251 
FXUS65 KPSR 282153
AFDPSR

Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Phoenix AZ 219 PM 
MST Mon Sep 28 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Bands of light to moderate rain will be present over the region 
for the remainder of today with isolated heavier shower and 
thunderstorms possible over the western deserts during the afternoon 
and early evening.

- A Flood Watch has been issued for portions of the region with a 
focus on tonight through much of Tuesday for the majority of south-
central Arizona. 

- Below normal temperatures are expected through the workweek before 
 warming to slightly above normal by the weekend as much drier 
conditions eventually spread over the region.
  
&&

.SHORT TERM /Today through Tuesday/...  
The combination of tropical moisture from Hurricane Polo and an 
approaching Pacific low pressure system will continue to promote 
rounds of shower and thunderstorms through the next 24-30 hours or 
so. Through the remainder of today, bands of light to sometimes 
moderate rainfall will be present across portions of the region as 
enhanced southwesterly flow diverges from its typical dry status to 
provide the region with PWATs upwards of 175-250% of normal. 
However, the best mid and upper-level forcing and instability will 
be focused more over the westernmost portion of our forecast area, 
so most locations will see primarily a nice periodic light to 
moderate rain through at least this evening. 

The one exception to the lighter rainfall will be those 
aforementioned western areas (mainly locations around the Colorado 
River Valley), where heavier convection may be realized. There are 
signs that enough clearing will take place to allow some decent 
destabilization to take place, pushing MLCAPE values toward 500-750 
J/kg. With these areas also located under the best ascent due to 
their closer proximity to the deepening low, the environment will be 
favorable for the development of at least some isolated 
thunderstorms. Add in 0-6km shear of 50-60 kt and the potential for 
strong to even severe storms capable of damaging winds and even 
small hail will exist as well, though these should be very isolated 
at best. This heavier convection will also present the concern for 
flash flooding, as rain rates could reach upwards of over an inch an 
hour. Guidance points towards the best coverage of heavy rain being 
focused over La Paz County, and because of that, this area was added 
to the existing Flood Watch (in effect from this evening into the 
early overnight hours) last night. 

As the Pacific low continues its track southeastward into Tuesday, 
the more favorable environment to see further rainfall activity will 
begin to shift toward South-Central Arizona. As this progression 
occurs, shower and thunderstorms will begin to blossom over Maricopa 
and Pinal Counties soon after midnight. Activity will last through 
the remainder of the morning and into the afternoon, with the 
easternmost portions of our coverage area even seeing the rainfall 
window stretch into the evening. 0-6 km shear will continue to be 
quite impressive hovering around 50-60 kt, but even with a bit of 
low-level warm air and moisture advection leading to a slight 
increase in instability, the severe risk should be fairly low as any 
storms that initiate and can be maintained should only be isolated. 
Perhaps a low potential severe threat reaches into the afternoon if 
daytime heating can aid in further destabilization, but the areas 
that will see the best insolation during the warmest point in the 
day will likely be behind the best atmospheric support and moisture. 
By the this timeframe, any severe storm chances would likely be 
confined from around central Phoenix and eastward.

The main concern for Tuesday will be the potential for heavy rain 
and flash flooding. The greatest flooding threat will be for 
foothill and high terrain areas to the north and east of the Phoenix 
metro, where rain totals may reach upward of 1-2.5". The Flood Watch 
that was issued Saturday will go into effect late tonight, lasting 
through the evening timeframe. As for the lower deserts of Maricopa 
and Pinal Counties, the heavy rain signal has increased. HREF 
members have been consistent since yesterday indicating at least a 
30-50% chance of seeing greater than 1" within 25 miles of any point 
for these counties, while the ECMFW ensemble now has around 25% of 
its members showing upwards of 2" or greater at Sky Harbor Airport. 
Not to mention that EFI (Extreme Forecast Index), along with model 
shift-of-tails, a value indicating that anomalously high QPF values 
are showing up in numerous ensembles members, have been pulled back 
toward lower elevation areas. The preponderance of guidance led to 
an expansion of of the Flood Watch to include all of Maricopa and 
Pinal Counties.

