Phoenix records wettest day of the year; slim chances of showers during week ahead
Phoenix reported its wettest day of the year on Saturday with a record daily rainfall of 0.76 inches, its highest since Dec. 24, 2021, according to the National Weather Service in Phoenix.
The weather service at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport said that parts of eastern Phoenix received more than 1 inch in recorded rainfall, with some higher terrain areas reaching up to 2 inches.
The weather service in Tucson said on Sunday that high rainfall amounts were seen across western Pima, Pinal, Graham and Greenlee counties, with some areas receiving 2 to 3 inches. The weather service said rain totals in Tucson metro have averaged around 0.5 to 0.75 inches.
The weather service in Flagstaff advised drivers in northern Arizona to be aware of poor visibility conditions in the morning due to fog, which they said should dissipate in the afternoon. Rainfall totals in areas of Apache and Gila counties reached almost 1 inch on Saturday, according to the weather service.
The record amount of rainfall led to some adverse conditions across the state. Heavy flooding around Arizona City on Sunday prompted road closures and disabled multiple vehicles, according to a series of tweets from the Pinal County Sheriff's Office.
***HEAVY FLOODING AROUND ARIZONA CITY*** PCSO has responded to multiple disabled vehicles around Arizona City. The Pinal County Public Works department is in the area evaluating potential road closures at multiple access points. Turn Around. Don't Drown.
— Pinal County Sheriff’s Office (@PinalCSO) December 4, 2022
The Pinal County Sheriff's Office announced that the intersection of West Battaglia Drive and South Sunland Gin Road in Arizona City was closed due to flooding, and advised people to avoid travel until the water level decreases.
The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office also announced the closure of Loma and Edison roads westbound from Roosevelt Avenue due to flooding in the city of Maricopa.
ROAD CLOSURE ⚠️Please be advised, Loma and Edison Road have been temporarily closed westbound from Roosevelt Ave due to flooding. Travelers will need to seek an alternate route. pic.twitter.com/rV1q2hwkEa
— Maricopa Police Dept. (@MPDPIO) December 4, 2022
Cooler temperatures expected throughout week in Phoenix
The storm system moving eastward across Arizona is projected to dissipate by the afternoon on Sunday, according to a tweet from the weather service's Phoenix office. Fog developments are expected Monday morning as a result of the rain and moisture in the area, and temperatures should range between the mid-50s to upper 60s.
The weather service projected cooler temperatures to continue, with a slight chance of showers on Tuesday.
"By Wednesday, we're going to be looking at highs in the low to mid-60s, and that will just continue throughout the rest of the week," a spokesperson for the weather service's Phoenix office said.
S-Central AZ: Rain will linger across the PHX metro and high terrain to the east through this afternoon. Localized flooding is possible, particularly across Pinal and Gila Counties. Near normal temps expected through Mon. ahead of a cooling trend for the rest of the week. #azwx pic.twitter.com/h2kOEJ2ERo
— NWS Phoenix (@NWSPhoenix) December 4, 2022
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix records wettest day of the year after weekend rain