Pair of Storms Coming Together in the Pacific Headed to California

It will be a nice weekend for much of the western U.S., however, the reprieve from the moisture will not last long. Two more storms are on deck to move in from the Pacific Ocean next week, bringing a mix of rain and snow to California and beyond. Here is a look at what is coming down the pipe for this part of the country.

Soggy Friday Will Give Way to Drier Weekend Out West

While a mostly dry weekend is on tap for the western U.S., the Desert Southwest will still be dealing with a last round of moisture to bring the work week to a close. This is the same system that sent the rain falling across Southern California on Thursday. The storm moved into the Sierra Nevada with snow before tracking into the interior portions of the Southwest on Friday.

The result has been a soggy and snowy end to the week for Arizona and New Mexico. Phoenix will see unseasonably cool temperatures on Friday with a high in the mid 50s. The Valley of the Sun will be under cloudy skies with rainfall of about a quarter of an inch. Breezy conditions will add to the chill while overnight lows will slip into the mid 40s.

Moving up into the mountains of Arizona, Flagstaff is expecting another 3 to 5 inches of snow to add to the totals from the day before. It will be a frigid day with highs that top out in low 30s and readings that drop into the mid teens after the sun goes down. You can expect winds out of the south-southwest coming in at 10 to 15 mph.

The day will start dry in Albuquerque, however, the moisture will pick up in the afternoon and evening. The largest city in New Mexico will see a high in the mid 50s with lows that drop to the freezing mark overnight. It will be even windier in this part of the region with winds hitting speeds of 20 mph at times.

The temperatures will rebound in the Southwest for the weekend. For instance, Phoenix will see a steady uptick in the mercury beginning with a high in the upper 60s on Saturday and readings in the mid 70s on Sunday. Temperatures will hit the low 80s on Monday in Phoenix before the next cold front arrives with more rain on Tuesday.

The rest of the western U.S. will also see calm conditions for the duration of the weekend. The exception to this will be in the Pacific Northwest where scattered rain showers are always a possibility. Forecasters are also warning that despite the drier weather, the risk of landslides will persist in parts of California that have picked up rain lately.