Latest news with #HayleighEvans
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Memorial Day 2025 in Arizona: Sun and average temperatures expected for holiday weekend
Memorial Day is always observed on the final Monday in May and was created to honor military members who lost their lives serving and protecting the country. It's also usually considered the unofficial start of the summer season. This year, Memorial Day falls on May 26, 2025, and Phoenix, Avondale, Prescott and Gilbert are just a few of the cities holding ceremonies and observances. Many people will use the extra day off to get out of the Valley, but there's also a lot of fun to be had over the long weekend in metro Phoenix, and it's a prime weekend for shopping sales. Here is what to expect when traveling throughout Arizona on Memorial Day weekend, including traffic issues, event coverage and weather updates. Follow coverage throughout the Memorial Day holiday weekend from Republic reporters. Memorial Day weekend in Phoenix usually means firing up the grill under the hot sun, and this year will be no exception. Temperatures were expected to fluctuate from the mid-90s to the lower 100s at the end of the week and into the weekend. The forecast was on-brand for the region this time of year: hot, dry and cloudless skies. 'It's going to be seasonably hot,' said Ted Whittock, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Phoenix. Temperatures were expected to peak Friday, reaching 100-104 degrees, then cool down to highs between the mid-90s and 100 for the rest of the long weekend. Normal high temperatures for Memorial Day range from 98 to 100 degrees. Last year, the holiday high hit 102. Rain chances were nonexistent, also typical for this time of year, which is climatologically the driest. — Hayleigh Evans This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Memorial Day 2025 in Arizona: Weekend weather, traffic, events
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
When is wildfire season in Arizona? It's not so easy to define anymore. Here's why
Arizona entered 2025 with wildfires already blazing. The Horton Fire began in mid-December and was extinguished roughly a month later. Another fire was sparked a few weeks later, and Arizona's year-long fire season continued. Wildfires in Arizona were once expected from late April into the monsoon season. Now fires can start from late February or early March into September. 'Every year, depending on the weather or the conditions, we can see an extension of our fire season,' said Tiffany Davila, public affairs officer for Arizona's Department of Forestry and Fire Management. Here's what to know about Arizona's wildfire season and why these massive blazes are no longer just a seasonal issue. Wildfires in Arizona were once expected from late April into the monsoon season. Now fires can start from late February or early March into September, experts told The Arizona Republic. The U.S. Forest Service and many other agencies are shifting to the concept of 'fire years.' Rather, there is fire activity year-round but it increases during the end of April or beginning of May, according to Arizona's Department of Forestry and Fire Management. Larger incidents, more erratic and aggressive fires, tend to peak when there's a combination of hot air and windy conditions, and ease when Arizona is well into the monsoon. Fires start earlier in southern Arizona and later in the north; each ecosystem has its own unique relation to fires. The expansion of Arizona's traditional fire season is happening for a lot of reasons. Three main factors affect fire seasonality: Decades of fire suppression — not letting forests burn naturally — cause timber, grass and brush to accumulate and cause more intense fires. Where most fires were once started by lightning, they are now largely started by people. More humans in wild places mean both more chances of fire and higher stakes while fighting them. Multiyear droughts and more extreme weather events due to climate change are driving longer, more damaging fires. Arizona Republic reporters Hayleigh Evans and Shelby Slade contributed to this article. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: When is wildfire season in Arizona? Why it's not so easy to define
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Phoenix reaches 99 degrees, breaking previous daily record from 2022
Phoenix is already setting heat records, and it's only March. The temperature reached 99 degrees at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport at 2:05 p.m. according to the National Weather Service, breaking the previous daily record from 2022. Meteorologist Alicia Ryan with the National Weather Service office in Phoenix said we were still sitting at 99, just after 3 p.m. Meteorologists were monitoring temperatures March 25 as if it hit 100 degrees, it would be the earliest 100-degree day on record. The current record for the earliest 100-degree day was set on March 26, 1988. The first 100-degree day could arrive ahead of schedule — the average first day, based on weather data between 1991 and 2020, is May 2. A day earlier, a high of 96 broke another daily record, which was 94 degrees, set March 24, 1990. The normal for this time of year is 81 degrees. A ridge of high pressure has entered the region, bringing the hottest temperatures of 2025 so far. High readings have pushed well into the 90s, more than 10 degrees above normal for this time of year. The National Weather Service three-month outlook predicts warmer and drier than normal conditions across much of the Southwest. A weakening La Niña phase is likely contributing to higher-than-normal spring temperatures. La Niña is a climatological event stemming from colder-than-normal temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean, usually causing warmer and drier conditions in Arizona and the Southwest. The heatwave should continue until March 27, before temperatures cool to the mid to lower 80s. The extended forecast will be closer to average for late March, with high temperatures usually around 80 degrees. Earliest on record: March 26, 1988 2024: April 21 2023: April 30 2022: May 7 2021: May 5 2020: April 26 2019: April 26 2018: April 10 2017: May 3 2016: May 4 2015: May 1 Source: National Weather Service Hayleigh Evans writes about extreme weather and related topics for The Arizona Republic and Email her with story tips at This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix reaches 99 degrees: Previous daily record was in 2022
