PHOENIX — A rare burst of late-spring rain broke Phoenix’s daily rainfall record on Sunday, with more widespread precipitation expected to move into the Valley by Sunday night.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, the city’s official weather station, recorded 0.24 inches of rain, shattering the previous June 1 record of just 0.02 inches set in 1914.
Localized rainfall totals varied across the region. Around 7 p.m., the Sky Harbor area logged 0.20 inches, Interstate 17 near Grand Canyon University saw 0.28 inches, and central Mesa picked up 0.16 inches.
Before Sunday’s storm, the airport hadn’t seen measurable rain since April 18. Prior to that, the last recorded rainfall occurred on March 15.
Light showers began Sunday morning and were followed by isolated pockets of rain in areas such as Casa Grande and along I-10 in Pinal County. Some neighborhoods in the east and northeast Valley saw about 0.04 inches earlier in the day, accompanied by scattered thunder.
Forecasters anticipate heavier rainfall developing late Sunday and continuing into Monday.
Following the brief reprieve from dry conditions, triple-digit temperatures are expected to return later in the week.
