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Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
No surprises in Memorial Day forecast for Phoenix: Seasonably hot and dry
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 upper 90s to the lower 100s by 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 will peak Thursday around 105 degrees, then cool down to near normal in the upper 90s by Saturday. By Memorial Day, we're expecting around 100 to 103 degrees.' Rain chances were nonexistent, also typical for this time of year, which is climatologically the driest. It's a forecast that echoes the vast majority of Memorial Days in Phoenix, where the long weekend means heat, sun and rarely any rain. But there have been a few outliers over the last 100 years, from scorching to unseasonably mild. Here's how Memorial Day weekend has looked in years past, with heat waves, surprise showers and everything in between. Summer outlook: Arizona's monsoon is critical for wildfires, drought. Why is it so hard to predict? Phoenix's hottest Memorial Day on record was in 1910 when the thermometer hit 114 degrees. The record still stands as an all-time high for the holiday over a century later. In recent years, triple digits have been common. Normal high temperatures for Memorial Day range from 98 to 100 degrees. Last year, the holiday high hit 102. The coolest high on record was 79 degrees in 1988 and 2019. Overnight lows on Memorial Day in Phoenix typically land between 72 and 75 degrees, providing modest relief from the early-season heat. But there have been exceptions. In 1918, the temperature dipped to 51 degrees, the coldest Memorial Day morning on record. But 1983 brought the warmest overnight low at 81 degrees, meaning Phoenix residents likely woke up sweating before the sun even rose. Dusty skies: After months of dry weather, could strong winds spread valley fever fungus in Phoenix? Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, and it's also the driest stretch of the year in Phoenix. Rain over the holiday is uncommon — only six of the last 129 Memorial Days have seen trace amounts of precipitation, according to the weather service. The average rainfall for the holiday is between zero and 0.01 of an inch at Sky Harbor Airport, so this weekend's dry forecast is on par for the season. The most rainfall recorded was 0.14 of an inch on May 28, 1990. But Whittock still urged caution to residents and visitors to stay hydrated and avoid activities that could spark wildfires. 'It's not going to be particularly windy, but it's definitely going to be hot and dry,' he said. 'This is climatologically our driest time of the year, so fire weather is always a concern.' 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: Memorial Day weather forecast for Phoenix brings hot temperatures
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Avoid weekend traffic: Freeway closures in metro Phoenix for May 16-17
Freeway and street closures could impact travel throughout metro Phoenix as planned construction and maintenance projects advance over the weekend of May 16-17. Expected closures include major portions of Loop 101 in Glendale, Loop 202 in Chandler and both sides of Interstate 10 through the heart of Phoenix. Several on- and off-ramps connected to the closures would also be impacted. The Arizona Department of Transportation recommended drivers allow for extra travel time throughout the weekend. Here's what you need to know about the freeway closures and the detours to follow. The eastbound lanes of the Loop 101 between 59th Avenue and Interstate 17 would be closed starting at 10 p.m. on May 16 until 5 a.m. on May 19 for crews removing signs as part of a freeway widening project. The eastbound Loop 101 on-ramps at Union Hills Drive, 75th and 67th avenues would also be closed as a result of the work on the freeway. Detours: ADOT suggested eastbound drivers exit the Loop 101 ahead of the closure and use local streets such as Union Hills Drive or Bell Road to access the freeway beyond the closure. Drivers should be ready for the closure of the eastbound lanes of Interstate 10, between Interstate 17 and State Route 51, starting at 9 p.m. on May 16 until 9 a.m. on May 17. The closure would allow crews to attend to planned tunnel maintenance. Detour: ADOT recommended drivers headed eastbound on I-10 reroute themselves to southbound I-17 and reconnect to the I-10 near Sky Harbor Airport. The westbound I-10 would be closed between I-17 and 7th Avenue, starting 9 p.m. on May 17 until 9 a.m. on May 18, also for tunnel maintenance. Ramps impacted by the closure included the southbound SR 51 ramp to westbound I-10 and the southbound I-17 ramp to westbound I-10. The westbound Loop 202 ramp to westbound I-10 would remain open, but traffic must exit at 7th Street. Detour: ADOT suggested drivers headed west on the I-10 reroute to the northbound I-17 near Sky Harbor Airport and reenter the I-10 at the I-17 interchange north of Van Buren Street. Both directions of Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard would be closed at the Loop 101 from 10 p.m. on May 16 until 2 p.m. on May 17 for crews working on the freeway bridge. Detour: ADOT suggested drivers reroute using the north- or southbound Loop 101 frontage roads, turning at Raintree Drive or Bell Road. The southbound State Route 143 ramps to eastbound I-10 would be