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
When will Phoenix reach 100 degrees in 2025? Cast your vote now
Phoenix locals know that hitting 100 degrees for the first time each year isn't an "if" but a "when." Walking outside will inevitably one day feel like entering an oven, and your car's steering wheel will be hotter than the surface of the sun. But exactly when will America's hottest city reach that triple-digit milestone in 2025? That's where you come in. Take a wild (or well-informed) guess in our poll and see how your prediction stacks up against history. Spring heat: Is Phoenix headed for its first 100-degree day? Spring is bringing a fast warm-up We'll give you a few hints. On average, Phoenix typically sees its first 100-degree day around May 2, according to the National Weather Service Phoenix. The earliest recorded triple-digit day was on March 26, 1988, while the latest first 100-degree day came on June 18, 1913. There is a slight chance — 20% according to weather service meteorologists — that Phoenix could hit triple digits as early as next week, challenging the current earliest 100-degree reading record. The forecast high on Tuesday is shown as 98 degrees as a high-pressure system arrives in the region. The temperature could creep up to 100 that day, one day earlier than the current record. Last year the first 100-degree day came almost on time with historical norms on April 21. But with a weakening La Niña weather event, climatologists predict this spring will be warmer and drier than normal, setting the stage for a possible early triple-digit reading. So cast your vote. Will the big 1-0-0 arrive early this year, or will Phoenix get a temporary reprieve? 2024: April 21 2023: April 30 2022: May 7 2021: May 5 2020: April 26 2019: April 26 2018: April 10 2017: May 3 2016: May 4 2015: May 1 Source: National Weather Service Hayleigh Evans writes about extreme weather and related topics for The Arizona Republic and Email her with story tips at This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix could reach 100 degrees in record time
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Rain could dampen Phoenix on Friday. That's uncommon for Valentine's Day, records show
A Valentine's Day storm could give Phoenix romance seekers a moment to share a romantic kiss in the rain this year — or provide the moody aesthetic for those lamenting spending the holiday alone, singing "Stormy Weather." The National Weather Service forecasts showers on Friday, with a 70% chance of precipitation. Although it won't be a washout — nothing on the order of "Singin' in the Rain" — with 0.1 of an inch of rain possible, it would be one of the few Valentine's Days on record with rain in Phoenix. "The best chance for rain this week will be on Friday," said Katherine Berislavich, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service Phoenix. "It's going to be all across the Southwest, with better chances north of our area, but Phoenix has a pretty good chance too." Flagstaff is likely to see a white Valentine's Day, with snow showers starting Thursday and 1 to 2 inches possible on Friday. This Valentine's Day could join the ranks of some love day weather standouts over the last century, when temperatures were hotter than a whirlwind romance or chillier than usual, reminding us that love can sometimes leave you out in the cold. This year's Valentine's Day won't be a scorcher, but temperatures have heated up in previous years. The high temperature on Friday will be 69 degrees, just shy of the normal high temperature of 70 degrees for Feb. 14. Cupid summoned a winter heatwave with record highs of 85 degrees in 2014, 1957 and 1947. The coolest high temperature was 52 degrees in both 1978 and 1942. Valentine's Day isn't always steamy in Phoenix. This year's low temperature will be around 49 degrees, but it's been even colder in other years. The record-low temperature was 28 degrees in 1966, bringing frosty feelings to America's hottest city. While the average low on Valentine's Day is 49 degrees, the warmest low was 58 degrees in 1987. Raindrops could outnumber tears this Valentine's Day. A low-pressure system brings a 70% chance of rain on Friday, making this year's holiday one of the few on record with rain. There have been traces or more of rain on 24 of the last 129 Valentine's Days. The rainiest Valentine's Day was in 1931 when 0.92 inches of rain fell. Rain chances will fall to 50% by Friday night, with less than 0.1 of an inch of rain possible. This year likely won't break the record for most rainfall on Valentine's Day, but it will bring much-needed moisture to the Valley after months of drought. Hayleigh Evans writes about extreme weather and related topics for The Arizona Republic and Email her with story tips at This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: A storm may bring rain to Phoenix on Valentine's Day, but not a lot
