Phoenix will hit about 102 degrees Friday before a dramatic weekend weather flip brings thunderstorms, cooler temperatures and potentially hazardous winds to the Valley. Skies are mostly clear early Friday, but the calm, dry pattern will not last long.
Triple-Digit Heat Holds Through Friday
Friday is forecast to be partly cloudy, with a high of 102°F and a low of 79°F.
How the October Heat Compares
The National Weather Service Phoenix climate report lists an October 9 normal high of 92°F and a record high of 106°F in 2024. Friday’s forecast of 102°F is above normal but below that record. The agency defines Arizona’s official monsoon season as June 15 through September 30, putting this October storm forecast outside those dates, according to its monsoon information. A separate early-fall heat episode in 2024 included 21 consecutive days when Phoenix tied or broke daily high-temperature records and the city’s first October high above 110 degrees, according to the National Weather Service Phoenix. That more extreme past episode does not establish a trend or describe this weekend’s forecast.
The sharp change is an update from Hoodline's Thursday forecast, which already pointed to weekend storms but had less certainty around their timing and intensity. The latest outlook calls for showers and thunderstorms Saturday.
Storms Arrive Saturday And Intensify Sunday
Saturday will be cooler, with a high near 92 and a slight chance of showers or thunderstorms beginning around 9 a.m. Storm chances increase during the afternoon, and overnight rainfall could total between a quarter-inch and a half-inch in some locations.
Sunday looks like the most active day, with showers and thunderstorms likely, a high near 84 and a 90% chance of precipitation. South winds of 10 to 20 mph could gust as high as 45 mph, creating difficult driving conditions and the possibility of blowing dust across parts of the Valley.
A Wind Advisory is posted for Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residents should secure loose outdoor items and use extra caution on east-west roads. If dense dust reaches a roadway, the National Weather Service Phoenix advises drivers to pull off the pavement as far as possible, stop, turn off their lights and set the emergency brake. Avoid driving through dust or heavy rain when visibility drops.
Cooler Weather Lingers Into Next Week
Unsettled conditions and further rain chances are forecast early next week. Tuesday brings a smaller chance of morning showers before skies turn mostly sunny, with a high near 75.
The pattern settles down by Wednesday, which is forecast to be sunny with a high near 77. Overnight lows could fall to around 58 Tuesday night, making the middle of next week feel considerably different from Friday's triple-digit heat.
