Tucson is waking to cloudy skies Sunday, with showers and thunderstorms expected to dominate the day. A Flood Watch is in effect through early Monday as heavy rain moves across the metro area and surrounding mountains. The stormy setup will be a sharp break from the sunny, warmer stretch expected later this week.
Rain And Thunderstorms Take Over Sunday
Showers and thunderstorms are expected, with precipitation shifting into the Tucson area late morning through the afternoon. Sunday is expected to bring one of the coolest highs of the forecast period. During the morning, surface winds are expected to be mainly southeasterly or southerly at 5 to 10 knots, then turn southwesterly at 12 to 20 knots with higher gusts after 18Z. Breezy to locally windy southwest winds are expected Sunday, with gusts over 40 mph possible, especially in convective lines.
Flood Watch Covers Tucson Metro
According to the National Weather Service in Tucson, additional Sunday-to-Monday rainfall is forecast to be 0.30 to 1.2 inches in valleys and 1 to 3 inches in mountain areas, separate from rainfall that had already fallen Saturday. Locally heavy downpours may produce even higher totals and rapid runoff.
Flooding is possible in washes, creeks, rivers, poor-drainage areas and low-water crossings. The Flood Watch continues through 5 a.m. Monday, so drivers and pedestrians should avoid crossing water-covered roads or entering fast-moving washes.
Showers Linger Into Monday
Sunday night will remain unsettled, with more showers and thunderstorms. Monday could start with a few rain showers before 11 a.m., followed by mostly sunny skies and a high near 70.
Sunny Stretch Arrives Tuesday
Monday night is expected to be mostly clear, with a low near 50, followed by sunny skies and highs near 76 Tuesday, 77 Wednesday and 76 Thursday. Precipitation probabilities are expected to remain below mentionable levels into next weekend.
