Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Phoenix, AZ
Issued by NWS Phoenix, AZ
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208 FXUS65 KPSR 230959 AFDPSR Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Phoenix AZ 259 AM MST Sun Nov 23 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Scattered light to moderate showers will continue, mainly across central and eastern AZ through this afternoon and early evening before moving east of the area. - Dry and tranquil weather returns for this upcoming workweek. - Temperatures will remain below normal today and tomorrow returning to near normal as early as Tuesday, then going slightly above normal by the end of the workweek. && .SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH MONDAY/... Upper level water vapor satellite imagery and objective analysis early this morning reveal a closed low over the state of AZ, with the 500mb low center just SW of the Phoenix Metro. This low will continue to move northeastward through the day today and eventually exit the state of AZ by this evening. This low has brought moisture into the region causing an increase in PWATs to 0.7-0.8" across the area. This increase in moisture in combination with the vorticity associated with the low has resulted in scattered light to moderate showers across the region. These light to moderate showers will continue through the morning and into the afternoon as the low pressure system moves through AZ. While most of the activity today will remain on the light to moderate side, some brief heavy showers are possible. Lingering light showers and areas of drizzle across SE CA will come to an end later this morning. Areas of light showers and drizzle may linger across south-central AZ and the higher terrain across eastern AZ into the late afternoon and early evening hours. However, all activity should come to an end during the evening hours. With the center (cold-core) of the low moving through our area, some isolated thunderstorms cannot be completely ruled out today. Additional rainfall amounts of 0.00-0.25" are possible across the lower deserts and up to 0.5-0.60" are possible across the higher terrain areas. With the low pressure system still in the region today temperatures will remain below normal. With afternoon high temperatures in the low to mid 60s across south-central AZ and in the mid to upper 50s across the higher terrain. The low is already east of CA, so temperatures will be warmer over there with afternoon high temperatures ranging from the upper 60s to low 70s across SE CA and the Lower CO River Valley. By Monday the low pressure system will be well east of the region resulting in dry and overall tranquil conditions returning to the Desert Southwest on along with warming temperatures. Heights aloft will go from 567-570 dm Sunday afternoon to 576-579dm Monday afternoon. These rising heights aloft will promote dry conditions along with temperatures a few degrees warmer than on Sunday, but still below normal for this time of year. Low temperatures Monday morning will range from the upper 40s to low 50s across the lower deserts and in the low to mid 40s across the higher terrain. Afternoon high temperatures will range from the upper 60s to low 70s across the lower deserts of SE CA and SW AZ, the mid to upper 60s across the lower deserts of south-central AZ, and the low to mid 60s across the higher terrain. One thing that we`ll have to watch for on Monday is areas of dense fog developing in the morning. With the low east of the region, skies will clear out for the overnight hours Sunday into Monday. With all the moisture on the ground from all the rain over the past several days, it will be a conducive environment for fog to develop, particularly across portions of the lower deserts. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... Global ensemble members continue to be in great agreement that heights aloft will steadily rise through the workweek rising to a 582-585 dm range by the end of the workweek. These rising heights aloft will continue to promote dry and tranquil conditions through the week along with a gradual warming trend. Temperatures will return to near normal on Tuesday and then go slightly above normal by the end of the workweek. Afternoon high temperatures on Tuesday will range from the low to mid 70s across the lower deserts and from the mid to upper 60s across the higher terrain. Then, by the end of the workweek highs will be in the mid to upper 70s across the lower deserts and in the upper 60s to low 70s across the higher terrain. Morning lows will go from the mid 40s to low 50s on Tuesday to the upper 40s to mid 50s by the end of the workweek across the lower deserts. For the higher terrain, morning lows will go from the low 40s on Tuesday to the mid to upper 40s by the end of the workweek. By next weekend, global ensemble members start to differ on the overall synoptic pattern. They all show a deep trough traversing the region by some point either during the weekend or early the following week, but they differ on the exact timing. They are in good agreement that the trough will be moving down into our region from the Pacific NW and not move down along the eastern Pacific Ocean and then move inland like this last low pressure system did. With this trough looking like it will not be coming from the Pacific Ocean the system won`t be bringing a lot of moisture to the region. PWATs currently look to only rise to a 0.5-0.7" range. This may be enough to squeeze out some light rain showers across the higher terrain, however, it likely won`t be enough to produce showers across the lower deserts. With this system around a week out and emsemble members in some disagreement things can change, so be sure to keep checking back for updates. && .AVIATION...Updated at 0510Z. South Central Arizona including KPHX, KIWA, KSDL, and KDVT: Weather issues through Sunday will include occasional SHRA where vsby may briefly fall into a MVFR range with erratic winds and cigs gradually falling below 6K ft, and potentially below 3K ft for a few hours in the morning. Confidence is good that scattered SHRA will persist through Sunday morning with the potential for a more concentrated batch of RA resulting in cigs and vsby flirting with MVFR thresholds around sunrise. Confidence is moderate that cigs will hover just below 6K ft through much of Sunday afternoon before rapidly improving and eventually clearing in the early evening. While light east winds will be preferred through tonight, SHRA may create erratic directions with increasing confidence of light west winds developing Sunday mid afternoon as SHRA exit east of the terminals. Southeast California/Southwest Arizona including KIPL and KBLH: No major weather concerns should exist through Sunday night with clearing skies and drying conditions. Confidence is very good that pockets of cigs 070-100 will slowly erode through the overnight and Sunday morning, becoming clear into the early/mid afternoon. Low probabilities of HZ/FG development exist around sunrise, however probabilities are too low to considering in this TAF package. Winds will largely be W/NW tonight, then becoming S/SE Sunday afternoon, though prolonged periods of nearly calm conditions are likely. && .FIRE WEATHER... Below normal temperatures continue through Monday. The low pressure system will continue to move northeastward across AZ today resulting in scattered showers, mainly across the central and eastern districts. Shower activity will come to and end by this evening. MinRHs today will continue to be in the 40-75% range with excellent overnight recovery of 80-100%. Dry and tranquil conditions return to the region on Monday and continue through at least the workweek. Tomorrow the minRH drops slightly to 40-60%, but overnight recovery will remain excellent. Temperatures return to near normal area wide as early as Tuesday with temperatures going slightly above normal by the end of the workweek. MinRHs drop to 30-50% on Tuesday and then 25-35% for the remainder of the workweek, with overnight recoveries of 50-70%. Locally gusty winds upwards of 20 mph will be possible at times, though weaker wind speeds will be more common through the period. && .PSR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AZ...None. CA...None. && $$ SHORT TERM...Berislavich LONG TERM...Berislavich AVIATION...18 FIRE WEATHER...Berislavich