Fog advisory and cancelled flights at Sky Harbor precede cloudy Christmas day forecast
Christmas Eve in Phoenix will see a high temperature of 63 degrees and dense fog. Those traveling for the holiday should take caution, according to the National Weather Service.
The weather service issued a dense fog advisory in the downtown Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa areas through midday. It said to expect low visibility and possible travel delays, leave extra time and be prepared for sudden reductions in visibility.
For those making their way to the airport, the weather service said Phoenix Sky Harbor reported visibility as low as a quarter mile and that those driving around the area should exercise caution.
According to Sky Harbor between Saturday Dec. 23 and Christmas Day, 8 flights have been cancelled and over 100 have been delayed. Travelers can check to see if their flight has been cancelled or delayed at the Sky Harbor website.
Along with the dense fog advisory, the weather service said a high pollution advisory is in place for Maricopa County. It recommended consolidating travel, reducing or eliminating outdoor burn use and avoiding using gas-powered lawn equipment.
Christmas day is forecast to have partially cloudy skies, a high of 63 and a low temperature of 40 degrees.
Rain and snow chances to diminish Christmas week in northern Arizona
Northern Arizona also was expected to see a dry warming trend this week, with dwindling chances of snow and rain.
As Christmas Day approached, clear skies and light winds were expected to occupy Flagstaff. Slightly warmer temperatures were forecast to begin on Sunday, with highs in the mid-40s and lows in the high teens.
The weather service projected conditions to continue to warm up as the workweek progressed, with highs creeping to just below 50.
Some moisture was expected to fill the air by the end of the week, cooling temperatures back down a bit.
Warming trend to affect southern Arizona as well
Dry conditions were expected to return to many areas in southern Arizona this week with temperatures warming up to seasonal norms.
The cloud cover present this weekend was expected to rapidly diminish by Sunday morning. This combined with cooler air was projected to make Sunday's morning temperatures 7 to 15 degrees colder than Saturday's.
"That translates into the upper 30s to lower 40s from Tucson westward and lower to mid-30s invalley locations across Santa Cruz, Cochise, Graham and Greenlee counties," the weather service said.
Sunday through Tuesday was forecast to see temperatures 3 to 5 degrees lower than the seasonal normal. Temperatures were expected to dip down into the low 20s in the typical coldest locations, such as portions of the Sulphur Springs Valley.
Warmer temperatures were projected to ramp up starting Wednesday, settling slightly above the seasonal normal by Friday.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Christmas Eve and day: Fog advisory in Phoenix, at Sky Harbor
