Phoenix, Arizona – The Southwest may be experiencing a warmer-than-normal winter, but cold-related risks haven’t disappeared, especially for people traveling across deserts, basins, and higher terrain. From late January into early February, wind and elevation remain the key factors that can turn mild temperatures into unexpectedly cold and uncomfortable conditions across the region.
According to the National Weather Service, wind chill measures how quickly the body loses heat when wind strips away the thin layer of warmth surrounding exposed skin. In the Southwest, wind chill is rarely driven by deep Arctic air at lower elevations. Instead, it’s shaped by dry air, persistent breeze, and dramatic elevation changes, all of which accelerate heat loss faster than many residents and visitors expect.
Geography defines the risk. In the low deserts of Arizona and southern California, warm afternoons can quickly give way to chilly evenings as dry air cools rapidly after sunset and light winds lower comfort levels. Across central and northern Arizona, including Flagstaff, the Mogollon Rim, and areas near the Grand Canyon, higher elevation and steady wind can make temperatures feel dramatically colder, even on sunny days. In New Mexico, winds moving through valleys and across open plains amplify chill around Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and eastern parts of the state. Farther east, West Texas and the southern High Plains experience sharp wind-driven cooling as open terrain allows cold air to move freely overnight.
Wind chill does not freeze pipes or vehicles under current patterns, but it affects people who underestimate nighttime cold or elevation changes. Travelers shedding winter layers too quickly may feel chilled for hours, while dehydration and fatigue can set in as the body adapts to dry air and temperature swings. Pets traveling across regions are also sensitive to rapid cooling after dark.
Residents and travelers are encouraged to dress in flexible layers, plan for colder nights and higher elevations, stay hydrated, and remain mindful of wind exposure in open areas. Even during a warmer-than-normal winter, wind chill remains an important and often overlooked factor shaping winter safety across the Southwest.
