Radar — KFSX
Surface Analysis — Western U.S. (Central)
Satellite
Nearest monitored road: US-180 (Primary)
This morning's disturbance is continuing to produce extensive cloud cover, along with showers and thunderstorms across the central portion of northern az, while skies remained mostly clear over northern and eastern portions of arizona, allowing new showers and thunderstorms to develop ahead and east of the disturbance this afternoon. Chances for afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms will continue wednesday, mainly for the higher terrain, before temperatures start rising thursday and remaining elevated this weekend as the monsoon activity decreases.
Visible satellite and radar imagery shows the center of the mcv is passing west of flagstaff, near williams, and moving in a north- northwest direction, producing a quick burst of showers and thunderstorms, and then leaving behind a layer of mid- to upper- level cloud cover. This cloud layer is helping to suppress new convection across prescott, sedona, flagstaff, and surrounding areas this afternoon. However, areas that have remain mostly clear this morning, especially areas north to northwest of flagstaff, near the grand canyon, and eastern portions of the cwa, including most of navajo and apache counties, are starting to see new showers and thunderstorms develop near higher terrain and where daytime heating was the greatest today. This activity is expected to continue through the rest of the afternoon and early evening hours before settling down tonight.
For wednesday onward, the high pressure that was over new mexico will strengthen and shift westward and over arizona, leading to an overall decrease in showers and thunderstorms as subsidence increases and drier, mid-level air moves into the region. However, this will not completely stop the low-level monsoonal moisture, so isolated to low-end scattered showers and thunderstorms will still be possible over the higher terrain during the late morning and afternoon hours. The decrease in monsoon, along with the strengthening and relocation of the area of high pressure, will cause temperatures to rise above normal by thursday, with a more significant rise for friday through sunday. An extreme heat warning for the grand canyon (below 4000 ft) will start at 10 MST thursday, with additional warnings starting 10 MST/ 11 AM MDT friday for yavapai county and northern gila county (both below 4000 ft), marble and glen canyon, including the city of page, and oak creek and sycamore canyons, including the city of sedona.
Wednesday 29/06Z through thursday 30/06Z...iso-sct shra/tsra from 19Z to 03Z, mainly north of a kcmr-kjtc line. Brief periods of MVFR conditions and gusty outflow winds in excess of 40 KTS possible in and around ts. Otherwise, expect VFR conditions with vrb winds 5-10 KTS.
Outlook...thursday 30/06Z through saturday 01/06Z...mainly VFR conditions. Iso shra/tsra each afternoon/evening, with the greatest likelihood over the higher terrain. Brief periods of MVFR conditions and gusty outflow winds possible in and around ts. Otherwise, expect vrb winds 5-10 KTS.
Rest of today through thursday...active monsoonal conditions are expected through the rest of today, with a slow downturn through thursday, with isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms mainly over the higher terrain. Expect mainly light winds outside of thunderstorms, but trending toward westerly through southwest 5 to 15 MPH over higher terrain. Daytime temperatures rise to above normal by thursday.
Friday through sunday...a continued downturn in monsoonal activity is expected through this period, although isolated showers and thunderstorms remain possible over higher terrain. Temperatures will rise significantly during this period, with many areas seeing the warmest conditions so far this year. Winds will be generally light and variable, at 5 to 15 MPH.