closed from 10 p.m. on May 16 until 4 a.m. on May 19 for bridge work as part of the Broadway Curve Improvement Project. Detour: ADOT recommended drivers head south on 48th Street to eastbound Baseline Road to enter the eastbound I-10. In addition, the eastbound I-10 on-ramp at Broadway Road would be closed, and the westbound I-10 lanes between Broadway Road and SR 143 would be closed from 10 p.m. on May 17 until 6 a.m. on May 18. Arizona Avenue would be closed in both directions at the Loop 202 starting at 1 a.m. on May 17 until 5 a.m. on May 19 for bridge work that's part of freeway widening. The westbound Loop 202 on-ramp at Gilbert Road would be closed from 10 p.m. May 16 until 5 p.m. May 18, and the westbound Loop 202 off-ramp at Arizona Avenue would be closed from 10 p.m. May 16 to 3 p.m. May 17. Detour: ADOT said drivers should use Alma School Road as an alternate route and plan to use another nearby ramp. The Bell Road off-ramp on the southbound I-17 would be closed from 9 p.m. on May 16 until 5 a.m. on May 19 for wall repairs. In addition, the north and southbound SR 51 off-ramps at Bethany Home Road would be closed from 9 p.m. on May 16 to 5 a.m. on May 19 for maintenance. Detour: For Bell Road, ADOT said drivers should exit southbound I-17 at Greenway Road. For Bethany Home Road, ADOT suggested drivers detour by exiting SR 51 at Glendale Avenue. Reach reporter Rey Covarrubias Jr. at rcovarrubias@ Follow him on X, Threads and Bluesky @ReyCJrAZ. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Here's a look at weekend freeway closures throughout the Phoenix area
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Yahoo
Guns drawn at Sky Harbor Airport on former Cardinals football player mistaken for a homicide suspect
The Brief Former Arizona Cardinals linebacker Wesley Leasy was ordered by police at gunpoint to get down on the ground while picking up his daughter from Sky Harbor Airport. Leasy says he and his daughter are still processing what transpired. Police say they mistook Leasy as a suspect in a murder in Mesa who was driving a similar vehicle. PHOENIX - Intense moments for a former Arizona Cardinals football player and his daughter who were ordered to get down on the ground by police at gunpoint at Sky Harbor Airport. "It's a lot of cops there. I mean 15 to 20 cops are there and they all have their - I'm not a gun guy - machine guns, semi-automatic weapons. All of them have these weapons out and they're pointing at us," said Wesley Leasy, who played for the Cardinals from 1995 to 96. What we know This happened earlier in April. Police say they were tracking a suspect wanted for a murder in Mesa. Police body cam video shows it all playing out. Leasy said he was just picking up his daughter from the airport when police surrounded him, demanding both of them to get on the ground. Investigators say Leasy was driving a vehicle that matched the suspect's vehicle description: a white Mercedes with a temporary license plate. They cornered him at the airport. What they're saying Leasy says the whole ordeal left him and his daughter pretty shaken up. "She was there," Leasy said. "I mean she saw, first-of-all, her life being in danger and my life being endangered has been horrifying for her. Traumatic, and now, as a dad, you're trying to comfort her and trying to help her realize what happened, what transpired, and we still don't understand. She's still, and I don't, we still don't know what happened." Leasy was detained and later released after officers determined he was not the suspect they were looking for. We're told a description of the shooter was not relayed to officers, who identified him as a white man.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Metro Phoenix weekend freeway closures: Construction to shutter State Route 143, Loop 101
Getting to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport may be more difficult than normal due to this weekend's freeway closures. Southbound State Route 143, which connects to the airport, will be closed for construction as part of the Interstate 10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project. Northbound State Route 143 will remain open. Other closures will impact Loop 101 and on-ramps connecting to Loop 202. The Arizona Department of Transportation urged motorists to allow for extra time while traveling through closures and to plan on using alternate routes. For real-time highway conditions, drivers should check the az511 app or call 511. Here are the freeway closures for April 11 through April 14. The closure will last from 10 p.m. April 11 to 8 p.m. April 13 for freeway widening work. Eastbound/southbound Loop 101 on-ramps at Scottsdale and Hayden roads will be closed. Northbound Loop 101 HOV lane will also be closed between Shea Boulevard and Bell Road. The northbound Loop 101 off-ramp at Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard will be closed from 10 p.m. April 13 to 5 a.m. April 14. The northbound Loop 101 frontage road at Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard will also be closed overnight starting 9 p.m. April 13. Detours: Alternate routes include southbound State Route 51 to eastbound Loop 202 to reach southbound Loop 101 in Tempe. Drivers can also exit onto southbound Scottsdale Road and use eastbound Shea Boulevard to reconnect with Loop 101. The closure will occur from 10 p.m. April 11 to 4 a.m. April 14 for work on the I-10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project. The westbound Loop 202 exit to Sky Harbor Airport and southbound State Route 143 will also be closed. Detour: Use westbound Loop 202 to eastbound I-10 starting at the State Route 51 Mini-Stack interchange to reach northbound State Route 143. Motorists on Loop 202 can use southbound 44th Street to access Sky Harbor Airport. The closure will begin at 11:30 p.m. April 11 until mid-June for reconstruction as part of a freeway widening project. Detours: Drivers can use the eastbound Loop 202 on-ramps at Cooper or Lindsay roads. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Metro Phoenix freeway construction closes State Route 143, Loop 101
