Will Arizona see rain anytime soon? Don’t hold your breath, forecasters say
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — You may have noticed that Arizona is currently facing a growing drought, a situation that many residents are aware of.
Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport hasn’t received measurable rain since August 22, and the snowpack in the mountains is nearly nonexistent. The only snow you might see is man-made, primarily for skiing and other outdoor activities.
Recently, the Climate Prediction Center released its latest 30-day outlook for February, indicating that Arizona is in a region likely to receive below-average precipitation. Additionally, the new 90-day outlook from February to April 2025 also suggests less-than-average rainfall for the state.
It’s important to remember that these forecasts aren’t set in stone; weather patterns can shift, leading to short-term changes that might disrupt these predictions. However, the latest outlooks do align with the long-range weather trends you may have been observing.
As of Thursday, with the ongoing dry streak in the Phoenix area, we are tied for the longest dry spell since weather records started in 1895. It’s expected that you won’t see any rain by the end of the month, which could mean breaking the record.
To be fair, some areas in the Valley have experienced rain since August 22, and a check of rain gauges from the past 90 days shows that some outlying regions have been luckier than others. Still, overall rainfall across the Valley has been well below normal over the last four months.
The latest report from the U.S. Drought Monitor indicates that extreme drought is moving eastward across Arizona as this dry spell continues. It will take a significant amount of rain and/or snow to improve the situation.
Currently, water storage levels in the Salt River Project are at 74% of capacity, which should provide you with “enough” water for the upcoming summer, even if this dry weather persists. Last year at this time, though, the SRP storage was at 81%, thanks to a relatively wet February and March.
On a more positive note, you might be interested to know that long-range forecast maps suggest a rain and snow-making storm could approach Arizona toward the end of this month, perhaps in a couple of weeks. While it’s too early to be confident that this will happen, in the world of weather, some “wishcasting” for potential rain or snow isn’t out of the question. Stay tuned!
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