


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Flagstaff, AZ
Issued by NWS Flagstaff, AZ
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722 FXUS65 KFGZ 121145 AFDFGZ Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Flagstaff AZ 445 AM MST Sun Oct 12 2025 .SYNOPSIS...Unsettled conditions continue into the first part of the week, with scattered showers and thunderstorms through Monday. Coverage will decrease for Tuesday and Wednesday before dry air wins out. Cooler temperatures are expected for the second half of the week. && .DISCUSSION...A trough over the Great Basin is pushing a cold front down through Arizona early this morning. Some showers and thunderstorms are associated with the boundary and will continue to push to the east/southeast today. Additionally, we can see the remnants from Tropical Storm Raymond pushing northward into Mexico from the southern tip of Baja California. Flow out ahead of this system is dragging more subtropical moisture up towards Arizona and will be something to keep an eye on over the next couple of days. First up, the trough and its frontal boundary. While we don`t have an abundance of lingering instability, the boundary has enough forcing to allow for convection to continue as it moves eastward. These storms will be capable of brief heavy rainfall and gusty winds. Flow is fairly quick, around 30-40 kts, so these storms should be on the move. Additionally, the best MUCAPE is located over NW Arizona, so they should weaken as they push to the east this morning. Through the day, the front will continue to make its way to the east and should exit our area by around early afternoon. We are also seeing some showers and thunderstorms moving into our southern areas in response to a continued subtropical moisture push from the remnants of Raymond. As with the front, the instability is best off to the south of our area and these cells have dropped off quickly once they have moved into our areas. Showers and storms will remain possible through this evening, especially in areas along the Mogollon Rim through the White Mountains. The next system will dig down from the PACNW on Monday. The pressure gradient will start to tighten up in advance of the troughs arrival and we should see some gusty winds across the region, especially for Monday through Wednesday. Another aspect of the trough digging further south is that it will enhance the southerly flow and will bring up more moisture from the remnants of Raymond into the region. This means will will continue to see scattered showers and thunderstorms on Monday across the forecast area. With such wet antecedent conditions, we will need to monitor where the heaviest rain is expected and be prepared for potential flooding. The low closes off as it moves into the Great Basin and the continued south to southwest flow across the area will keep us unsettled through midweek. Moisture becomes more scarce on the southwest flow but isolated storms will still be around on Tuesday, shifting north towards the Utah border for Wednesday. One thing this system will bring to AZ is much colder air. Overnight lows will be the hardest hit with some of the typical cold spots falling below freezing by Wednesday morning. Daytime highs will be close to 10 degrees below average so it will certainly start to feel like fall around here. The low clears out of the region by Thursday, leaving dry and cooler conditions across the forecast area. && .AVIATION...Sunday 12/12Z through Monday 13/12Z...Scattered SHRA/TSRA primarily along/south of I-40 this morning, declining in coverage through the afternoon. Brief drops to MVFR within heavier showers, and localized MVFR-IFR from morning low clouds at high elevation sites. Coverage of SHRA/TSRA begins to increase again after 08Z Monday. Winds are generally 10 kts or less from the southwest to west during 18-02Z, light and VRB otherwise. OUTLOOK...Monday 13/12Z through Wednesday 15/12Z...Expect scattered showers and thunderstorms on Monday, most numerous along and east of a line from KPAN-KRQE. Mostly VFR conditions on Tuesday and Wednesday. Winds SW 10-20kts, with gusts to 30kt. && .FIRE WEATHER...Today and Monday...Showers and thunderstorms remain in the area both days, primarily south of I-40 on Sunday spreading north through Navajo and Apache counties overnight into Monday. Highest rainfall accumulations expected along/south of the eastern Mogollon Rim throughout the period. Winds S-SW 5-10 mph on Sunday, becoming 10-20 mph with gusts to 25-30 mph on Monday. Gusty and erratic winds can be expected near showers/thunderstorms. Tuesday through Thursday...Isolated showers and thunderstorms on Tuesday, becoming cool and drier towards the end of the week. Daytime highs 5-10 degrees below normal by Thursday. Winds southwest through west 10-20 mph with gusts 25-35 mph Tuesday and Wednesday, then west through northwest 5-15 mph on Thursday. && .FGZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...None. && $$ PUBLIC...Meola AVIATION...Lewandowski FIRE WEATHER...Lewandowski For Northern Arizona weather information visit weather.gov/flagstaff