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Tucson Braces for Freezing Nights and Potential Snow This Week!
Temperatures are set to plummet below freezing across much of Southern Arizona on Wednesday and Thursday nights, following a stretch of warmer weather. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a freeze watch in anticipation of these conditions.
A hard freeze, defined as temperatures falling below 28 degrees, is expected in several areas, with lows possibly dipping to around 25 degrees. The freeze watch encompasses the Tucson metro area, the Tohono O’odham Nation, as well as Pima and Cochise counties, including Safford.
Forecasters pointed out that some areas that haven’t experienced temperatures below 32 degrees this season are most likely to feel the effects of the impending freeze. For context, the last recorded freeze at Tucson International Airport was on January 12, 2024.
The NWS noted, “Mild temperatures with light winds are expected for one more day before a significant change in the weather pattern begins Tuesday night.” Following this transition, much colder conditions paired with breezy to windy weather will arrive on Wednesday, along with light precipitation. While precipitation amounts are forecasted to be minimal, valley floors east of Tucson may see up to an inch of snow Wednesday morning. Once this system moves out, widespread sub-freezing temperatures are anticipated across Southeast Arizona on Thursday and Friday mornings.
Conditions are expected to stabilize over the weekend as temperatures return to seasonal norms.
A cold front is projected to pass through Sunday, which will bring strong winds and significantly lower snow levels, leading to a widespread hard freeze for most of the area on Monday and Tuesday mornings. While the middle of the week will be dry, cool conditions will persist, but another weather system is anticipated to bring rain and snow along with gusty winds on Thursday.
Snow levels could drop as low as 3,000 feet, and forecasters expect 4-8 inches at the highest peaks. “Daytime temperatures on Monday will struggle to reach the 40s for most locations, even with full sunshine,” they noted.
To mitigate potential damage from the cold, the NWS advises taking protective measures for tender plants and outdoor water pipes. It’s recommended to wrap, drain, or allow outdoor pipes to drip slowly, and those with in-ground sprinkler systems should drain and cover any above-ground pipes to safeguard against freezing.
