Hold onto Your Hats, It's Going to be a Windy Ride

Staff Writer, DB Holmes

Weather / Air Quality
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Wind, wind, and more wind... is this Arizona? Triple digits this weekend could end that debate. So get out the pool supplies and water launchers, summer is here, even for just the weekend.

Forecast Discussion: Strong, gusty northerly winds will continue through midday Thursday as high pressure to the west is fighting to push the trough to the east of Arizona out of the way. That trough will pick up anchor on Thursday allowing the west coast ridge of high pressure to move over Arizona by Friday. Much lighter winds are expected Friday through the weekend under sunny skies. Daytime highs will also reach the middle to upper 90s on Saturday and Sunday. The air quality will also improve the next few days. Particulates have been held nicely in the Good range of the Air Quality Index (AQI) the past couple days due to northerly winds. Ozone, however, has pushed into the middle Moderate range at multiple Valley locations. Concentrations are starting lower this morning and we should see maximum ozone levels back in the Good range perhaps by today, but most likely by Thursday.

The weather forecast for the next week: 

Source: AIRNow, Weather Channel 

Last of April's Hours Don't Bring May Flowers

Staff Writer, DB Holmes

Weather / Air Quality

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Phoenix is going to be hot in the beginning of this week but temperatures will be tapering off into the mid to upper 80's by next weekend. Watch out for more wind associated with low pressure systems making their way down the jet stream.

Forecast Discussion: Daytime highs in Phoenix will warm to the middle 90s through Tuesday with high pressure moving through the region. We will see ozone levels edge up each day, reaching the middle Moderate range by Tuesday, ahead of the next disturbance on Wednesday. The mid-week system will bring cooler air, dropping afternoon highs into the upper 80s. This wave will be lacking moisture, so no rain is expected for the deserts. Winds may exceed 15-20 mph at times. We'll be watching the models of changes to speeds and directions of the wind which could result in some blowing dust. For now, it doesn't appear to be a big dust-maker for the Phoenix area.

Source: AIRNow, Weather Channel