderbird Road closed for pipe installation work. Use Greenway and Cactus exits.

Florence (these roads will remain closed until March 31)

• Highway closed on State Route 79-BL southbound from State Route 287 eastbound (MP 133) to East Sunset Road (MP 133). Lane closed.

• Highway closed on-ramp from SR-287 eastbound to SR-79-BL southbound. Lane closed.

• Highway closed on SR-79-BL northbound from SR-287 eastbound (MP 133) to East Florence Heights Drive (MP 133). Lane closed.

Chandler (Tonto National Forest)

• Road closed on State Route 88 eastbound from NF-213 (MP 222) to NF-79 (MP 229).

• Road closed on SR 88 westbound from NF-79 (MP 229) to NF-213 (MP 222).

Tucson (extended road closure for several weeks for road repairs).

• Road closed on State Route 386 southbound from State Route 86 (1) to SR 86 (12).

• Road closed on SR 386 northbound from SR 86 (12) to SR 86 (1).

Fredonia (Kaibab Camper Village) (road closure due to winter weather)

• State Route 67 southbound from NF-3189 (MP 580) to Kanabowits Lookout Tower Road (MP 610). Lane closed.

— From staff reports

1:30 p.m. Friday: Southwest, American lead Sky Harbor’s flight cancellations

Airlines are continuing to cancel flights nationwide because of the winter storms, including at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. As of 1 p.m. Friday, there were 106 cancellations and 256 delays out of Sky Harbor, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware.

Southwest Airlines and American Airlines cancelled the most flights out of Sky Harbor’s airlines on Friday. Southwest cancelled 42 flights and delayed another 118, while American cancelled 29 and delayed another 57, according to FlightAware.

12:45 p.m. Friday: No planned highway closures over the holiday weekend, ADOT announces

The Arizona Department of Transportation has announced that no highway closures are scheduled along state highways over Christmas and New Year's weekends.

According to ADOT, there are no construction closures planned between Friday afternoon and Monday morning over the holiday weekend.

However, ADOT says, "drivers can still expect heavier traffic due to holiday events and people taking road trips around the state.

The transportation department advises travelers to be prepared and "expect the unexpected" while focusing on safe driving.

Travel time will most likely increase due to unscheduled restrictions such as broken-down cars, crashes, and possible unpleasant weather.

ADOT says to pack an emergency kit for longer trips just in case you encounter an unscheduled stop in traffic or need to pull over. Items to pack include:

• Extra bottled water

• Snacks

• Flashlight and extra batteries

• Blankets

• Warm clothing

• First aid kit

ADOT advises drivers to check their car before traveling, including tire pressure, engine belts and hoses, fluid levels and condition of windshield wipers.

ADOT says, "staying up to date on potentially changing weather conditions alsi is important. ADOT provides additional information on its Road Trip Safety site.

Travelers can check on road conditions on ADOT's 511 site.

Currently ADOT reports only one highway closed to winter weather, near the Utah state line. ADOT reports that State Route 67 southbound from milepost 580 to Kanabowits Lookout Tower Road is closed. This is the highway that leads to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

12:05 p.m. Friday: High pollution advisories are in effect this weekend

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality announced high pollution advisories are in effect for dust and smoke in Phoenix and Nogales until Monday.

The air quality index is at 75 on Friday which is moderate, but could be unhealthy for sensitive groups, including children, older adults, people with heart or lung disease, and those suffering from asthma and bronchitis.

The Maricopa County Air Quality Department has issued a no-burn day for Friday, which may be extended into the weekend.

11 a.m. Friday: Go ice skating outdoors this weekend

Outdoor ice skating rinks will be open for the 2022 holiday season throughout metro Phoenix. Some have real ice and others are synthetic, but all offer the chance for newbies, experienced skaters and everyone in between to enjoy a beloved cold-weather tradition. If you want to give ice skating a try, head to these pop-up rinks in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa and Glendale.

9:30 a.m. Friday: Flight cancellations piling up at metro Phoenix airports

At Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, 86 flights were canceled and 117 were delayed as of 9:15 a.m. Friday, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware. That compares to 81 canceled and 493 delayed flights on Thursday.

Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport in east Mesa had 16 cancellations and five delays as of 9:15 a.m. Friday, compared to 14 cancellations and 21 delays on Thursday, according to FlightAware.

As arctic air continues moving across the country, winter weather poses a hazard for most of the continental U.S. The weather is likely to get worse before it gets better, according to the National Weather Service.

If you have the flexibility to change your flight, consider that as an alternative to taking your chances with the weather. American Airlines issued travel alerts for 87 airports allowing travelers to make a one-time change to their trips at no charge if they’re scheduled to fly on certain days. Southwest Airlines has a travel advisory in effect for 50 airports through Dec. 26, allowing passengers to rebook flights for travel within 14 days of their original booking.

Together, American and Southwest are responsible for more than 70% of Sky Harbor’s flight capacity.

8 a.m. Friday: Arizona holiday weekend weather will be dry and cool

This Christmas, Arizona residents can expect calm and cool weather at home.

“Tranquil conditions and mostly sunny skies are expected this holiday weekend," Meteorologist Jessica Leffel from the National Weather Service Phoenix said.

Leffel says temperatures were forecast to be above average, reaching the upper 60s to near 70 degrees in the Phoenix area.

