Extreme Heat Watch Covers Tucson As Temperatures Near 110 Degrees

TUCSON, AZ — Southern Arizona is heading into its hottest stretch of the year so far, with Tucson potentially facing five consecutive days at or above 105 degrees, according to the National Weather Service in Tucson.

Temperatures will run four to ten degrees above normal through Friday, bringing moderate to major heat risk across the region as broad high pressure builds in from Southern California to the Gulf of Mexico.

The Tucson metro could flirt with 110 degrees, with forecasters putting the odds of hitting that mark at 20 to 60 percent Tuesday through Thursday.

An Extreme Heat Watch is in effect from Tuesday morning through Wednesday evening, covering the areas expected to see the most dangerous conditions, including the Tucson metro, the San Pedro River Valley and the Gila River Valley.

Breezy afternoons are expected too, especially in Graham and Greenlee counties, before winds pick up more broadly across the region from Friday into Sunday.

The combination of heat, wind and dry air is also raising fire weather concerns, with minimum relative humidity dropping to 5 to 15 percent in the valleys and 10 to 20 percent in the mountains through midweek, mainly affecting the Gila River Valley.

Rain chances remain slim for now, though a slight chance of storms could reach Santa Cruz and Cochise counties, along with the White Mountains, by Thursday and Friday.

Temperatures are expected to ease slightly over the weekend, though highs will likely still run one to three degrees above normal.