Phoenix is a weird place in January. Honestly, if you grew up anywhere else, you’re probably used to "winter" meaning heavy coats and scraping ice off a windshield. But weather yesterday in phoenix was basically a masterclass in why the desert defies every standard rule of the season.
We saw a high of 78°F at Sky Harbor. That’s not a typo. While the rest of the country is bracing for an Arctic surge, we were sitting ten degrees above our historical normal of 68°F. It’s the kind of day where you see tourists in flip-flops and locals in light jackets because, frankly, our internal thermometers are completely broken.
What actually happened with the heat yesterday?
The National Weather Service reported that the mercury peaked at 4:45 PM. It was a slow burn to get there. The morning started out at a crisp 50°F—which felt refreshing until you realized the sun was going to spend the next eight hours relentlessly baking the valley floor.
The humidity was a non-factor. It bottomed out at a bone-dry 12% by late afternoon. That’s typical for us, but it’s also why you probably felt way more dehydrated than you expected for a "cool" month. When the air is that dry, your sweat evaporates before you even know you're perspiring.
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Breaking down the numbers
- High Temperature: 78°F (Ten degrees above normal)
- Low Temperature: 50°F (Four degrees above normal)
- Rainfall: 0.00 inches (Predictable, but still)
- Peak Wind Gust: 14 mph from the East
Most people think a 78-degree day is perfect, and it kinda is. But look at the departure from the norm. We aren't just "warm"—we are consistently pushing past the 1991-2020 climate averages. If you felt like it was "too hot" for January, the data actually backs you up.
The wind and the "chill" factor
There wasn't much of a breeze to speak of yesterday. The average wind speed hovered around 3.9 mph. However, there was a brief moment in the afternoon where an easterly gust hit 14 mph.
It wasn’t enough to knock over a patio chair, but it was enough to remind you that the air still has a bit of a bite once you step into the shade. That’s the Phoenix winter trap. You’re roasting in the direct sun, but the second a building blocks those rays, you’re reaching for a hoodie.
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The sky cover was almost non-existent. A 0.1 sky cover rating essentially means it was a "severe clear" day. No clouds to trap the heat at night, which is why we dropped nearly 30 degrees once the sun dipped behind the White Tank Mountains.
Why this pattern matters for your weekend
If you were out hiking Camelback or Piestewa Peak yesterday, you probably noticed the trails were packed. This weather is our "Goldilocks" zone. But there's a downside to these dry, warm streaks.
The lack of precipitation—we’ve only seen 0.18 inches of rain so far this month—means the desert is looking a bit dusty. We're currently about 0.30 inches behind where we should be for the year. It’s great for golf, but not so great for the wildflowers we’re all hoping to see come March.
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Basically, yesterday was a gift from a meteorological standpoint, but it’s also a reminder that our "winter" is really just a milder version of everyone else's spring.
Actionable steps for the next few days:
- Check your irrigation: With these higher temps and zero rain, your desert plants might need an extra drink even if it is "winter."
- Layer up for the evening: The 28-degree swing between high and low means you can't trust the afternoon temp to carry you through dinner on the patio.
- Hydrate early: Don't wait until you're thirsty; 12% humidity will sneak up on you faster than a haboob in July.
- UV Protection: The sun is lower in the sky, but with zero cloud cover, you're still catching plenty of rays during that midday walk.
Enjoy the warmth while it lasts, because even in Phoenix, a cold front is never more than a week away.