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Yahoo
Phoenix weekend road closures: Restrictions on US 60, I-10 and other freeways
The Arizona Department of Transportation issued its weekend advisory warning motorists of road closures and restrictions due to improvement projects that could disrupt their travel plans. Restrictions include a closure of the westbound U.S. 60 (Superstition Freeway) in Tempe and closures of Interstate 10 in the West Valley. ADOT urged motorists to allow for extra travel time and to plan on using detour routes. Drivers should also double-check the timing of the closures. Traffic restrictions are subject to change due to inclement weather and other factors, ADOT said. For real-time highway conditions, drivers should check the az511 app or call 511. Here are the freeway closures for March 21 through March 24. The westbound lanes of I-10 will be closed between 35th and 83rd avenues from 9 p.m. Friday to 2 p.m. Saturday for pavement sealing, while both Interstate 17 ramps to westbound I-10 at the Stack interchange will also be closed. The northbound Loop 202 (South Mountain Freeway) ramp to westbound I-10 will also be closed during this time. ADOT suggested using the westbound lanes on Van Buren Street to the northbound lanes of 83rd Avenue instead. The westbound I-10 on-ramp at 27th Avenue will also be closed. Detour: Motorists in the area should consider exiting ahead of the closure and using alternate routes. Westbound I-10 traffic exiting at 35th Avenue can instead go north to westbound McDowell Road and re-enter I-10 past the closure. The eastbound lanes on I-10 will be closed between 83rd and 35th avenues from 9 p.m. Saturday to 2 p.m. Sunday for pavement sealing, while the northbound Loop 202 ramps to the eastbound lanes of I-10 will be closed. Drivers can instead go east Van Buren Street to northbound 35th Avenue. The southbound Loop 101 ramp to the eastbound lanes of I-10 will be closed as will the eastbound I-10 on-ramp at 91st Avenue. Detour: Drivers should consider exiting I-10 ahead of the closure and use alternate routes while those exiting at 83rd Avenue can detour north to eastbound McDowell Road and re-enter I-10 past the closure. U.S. 60's westbound lanes will be closed between Loop 101 and I-10 from 8 p.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Monday for a traffic shift as part of the I-10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project, according to ADOT. The westbound U.S. 60 on-ramps at Country Club Drive, Alma School Road and Dobson Road will also be closed. Detour: Motorists can use the northbound lanes on Loop 101 to westbound Loop 202 to reach Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and downtown Phoenix. Drivers can also use the southbound lanes on Loop 101 to the westbound lanes on Loop 202 in Chandler to reach the I-10. Northbound lanes on SR 143 will be closed between I-10 and Loop 202 near Sky Harbor Airport from 10 p.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Monday for construction, ADOT said. Northbound lanes on 48th Street will be closed between Broadway Road and I-10. Detour: Drivers going west on I-10 can continue west to reach Sky Harbor Airport or head east on Loop 202 to access the southbound lanes of State Route 143. Note: Some ramp/street closures start at 8 p.m. Friday. The westbound lanes on I-10 will be narrowed to three lanes between U.S. 60 and 32nd Street from 10 p.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Monday for construction as part of the Broadway Curve Improvement Project. Additionally, the westbound I-10 ramp to eastbound U.S. 60 will be closed along with the westbound I-10 on-ramp at Baseline Road and westbound off-ramp at Broadway Road. Note: The eastbound lanes on U.S. 60 will be narrowed to three lanes between I-10 and Mill Avenue from 10 p.m. Friday to 10 p.m. Saturday as well. The east and westbound on and off-ramps for I-10 will be closed at 40th Street from 8 p.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Monday for bridge work. ADOT said to expect 40th Street to also be closed between Broadway Road and Raymond Street, as well as the eastbound I-10 on-ramp at 32nd Street. Detour: Motorists can instead use the westbound I-10 off and on-ramp at 32nd Street and the eastbound I-10 off and on-ramps at Broadway Road. The right two eastbound lanes on Loop 202 will be closed between Cooper and Gilbert roads from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday for barrier wall work as part of a widening project. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Metro Phoenix freeway closures: I-10, US 60 to see restrictions
