Prolonged winterlike chill to plunge across Southwest
By
Jake Sojda, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Nov 7, 2020 5:00 PM EDT
|
Updated Nov 9, 2020 6:25 PM EDT
After spending the first week of November with well above-normal temperatures across much of the Southwest, temperatures will be heading the other way for the second week of the month. Along with the temperature plunge, some much needed rainfall and even snow has swept across the region.
The colder weather was ushered in by a significant storm that triggered gusty winds, rain showers and mountain snow through Sunday. Some locations even received their first measurable precipitation in several months as a result of this storm.
Measurable rainfall arrived in Fresno, California, early Saturday morning for the first time since May 18. Downtown Los Angeles also measured its first rain since May 18 on Saturday morning when 0.11 of an inch fell and snapped a 172-day streak of dry weather. This is also a tie for the 7th longest streak of dry days in Los Angeles, coming up 19 days shy of the all-time record for consecutive number of dry days set back in 1997.
On top of snapping the dry streak in Los Angeles, Saturday was the first day since April 21st that the high temperature failed to reach 70 degrees. The high both days of the weekend was only 62 in the city. The 200-day streak of 70 degrees-or-higher temperatures also smashed the previous record by a whopping 10 days.
Hopes were high in Las Vegas on Sunday that an even longer dry streak would be broken. Up until Sunday, the city hasn't had any measurable rain in an astounding 201 days, since April 20 -- the longest stretch of dry weather on record. Late Sunday evening, a few scattered showers came close, but managed to miss the official reporting site for the city, McCarran International Airport. Sunday marked the 202nd day in a row with no measurable rain, the National Weather Service office in Las Vegas confirmed.
Rain did reach some desert locations, however. Palm Springs, California, received 0.04 of an inch of rain this weekend. This was the first measurable rain in the city since the second week of April.
While rain was able to refresh some areas at lower elevations for the first time in months, snow piled up in the mountains as far south as San Diego County in California as the cold air blasted in.
Many mountain locations around Los Angeles and San Diego above 5,000 feet received 6 or more inches of snow through Sunday night. The highest portions of the San Gabriel, San Bernardino and San Jacinto mountains east of Los Angeles received up to a foot of fresh snow. By Sunday night, East Bridges, California, had already reported 18 inches of snow.
Interior portions of the Southwest will also enjoy some snow. The first measurable snowfall of the season began in Flagstaff on Sunday afternoon, with about 3.5 inches of new snow that piled up into Monday morning.
Several inches of snow will also fall in the Sierra and Wasatch Ranges as well as the Colorado Rockies.
While the rain and snow will wind down for most for the start of the traditional workweek, the chilly air deposited across the region will have some staying power.
Sunday, Las Vegas reported a record low high temperature for the date with 54 degrees F. Phoenix reported a high of 67 degrees F, compared to normal highs around the 80-degree-Fahrenheit mark. The last time Phoenix had a high in the 60s was way back in late March.
High temperatures are then forecast to stay in the 60s in Phoenix into the middle of the week. Even by the end of the week, highs will only be struggling to get back to normal in the mid-70s.
In the Los Angeles area, some locales may struggle to get out of the 50s on Monday. Even in downtown, high temperatures are only forecast to reach the low 60s through the first half of the week. Normal high temperatures are in the mid-70s.
The story will be the same across much of the Southwest, with highs remaining around 10-20 degrees below normal through midweek, and only gradually creeping back toward normal by the end of the week.
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Cold nights are ahead for the region as well, forecasters said. In fact, after record highs were challenged across the region just a couple of days ago, record-low temperatures will be challenged in some spots to start off the new week.
Downtown Los Angeles could rival the record low of 43 set in 1886 on Sunday night. Temperatures are forecast to dip into the single digits over the Sierra Nevada Sunday night and over the Arizona mountains during Monday night. The record low of 11 for Sunday night at South Lake Tahoe could be shattered.
Clear skies, light winds and fresh snow could also cause temperatures to plummet Monday night in Flagstaff. The record to beat is 5 degrees, set in 1946. Phoenix could dip into the 30s by Tuesday morning, which would be the first reading in the 30s there since Feb. 6.
While the fresh snow itself will be a welcome sight for ski resorts in the region, the low temperatures will also allow resorts to make snow and build a deeper base of snow and open sooner. Many resorts have been itching to reopen after Covid-19 cut last season short right during the typical peak.
Despite temperatures gradually rising by the end of the week, forecasters say a return to high heat does not appear to be in the offing for the Southwest, at least in the near future.
"The surge of cold air, gusty winds and spotty rain and mountain snow may not be a one-and-done deal," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
"There appears to be multiple rounds of chilly shots that may take aim on the Southwest through the middle of November, but how much rain, snow and cold air that occur with each would only be speculation at this juncture and will depend on how far south the storms track and how much moisture is available."
