By early Friday morning at 5:35 a.m. on May 15, 2026, Phoenix's Sky Harbor area was already waking up under clear skies, sitting at about 73°F with relative humidity near 27%. The heat is set to crank up fast, with sunny, hot conditions this afternoon and a high near 98°F, before a shift in the weather pattern brings gusty afternoons to parts of the region this weekend.
Afternoon Winds Pick Up
A quick-moving trough is forecast to move onshore Saturday and deepen over the Interior West, stirring up breezy to locally windy conditions from Saturday into Sunday. Afternoon gusts are expected to commonly range between 20 and 35 mph on Saturday, with the strongest gusts focused over southeast California and higher terrain in Arizona. A Wind Advisory is expected for parts of southwest Imperial County from Saturday afternoon through Sunday night, according to the National Weather Service.
Temperatures And Fire Risk
High temperatures should climb into the upper 90s on Saturday, near 99°F, then ease back into the low to mid 90s on Sunday and the upper 80s on Monday as cooler air filters into the region. With afternoon minimum relative humidity dipping into the single digits to teens and gusty winds in the mix, elevated and locally critical fire weather conditions are expected in spots, especially Sunday across higher terrain.
What To Do This Weekend
Residents are urged to secure loose outdoor items, hold off on yard work during the hottest midafternoon hours, and avoid outdoor burning if possible. Maricopa County’s Heat Relief Network opened May 1, offering cooling centers, hydration stations, and other resources around the Valley. Locations and hours are available on the county site at Maricopa County.
