High winds and fire danger

PHOENIX — It’s a warm end to February across Arizona!

Temperatures are running about 10 degrees above normal as we wrap up one of the warmest Februaries ever recorded in Phoenix.

The warmest February on record was in 1991 with an average temperature at Sky Harbor of 66 degrees. As of Thursday, the average temperature this February has been 65.9 degrees. We’ll have the final numbers after midnight.

Heading into March, temperatures will be dropping as back-to-back storms track through our state.

The first one moves in on Saturday, picking up winds across the Valley and beyond.

Gusts could hit 35 mph in Phoenix with 45 mph wind gusts possible across the rest of central and southern Arizona.

As winds pick up and conditions remain dry, wildfire danger will increase.

Fire Weather Warnings are in effect from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. Saturday across the Valley and all of central and southern Arizona. Don’t flick cigarettes out the window and be sure to check your vehicle to make sure nothing is dragging from it that could cause a spark. Just one spark on Saturday could start a raging wildfire.

There’s also a high risk of blowing dust along the I-10 corridor from Phoenix through Tucson and east to the New Mexico state line.

Blowing Dust Advisories are in effect from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. for central and southern Arizona where visibility could drop below 1 mile at times. If you encounter low visibility from blowing dust while driving, pull off to the right as far as you can, put your car in park and take your foot off of the brake. Wait there until the dust clears before heading back out on the road.

Overall, the forecast is looking fairly dry as this first storm moves through but we could see a few rain and snow showers in the high country and across northeastern Arizona Saturday night and early Sunday morning.

Another weak storm will move in Monday, cranking up winds and bringing the chance of rain and snow showers back to our state.

We’ll even see a slight chance of isolated showers in the Valley on Monday as temperatures drop into the low 70s.

Forecast models are showing another potential storm system later next week, too. Stay tuned for updates on that one as we get closer.

2025 Sky Harbor Official Rainfall to date: 0.03″ (-1.67″ from average)
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2024 Sky Harbor Official Rainfall to date: 4.54″ (-2.68″ from average)

Monsoon 2024 Sky Harbor Official Rainfall: 0.74″ (-1.69″ from average)
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Daily rainfall reports from all across the Valley can be found here.
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PHOENIX IS GETTING DRIER – LOWER RAINFALL AVERAGES NOW

Average Monsoon Rainfall in Phoenix (1981-2010): 2.71″ of rain

NEW Average Monsoon Rainfall in Phoenix (1991-2020): 2.43″ of rain

Average Yearly Rainfall in Phoenix (1981-2010): 8:03″ of rain

NEW Average Yearly Rainfall in Phoenix (1991-2020): 7.22″ of rain
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Share your weather photos and videos with us anytime: [email protected].
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See the full 7-Day forecast

Interactive Arizona Radar