NOGALES BORDER FIRE UNCOVERS SUMMER CROSSERS

SOMETIMES WE JUST GET LUCKY, maybe when the “man-made” DUKE Fire started out as a warming fire for illegal crossers it ended up as a 4000 plus acres desert wildfire which scorched the desert floor right up the ridges into the pine leaving no grasses, or ground cover and essentially nothing growing. Which means, no ground cover, no camo or no shade … Just scorched earth. Duke fire burned along the US-Mexico Border.

At a time when the desert fauna is posed to take off, all the cactus blooms and wildflowers, a fire comes along and arrests everything in its path—and leaves cleared land which runs right up to the border. The grassland of the San Rafael Valley is some of the sweetest turf in Arizona, rolling hills which are higher and cooler than the low desert, little cactus, wooded providing shade and fuel for fires, it also is home to some of the greatest amount of Homeland Security assets on the ground and in the air. Aerostat ( the spy blimp at Fort Huachuca) scans the horizon from the west, to the east is Rio Rico and the nortorious I-19 BORDER PATROL CHECKPOINT .

<img src="Tight view of the DUKE FIRE burning northeast of Nogales AZ” alt=”” />
So the DUKE FIRE was lucky, it came at a time when all the Wildfire Teams are in place and preparing for a big season, working on maintaining forest in anticipation of the upcoming burns, lots of burn offs come at this time just to lower the risk, doing it as time allows and weather permits. The Duke Fire has 190 wildland firefighters in camp and working on the fire lines, yesterday they were doing backfires along the Harshaw Road north of the ghost town of Duquesne. Today’s Wildland Fire Report said the border fire is 10 percent contained and that firefighters are prepared for a long fight. It appears they plan to burn off the entire area, which will keep them from returning later this summer, clear the land for Homeland Security, and since no housing is endangered, they will keep backfiring and let the brush burn off.

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March 23, 2011 | Categories: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

THE CIVIL WAR in the SOUTHWEST, a Southern Arizona Standout

<img src=" <img src=" ” alt=”Couple from the Old South” />CLICK HERE FOR SLIDESHOW
<img src=" ” alt=”Cannon Fire Shakes Your Teeth…”

Tucsonan Gary Eichholtz uses a stick to get the nasty grease layered thick over the pistol balls he just loaded into his Army Colt. “Without the grease when you release the trigger and all six loads might fire at once” he says about the black powder pistol he uses as a re-enactor at the annual Civil War in the SouthWest Campaign held each March at Picacho Peak State Park between
Casa Grande and Tucson in Southern Arizona. Chain-reaction firing could damage the pistol and possibly injure the user which makes the single shot black powder musket the most reliable weapon next to the bayonet on the muzzle which is the last line of defense when you are out of lead balls or powder or time. In the early years, the Park celebrated the skirmish as” the most western battle fought in the Civil War” so the Battle of Picacho Peak was re-enacted. It was strictly a skirmish, which lasted an hour, and was totally fluid and nothing was planned just reacted to. Twelve Union Troops looking for Confederates found three lookouts and took them prisoner but failed to notice their seven comrades who blasted them soundly, killing Lt Barrett and two more blue bellies. Union reported two rebels were injured in the shootout but the Rebels apparently failed to notice. In later years, the Picacho Battle Celebration was joined by two more battles, “The Gettysburg of the West” or the Battle of Glorieta (NM) was a Union Victory, the Sante Fe Trail was no longer threatened by Confederates trying to drag the American West into the Battle between the States. Confederates lost 36, 60 wounded and 25 missing, the Union lost 38, had 64 wounded and had 20 missing. Truly a hard fought battle but no less violent than the Battle of Valverde (NM) where 2000 Texans forced marched to Valverde where they tired and cranky engaged 2500 Union and eight cannon with shotguns and a Rebel Yell. The Battle lasted all day and the out-manned Texans had 38 killed, 150 wounded and one missing. The Union had 68 killed, 150 wounded and had 35 run away, oops-go missing inspite of their superior number had their ass kicked by these cranky Texans who had no breakfast and a long walk to meet up with these no account Yankees who had greater number and more cannon but they were weak in spirit and the Rebels just over ran their positions took their cannon and turned it on them. Remember History favors those cranky enough to take the day…

