Eddie Benavidez practices his swing with Armando Mendivil at the Silverbell Golf Course Driving Range on Monday. January weather was warmer and drier than normal, but the nice golf climate is expected to turn this week with colder temperatures and some rain.

 Mamta Popat, Arizona Daily Star

Even with storms rolling through Southern Arizona throughout the month, January was slightly warmer and drier than usual in Tucson. However, this week promises a cold snap, with glimpses of temperatures in the 20s, rain and possibly snow in higher elevations.

The average temperature for January was right at 55 degrees, a little more than half a degree above the average for the month, according to National Weather Service data. Despite a few local January rain events, only slightly more than a quarter inch of rain fell, much less than the average .84 inches.

Fans of a slightly wetter, colder winter need not wait too long, though. According to Rob Howlett, meteorologist with the NWS-Tucson, colder temps and moisture will make their way into the area by Wednesday.

“It’s not going to be a lot of rain, unfortunately, as far as the amount of rain,” Howlett said. “Light showers will be moving across the area and some snow in the higher elevations. And much cooler temperatures behind that as well.”

Howlett said early morning temperatures could dip into the 20s on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, with the high temperatures being in the 50s on those days. It could also feel colder — wind is in the forecast.

Erika Ciamares, owner of ModernOpus, looks at gems from Arthur Gem and Jewelry Co. After the cooler temperatures this week, February weather should be nice for the gem show.

“It’ll be breezy on Wednesday, I should also mention that,” Howlett said. “So, we’ll have some stronger winds during the afternoon, and it looks like on Friday, as well.”

Those winds, which should be blowing from the east, according to Howlett, are the result of a high- and low-pressure difference caused by the cold Rocky Mountain winter air meeting warmer desert air.

“Because of the topography of Tucson, there’s a little bit of a strengthening that occurs when we have winds from that direction,” Howlett said. “And, it usually is windier at night and in the morning when we have those kind of east wind events.”

Still, the cooler weather isn’t a trend that will hold, at least according to National Climate Prediction Center. According to data, Tucson and Southern Arizona are predicted to follow course with February: slightly warmer and drier than normal.

“We’re still in that La Niña pattern, and this is really typical of what we’ll see,” Howlett said. “This time of year: above normal temperatures, below normal rainfall. And we’re still kind of looking at that for the month of February.”

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Edward Celaya is a breaking news and marijuana reporter. He has been on both beats since May 2021.

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