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
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News / Winter Weather
Prolonged winterlike chill to plunge across Southwest
By Jake Sojda, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Nov 7, 2020 5:00 PM EDT | Updated Nov 9, 2020 6:25 PM EDT
After spending the first week of November with well above-normal temperatures across much of the Southwest, temperatures will be heading the other way for the second week of the month. Along with the temperature plunge, some much needed rainfall and even snow has swept across the region.
The colder weather was ushered in by a significant storm that triggered gusty winds, rain showers and mountain snow through Sunday. Some locations even received their first measurable precipitation in several months as a result of this storm.
Measurable rainfall arrived in Fresno, California, early Saturday morning for the first time since May 18. Downtown Los Angeles also measured its first rain since May 18 on Saturday morning when 0.11 of an inch fell and snapped a 172-day streak of dry weather. This is also a tie for the 7th longest streak of dry days in Los Angeles, coming up 19 days shy of the all-time record for consecutive number of dry days set back in 1997.
On top of snapping the dry streak in Los Angeles, Saturday was the first day since April 21st that the high temperature failed to reach 70 degrees. The high both days of the weekend was only 62 in the city. The 200-day streak of 70 degrees-or-higher temperatures also smashed the previous record by a whopping 10 days.
Hopes were high in Las Vegas on Sunday that an even longer dry streak would be broken. Up until Sunday, the city hasn't had any measurable rain in an astounding 201 days, since April 20 -- the longest stretch of dry weather on record. Late Sunday evening, a few scattered showers came close, but managed to miss the official reporting site for the city, McCarran International Airport. Sunday marked the 202nd day in a row with no measurable rain, the National Weather Service office in Las Vegas confirmed.
Rain did reach some desert locations, however. Palm Springs, California, received 0.04 of an inch of rain this weekend. This was the first measurable rain in the city since the second week of April.
While rain was able to refresh some areas at lower elevations for the first time in months, snow piled up in the mountains as far south as San Diego County in California as the cold air blasted in.
Many mountain locations around Los Angeles and San Diego above 5,000 feet received 6 or more inches of snow through Sunday night. The highest portions of the San Gabriel, San Bernardino and San Jacinto mountains east of Los Angeles received up to a foot of fresh snow. By Sunday night, East Bridges, California, had already reported 18 inches of snow.
Interior portions of the Southwest will also enjoy some snow. The first measurable snowfall of the season began in Flagstaff on Sunday afternoon, with about 3.5 inches of new snow that piled up into Monday morning.
Several inches of snow will also fall in the Sierra and Wasatch Ranges as well as the Colorado Rockies.
While the rain and snow will wind down for most for the start of the traditional workweek, the chilly air deposited across the region will have some staying power.
Sunday, Las Vegas reported a record low high temperature for the date with 54 degrees F. Phoenix reported a high of 67 degrees F, compared to normal highs around the 80-degree-Fahrenheit mark. The last time Phoenix had a high in the 60s was way back in late March.
High temperatures are then forecast to stay in the 60s in Phoenix into the middle of the week. Even by the end of the week, highs will only be struggling to get back to normal in the mid-70s.
In the Los Angeles area, some locales may struggle to get out of the 50s on Monday. Even in downtown, high temperatures are only forecast to reach the low 60s through the first half of the week. Normal high temperatures are in the mid-70s.
The story will be the same across much of the Southwest, with highs remaining around 10-20 degrees below normal through midweek, and only gradually creeping back toward normal by the end of the week.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Cold nights are ahead for the region as well, forecasters said. In fact, after record highs were challenged across the region just a couple of days ago, record-low temperatures will be challenged in some spots to start off the new week.
Downtown Los Angeles could rival the record low of 43 set in 1886 on Sunday night. Temperatures are forecast to dip into the single digits over the Sierra Nevada Sunday night and over the Arizona mountains during Monday night. The record low of 11 for Sunday night at South Lake Tahoe could be shattered.
Clear skies, light winds and fresh snow could also cause temperatures to plummet Monday night in Flagstaff. The record to beat is 5 degrees, set in 1946. Phoenix could dip into the 30s by Tuesday morning, which would be the first reading in the 30s there since Feb. 6.
While the fresh snow itself will be a welcome sight for ski resorts in the region, the low temperatures will also allow resorts to make snow and build a deeper base of snow and open sooner. Many resorts have been itching to reopen after Covid-19 cut last season short right during the typical peak.
Related:
Despite temperatures gradually rising by the end of the week, forecasters say a return to high heat does not appear to be in the offing for the Southwest, at least in the near future.
"The surge of cold air, gusty winds and spotty rain and mountain snow may not be a one-and-done deal," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
"There appears to be multiple rounds of chilly shots that may take aim on the Southwest through the middle of November, but how much rain, snow and cold air that occur with each would only be speculation at this juncture and will depend on how far south the storms track and how much moisture is available."
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo