Phoenix wakes up to lingering showers and rumbles of thunder this Friday, July 17, with a high near 93°F this afternoon as skies trend partly sunny and drier air pushes in from the west. Let the morning storms clear out first, then get outside during the afternoon lull while temperatures stay comfortably below our usual mid-July norms.
Today’s Setup
A weakening mesoscale storm complex is parked over the Phoenix foothills and terrain north of the Valley early this morning, and the National Weather Service in Phoenix expects it to keep fizzling through sunrise. The Flood Watch is set to expire around 5 AM MST, though a few lingering showers are still possible through the morning, especially from west Phoenix through western Maricopa County. By afternoon, extensive cloud cover should keep the atmosphere too stable for much new thunderstorm development, so only isolated activity is expected.
Best Window To Be Outside
Aim for early-to-mid afternoon, once morning showers move out and before any stray storm redevelops. Highs will struggle to reach the low 90s today, well below typical late-July heat, making it a solid window for yard work, a walk on South Mountain, or an easy morning hike at Camelback before the sun gets high.
Rain, Wind, Or Flood Risk
The Weather Prediction Center has placed much of Arizona, including the Phoenix area, under a Slight Risk for excessive rainfall today, though the highest threat of 2-3+ inches and localized flash flooding is centered well north of the Valley along the Mogollon Rim. With saturated ground from overnight storms, avoid low-lying washes and don’t drive through flooded roadways.
Diamondbacks, Concerts, And Weekend Events
The Arizona Diamondbacks host the St. Louis Cardinals at Chase Field tonight, July 17, with the series continuing July 18 and 19 — a good stretch to catch a game once the roof-covered comfort of Chase Field beats the outdoor humidity. Grab Get tickets on SeatGeek or Find tickets on StubHub, and gear up in an Arizona Diamondbacks jersey or Arizona Diamondbacks fitted cap. Live From Laurel Canyon plays The Van Buren tonight, and the Forrest Frank concert hits Mortgage Matchup Center Saturday, July 18, so pick up a Forrest Frank t-shirt if you’re going. Les Miserables also opens at Phoenix Theatre-AZ on July 18.
What To Wear Or Bring
Keep a packable rain jacket or compact travel umbrella handy for lingering morning drizzle, and swap sandals for waterproof hiking boots on trails that stayed wet overnight. With storms keeping you indoors part of the day, it’s a fair excuse to check out the 50-inch Pioneer 4K Roku TV deal for tonight’s ballgame.
Dinner Idea Tonight
Cloudy, storm-chance days call for comfort food — a big pot of chili or beef stew in the programmable slow cooker, or a hearty soup in an enameled cast iron Dutch oven. Need ingredients? You can order groceries on Amazon and have everything for tonight’s dinner delivered to your door.
Next Few Days
Saturday warms up near 98°F as skies clear, though below-normal temperatures should persist across the Phoenix area into early next week per the National Weather Service. Monsoon storm chances shift back toward Arizona’s high terrain this weekend before desert-wide chances tick up again by midweek.
