Yuma, AZ – The normally warm California–Arizona border region will feel a rare brush of Arctic air from Monday, Dec. 1 through Friday, Dec. 5, as a weakening Arctic Blast dips unusually far south, bringing a Cold December pattern with breezy days, colder nights, and light flurries possible in nearby mountains.
According to the National Weather Service, the coldest air aloft will remain well north of the Desert Southwest, but enough of the Arctic front will slide in to produce overnight lows in the mid to upper 30s across Yuma, the Imperial Valley, and lower Colorado River communities. Higher-elevation locations in eastern Imperial County and western Arizona may fall into the 20s, especially early Wednesday and Thursday mornings.
Light snow is not expected in low-elevation border cities, but spotty flurries or light snow showers may develop in the Gila Mountains, Laguna Mountains, and northern Baja high terrain as cold north winds push moisture upslope. Accumulations should remain minimal.
Breezy north winds will make conditions feel cooler than typical for early December, and daytime highs will remain stuck in the 50s to low 60s, several degrees below average.
NOAA’s 6–10 Day Temperature Outlook places the region in a below-normal temperature zone for Dec. 1–5, reflecting the outermost influence of the Arctic air mass affecting much of the central U.S.
While no major winter storm is expected, residents should prepare for unseasonably cold nights, chilly breezes, and possible frost in rural areas.
