Yikes! Greater Phoenix to Experience Actual Winter Weather This Week

Hide your kids, hide your wife — we're all going to freeze. Maybe. Winter may not officially start until next week, but the National Weather Service is currently issuing a freezing weather advisory for much of Arizona, including the greater-Phoenix area. Today and tomorrow, daytime temperatures should hover around...

By Miriam Wasser

December 15, 2015

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "18478561",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "16759093",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759092",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759094",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24
        }
      ]

Hide your kids, hide your wife — we're all going to freeze. Maybe.

Winter may not officially start until next week, but the National Weather Service is issuing a freezing-weather advisory for much of Arizona, including greater Phoenix.

Today and tomorrow, daytime temperatures should hover around "chilly, but totally bearable" — or, in science-speak, in the mid-40s to 50s — but the mercury will plummet as the sun goes down.

According to the NWS, temperatures Tuesday night will be about 33 degrees but could get as cold as 24 degrees, while Wednesday night might be a whole degree or two warmer!
There's a freeze warning in effect from 11 p.m. Tuesday through 9 a.m. Wednesday, and a freeze watch in effect from Wednesday evening through Thursday morning for the following areas of the Valley: Phoenix, Tempe, Scottsdale, Chandler, Mesa, Gilbert, Peoria, Fountain Hills, Buckeye, Carefree, Cave Creek, and Sun City.

What's the difference between a watch and a warning? According to the NWS: A Freeze Watch is issued when there is a potential for significant widespread freezing temperatures, and a Freeze Warning is issued when significant widespread freezing temperatures are expected.
So what does all this mean? Well, in addition to bundling up, bringing pets indoors, and having a great excuse to drink hot chocolate, you may want to cover sensitive plants with blankets.

Enjoy the cold, Arizona!

via GIPHY

Here's what the overnight lows look like for the rest of this week:

And since it's the season of giving, here's some information about how you can donate or volunteer for two local nonprofits assisting the homeless in Maricopa County: The Lodestar Day Resource Center and Central Arizona Shelter Services.

KEEP NEW TIMES FREE... Since we started New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Phoenix, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.