There are some signs of lingering convective showers and 
thunderstorms behind the center of the low as warp-around moisture 
and insolation will help keep instability in place. Due to wake 
subsidence, anything that does pop will be reliant on enhanced 
terrain features providing orographic ascent. Hi-res data has been 
inconsistent on where it places this convection, but isolated cells 
may be seen as far west as La Paz County. By the time all this rain 
is said an done, most lower desert east of the Colorado River will 
anywhere from 0.5-1.50", while high terrain areas can expected 
closer to 1.50"-2.50". Locally higher amounts will be possible under 
heavier showers and storms. West of the Colorado River, rain totals 
will vary widely from a few hundredths in the driest spots to 
potentially greater than 1" if the previously mentioned strong 
convection is realized. 

The temperature forecast has taken a back seat to all this talk of 
rain, but for the fans of non-triple digit readings, you are in for 
a treat. Below-normal readings will be common across the region 
through today and tomorrow, with highs today (which for some spots 
will likely have occurred just after midnight this morning)ranging 
in the upper 70s to lower 90s, a good 10+ degrees below what is 
typical for late September, with much of the same expected for 
Tuesday. 

&&

.LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
The low is forecast to move into New Mexico by Wednesday morning and 
well into the Plains by Thursday with dry air advection and 
subsidence increasing across our area. Generally clear skies are 
expected for the lower deserts on Wednesday and eventually over 
0808eastern Arizona by later the afternoon. Fairly strong ridging is 
then forecast to move into the region on Thursday with H5 heights 
quickly rising to between 586-590dm. Despite the quick boost in 
heights aloft, temperatures will be somewhat slow to recover, 
especially over the eastern half of Arizona. Highs should stay below 
90 degrees in the Phoenix area through Thursday with the lower 
deserts warming back into the mid to upper 90s. As the boundary 
layer gradually dries out going into the weekend, we are likely to 
return to our typically lower humidity levels while temperatures 
warm to slightly above normal. 

&&

.AVIATION...Updated at 1830Z.

South Central Arizona including KPHX, KIWA, KSDL, and KDVT:

The main aviation weather concerns throughout the TAF period will be 
the potential for periods SHRA and embedded TS activity and lower 
CIGs. Currently, a band of light SHRA is currently moving through 
the terminals and will persist through the early/mid afternoon hours 
with SCT-BKN CIGs as low as 6 kft and brief MVFR visibilities 
likely. Conditions should be mostly dry late afternoon through late 
tonight although areas of VCSH cannot be ruled out. Confidence is 
good that another round of heavier SHRA with embedded TS (25-35% 
chance) is likely between 10z-16z, reducing visibilities to MVFR/IFR 
conditions and CIGs as low as 3 kft. Wind directions through early 
this afternoon should be out of the NNW-N before gradually shifting 
out of a NE-E component by the mid to late afternoon hours with 
speeds aob 10 kts, although locally higher gusts upwards of 20-25 
kts will be possible with the shower activity.

Southeast California/Southwest Arizona including KIPL and KBLH:

The main aviation concern will be the potential for TS activity at 
KBLH during the evening hours. In the meantime, conditions should 
remain dry through much of the afternoon, before scattered storms 
develop, mainly in the vicinity of KBLH, during the early evening 
hours. CIGs should remain aoa 7 kft throughout the period although 
could lower to 4-6 kft with any SHRA activity. Otherwise, wind 
directions will vary between southeast to southwest through this 
evening before becoming light and variable overnight. A shift to the 
north to northwest is expected by Tuesday morning. Overall wind 
speeds should range between 7-12 kts with briefly higher gusts with 
the shower/storm activity. 

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
Elevated moisture levels and periods of showers and thunderstorms 
are expected through Tuesday. The peak time frame for rainfall 
should be today over the western districts and tonight through 
Tuesday afternoon for the eastern districts. Chances for wetting 
rain between 40-80% should greatly limit any threat of dry lightning 
starts. Outside of enhanced gusts associated with stronger storms 
and some marginal northwesterly breeziness for the western districts 
Tuesday, winds will follow light and diurnal trends otherwise. Drier 
conditions and near to slightly above normal temperatures are 
forecast for later this week and through next weekend.

&&

.PSR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AZ...     Flood Watch from midnight MST tonight through Tuesday 
evening      for AZZ534-537>563.

     Flood Watch from 6 PM MST this evening through late tonight for 
     AZZ533.

CA...None.
&&

$$

SHORT TERM...RW
LONG TERM...Kuhlman 
AVIATION...Lojero 
FIRE WEATHER...Kuhlman