Tucson Braces For Wind Gusts Up To 40 MPH, Showers As Pacific Storm Moves Through

TUCSON, AZ — Tucson and the surrounding region are in for a few unsettled days as a Pacific storm system pushes through Southeast Arizona through Wednesday.

The best chance for rain arrives late Monday evening and continues into early Tuesday morning, with the possibility of additional scattered showers and thunderstorms Tuesday afternoon, mainly east and north of Tucson.

Rainfall totals are expected to stay light for most valley areas, with between 0.01 and 0.2 inches anticipated. Mountain areas could see more, with up to half an inch possible in the Catalina, Rincon, Pinaleño and White mountains.

Wind will be the other story, particularly Tuesday. Southwest winds of 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph are expected Tuesday afternoon east of central Pima County.

Stronger gusts up to 40 mph are possible across parts of Santa Cruz and Cochise counties. Fire weather forecasters flagged those same areas as a concern, with winds of 18 to 25 mph and gusts up to 40 mph expected from Santa Cruz eastward through southern Cochise County.

Temperatures will also take a dip. Highs Monday are forecast to run two to four degrees below normal, dropping further to four to 10 degrees below normal Tuesday and Wednesday.

There is some uncertainty in the timing. Forecasters noted that high-resolution models differ on exactly when precipitation will arrive, with some delaying the onset by three to six hours.

Regardless, the window with the greatest rain potential remains late Monday night into early Tuesday morning.

The cooler, unsettled stretch won't last. Conditions are expected to dry out after Wednesday, and well above normal temperatures are likely to return by the weekend.