<img src="” alt=”Some kids never Grow Up” />http://pkweis.photoshelter.com/gallery/CIVIL-WAR-in-the-SOUTHWEST/G00007jkvJMt6A54

In the old days the dead seldom died–lot of firing–but as the more severe battles merged, the dying became more professional and today, there are bodies everywhere till taps is played and all are resurrected. This year an injured foot soldier approached the spectator gallery and vomited body parts all over the mothers, toddlers and kids watching from the sidelines, realistic ? Great weather 2011 not too hot, unlike those years with great poppy crops when daily attendance might reach 4000 cars in the park to see the poppies and the battle, this year, Picacho Peak State Park barely got that attendence in both days. The Parks bring a lot of volunteers and borrow help from other State Parks for this weekend each year, they have the passenger shuttle from Kirchner’s State Park, they parked cars with military precision, the burros were good. More than 200 re-enactors participated it was good to see the youth of America jumping into the fray and enjoying the past. Old Timers like Tucsonan Gary Eichholtz has his tent, cot, floor rug, latern, easy chair and work table where he enjoys his comforts but he notes some of his younger comrade in arms are sleeping on the ground. Gary and I agreed sleeping on the ground is not as much fun as it used to be…

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<img src=" ” alt=”Ft Huachucha’s B Troop at Picacho Peak” />
<img src=" ” alt=”Gary Eichholtz” />

March 16, 2011 | Categories: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

SAINT PAT’S DAY CELEBRATED THE WORLD ROUND

March 14, 2011 | Categories: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

STEP BACK IN TIME, ARIZONANS, ENJOY BIGGEST RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL IN THE SOUTHWEST …

CLICK HERE FOR SLIDESHOW

PERHAPS A QUARTER MILLION PEOPLE will visit the ARIZONA RENAISSANCE FAIRE this year near APACHE JUNCTION off HWY 60, which is now in its twenty-third year and going strong. The Medieval cityscape constructed midway between Phoenix and Tucson has become as Arizona, as is the Tucson’s Gem Show or Phoenix’s Spring Training. This event carved from 1500AD the century of Tudor England has grown significantly in size and each year it stays open a week or two longer. So when our weather permits, the Arizona Renaissance Faire is often in the TOP FIVE Festivals of the 236 in the United States and that reknown brings in some of the finest craftspeople, shows and reenacters. It is not unusual for the locals, to dress up and join in, bring along their own beer steins which they carry down to the joust and cheer on their favorite knight. The new arrival will be amazed by the hub-bub of the ancient community which offers opportunities to throw knives, axes and wet sponges. On the sidelines, craftspeople spin pots, blow glass, bend metal, cast bronze, harpest entertain and the beer and wine stands have a steady line but at the end you can only buy one beer–for yourself. Next to the drink stands, faire-goers can find food stands selling Turkey Legs, steak or chicken on a stick, pretzels, or beef stew in a bread bowl and as you stroll stuffing your face you can visit photo galleries, get your face painted, or hair styled by a Pirate. I went last weekend and the Toga Crowd were on hand with the exception all togas had a tartan plaid, whole families dress as pirates (including the dog), a few kilts showed up, but mostly dress from the Elizabethan Period was everywhere. It should be noted that the faire has embraced most One Percent Groups and offer sanctuary for fairies, klingons, wild men, pirates or buccaneers and FOOLS. TREEBEARD attended this year and was a big hit with the smaller members of the crowd who may not have yet seen the “Fellowship of the Ring” Trilogy but loved the talking tree who played with them. Most folks arrive between 10-11am and start leaving around 4:30 and the 5pm joust is the final event of the day. As you stroll out, take a minute, to soak up the great color of ladies and lords shopping and strolling along the main street where the smell of delicious cinnamon rolls fill the air. When you are ready to leave, there may be one more test of your ability. Sitting at the exit, looking like he is having a terrible day, last weekend was a sargent with the Pinal County Sheriff, he was backed up a two beefy Faire Security and they appeared that they could pluck drunks from the crowd before they got to their cars or check on designated drivers, anyway, keep those folks in mind as you enjoy the faire…you are quite a distance from anywhere. The Faire remains open through April 3rd and tickets can be bought at all FRY’S Groceries Stores for two dollars off or purchased at the front entrance for $22 per adult.