Flagstaff residents can expect mainly dry and warmer weather leading into the holiday weekend.

The Phoenix NWS office reported that “high temperatures will remain in the 40s for locations along and north of the Mogollon Rim, with 60s expected in low deserts of Yavapai and Gila counties.”

The weather service also reported that Tucson would be having a dry holiday weekend with temperatures gradually warming to above-normal levels.

Leffel says, “There are no ground travel concerns in the region through this weekend. However, a significant artic weather system across the eastern half of the U.S. is greatly impacting air travel across the country expected to continue influencing travel through the weekend.”

— Ayana Hamilton

6:15 a.m. Friday: I-10 closes, then reopens due to police activity in Goodyear

According to the Arizona Department of Transportation, around 5:22 a.m. Interstate 10 was closed in both directions in Goodyear.

ADOT says the closure was due to police activity. Eastbound was closed at Bullard Avenue and westbound was closed at Litchfield Road.

The freeway has since reopened in both directions.

— From staff reports

9:10 p.m. Thursday: Not just outbound flights — inbound flights also delayed

Of the 164 flights into Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, 131 were delayed and 33 were canceled as of 7 p.m. Thursday.

Not one arrived on time.

Chicago and Denver chalked up the most canceled flights with seven each. Six more were canceled from California — four from the San Francisco Bay Area and two from Orange County.

Flights from Omaha, Nebraska, and Long Beach, California, were delayed by an average of more than three hours, while flights from New York, Dallas, Memphis, San Francisco, Oklahoma City and Calgary were all delayed for an average of more than two hours.

— From staff reports

6:55 p.m. Thursday: Inflation putting damper on last-minute shopping

Last year, Lucila Gomez and her husband started their holiday shopping around Thanksgiving and wrapped it up a week before Christmas, spending $750 on tablets and clothing for their three children and relatives.

This year? Gomez is waiting until she gets her annual bonus on Friday to get started — and she’s limiting her spending to $200, sticking to World Cup themed jerseys for her 10-year-old twins and a 6-year-old.

“Last year, we were confident. We were like, ‘Get them whatever they want,'” said the 49-year-old Buckeye resident, an hourly worker in the billing department of a health company. “This year, we’re waiting until we both get paid. We want to go into the New Year not owing anything.”

Last-minute holiday shoppers are back in force — and inflation is partly to blame.

For the first two years of the pandemic, many were buying earlier in the season, afraid of not getting what they wanted because of shortages of products or delays in deliveries. They also had more money to spend thanks to government stimulus checks and child care credits.

But this year, supply chain snags have eased and shoppers aren't as worried about availability as they are about higher prices on everything from rent to food, causing them to postpone their buying until the last minute.

Gomez, for instance, said that even though she and her husband, an electrician, each got a raise, it still wasn’t enough to offset their rising expenses. In fact, she said her family moved in with her parents after their monthly rent jumped from $1,500 to $2,000 earlier this year. She’d hoped to save for a house, but mortgage rates keep going up.

Last-minute shopping is also being encouraged by a quirk in this year's calendar, according to Brian Field, global leader of Sensormatic Solutions, which tracks store traffic. With Christmas falling on Sunday, consumers have all week to shop.

Retailers are relying on the last-minute spending rush to help meet their holiday sales goals after a weaker-than-expected November.

Americans cut back sharply on retail spending last month as the holiday shopping season began with high prices and rising interest rates taking their toll on households, particularly lower-income families.

Retail sales fell 0.6% from October to November after a sharp 1.3% rise the previous month, the government said last week. Sales fell at furniture, electronics, and home and garden stores.

Overall holiday sales should be decent, though holiday sales growth is expected to dramatically slow down from a year ago.

The National Retail Federation, the nation’s largest retail trade group, is slated to release the actual results for the combined November and December period next month. The group expects holiday sales growth will slow to a range of 6% to 8%, compared with the blistering 13.5% growth of a year ago.

— From The Associated Press

6:15 p.m. Thursday: Airplanes getting backed up across the country

Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport was already issuing travel delay warnings at 6 p.m. Thursday.

Low visibility was causing average delays of 33 minutes into Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and 1 hour and 21 minutes into Newark International Airport in New Jersey.

High winds were causing delays of more than 2 hours at JFK International Airport in New York, while ice and snow were backing up air travel for 2 hours and 39 minutes at Chicago O’Hare.

— From staff reports

6 p.m. Thursday: Balmy weather in Arizona

While much of the rest of the nation faces plunging temperatures and snowy conditions this holiday weekend, the Phoenix area and much of Arizona will be largely spared, according to forecasts from the National Weather Service.

High temperatures in the upper 60s to mid 70s will be common from the weekend into early next week, the National Weather Service says. But travelers heading to eastern Arizona "should be prepared for dangerously cold conditions."

Flights in and out of area airports will also be impacted by the massive storm.

More than 2,156 flights within, into or out of the U.S. had been canceled as of Thursday afternoon, according to the tracking site FlightAware. Airlines have also canceled 1,576 Friday flights. Airports in Chicago and Denver were reporting the most cancelations.

The difference in temperatures between Phoenix and Denver should peak between 65 and 70 degrees F late Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. As of 6 p.m., it was 61 degrees in Phoenix and -1 in Denver.

In Flagstaff, it was 42 degrees F.

— From staff reports

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Christmas in Arizona: Rain, cloudy weather expected this week