Strong high pressure has prompted the issuance of an Extreme Heat Warning by the National Weather Service for today and Wednesday for the Tucson area with only a subtle downtrend in temperatures the latter half of the week. Meanwhile, atmospheric moisture content is expected to trend upward with a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms Wednesday and Thursday over the mountains (best chance Thursday). Thus, there is some potential for gustiness from distant storms on those days. Otherwise, winds will follow familiar warm season patterns through Wednesday before southwesterly breezy to windy conditions take hold in the afternoons Thursday through Saturday.

Peak 8 hour Ozone is expected to be in the Moderate range today before trending just into the upper Good range Wednesday with some additional improvement Thursday and little change through Saturday.

Daily average Particulates are expected to remain in the Good range aided by warm season ventilation. Of note, afternoon winds may be strong enough to kick up some localized pockets of dust but not enough for significant short term spikes or enough to raise the daily average into the Moderate range.


- A. Jamison
ADEQ Meteorologist