BELLEMONT, Ariz. — While those of us in the Valley are still enduring the daily high of 100-degree and above streak, some folks in Arizona woke up to freezing temperatures Friday morning.
Bellemont, near Flagstaff, hit 32 degrees Friday morning, according to the National Weather Service. It was the first time in 103 days since the area saw freezing temperatures. "Told you winter was coming!" a post on X from the NWS in Flagstaff said.
This comes about two weeks after snow fell at the Arizona Snowbowl ski resort just north of Flagstaff.
Though the Valley won't see cold temperatures for a while, we expect to dip below 100 degrees this weekend.
Sunday's forecast high is expected to hit 99 degrees with a chance of rain. If the forecast holds up, it will be the first double-digit high since May 26.
Arizona Weather
Arizona has seen its fair share of severe weather. Here is a compilation of videos from various storms across the Grand Canyon state.
What is the Valley?
“The Valley” is what locals call the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. It is considered the largest metropolitan area in the Southwest.
The Valley is made up of various major cities other than Phoenix, including:
Mesa
Chandler
Scottsdale
Tempe
Glendale
Surprise
Peoria
Gilbert
El Mirage
Avondale
Litchfield Park
Goodyear
Buckeye
Whether a city is in the “East Valley” or “West Valley” depends on where it is in relation to Phoenix.
The cities of the Valley have a combined population of 4,845,832 people, according to the 2020 United States Census. This makes it the 11th largest metropolitan area in the country right behind the Boston and Atlanta areas.