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March 7, 2011 | Categories: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

TUCSON’S SNOW DAY …

February 27, 2011 | Categories: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

“PAPA” HEMINGWAY LIVED LIFE TO THE FULLEST PERHAPS WAS “BIGGER” THAN LIFE

Having walked in Papa’s footsteps, drank in his favorite haunts, visited his homes, stared at the family photos on both sides of the Atlantic, viewed the sunset from Havana’s Malecon not far from Ambos Mundos the Hotel whose room 511 displays the uniform the writer wore as an ambulance driver during WWI which later would fuel his novel “Farewell to Arms”. It was a young man who left America’s breadbasket to “go to war”, it was a story that would repeat itself throughout his life, Ernest Hemingway was always going on one more great adventure … MAYBE HIS LIFE ENDED THE SAME WAY.a href=" CLICK HERE FOR ERNEST HEMINGWAY BIO from Wikipedi Perhaps he is best summed up by actress Marlene Dietrich, a close friend, who commented on his life to his biographer: “I suppose the most remarkable thing about Ernest is that he has found time to do the things most men only dream about. He has had the courage, the initiative, the time, the enjoyment to travel, to digest it all, to write, to create it, in a sense. There is in him a sort of quiet rotation of seasons, with each of them passing overland and then going underground and re-emerging in a kind of rhythm, refreshed and full of renewed vigor.” It was perhaps that he had reached a point when life no longer refreshed and that he decided to end his life as had his father, uncle, sister and brother and decsendents since in Hemingway fashion but he is remembered richly still for the life he did live. His writings today still bring in seven figures annually testifying that his tales, many thinly disguised from his own adventures, are still appreciated for his gripping tales with his economy of words and they sell. Tours visit both the 15 acre villa in Havana and the corner lot in Key West Florida only 90 miles and a ocean away, a trip Hemingway made many times, in “Pilar” the boat Hemingway bought to cruise the Caribbean, outfitted once to attack German Subs, his home on the sea and window to another world. Today, it sits at the Cuba home awaiting renovation, the Cuba government spent $1 million to renovate the Villa itself, called Finca Vigia (Lookout Farm) – Ernest Hemingway’s home in Cojimar Cuba where the American writer lived happily for a while with his wife Martha Gellhorn (he was married four times). – Ernest Hemingway’s home in Cojimar Cuba , and their two sons Patrick and Gregory.<a href="“> The 15 acre grounds are crowded by tropical plants, particularly fruit trees, which attracted lots of local boys who ventured onto the grounds to gather fruit. Hemingway was impressed by the local boys ability to throw rocks and knock the fruit free from the high trees. Wanting his sons, to mix more with the locals, Hemingway started a baseball team which he coached and he provided gloves, bats, uniforms, his sons played and neighborhood kids filled out the roster. The team took on challengers from all over Havana and soon, the players who heard Hemingway’s sons call Ernest “Papa”, they too called him “Papa”, in fact, so did their parents and so did the teams they played against. That’s when he became known as “Papa”. Still Papa is remembered fondly and still appreciated for his tale “OLD MAN AND THE SEA”, a literary masterpiece which the Revolution adopted as an omage’ to the Cuban People and still the Cuban people love him. Today you can have your photo taken at the El Floridita Bar on Obispo street, in Old Havana where the novelist Ernest Hemingway spent many hours drinking his favorite Daiquiri’s and today a bronze Hemingway sits there still where almost all the tourist get their picture taken with the famous Pulitzer prize winning, Nobel Prize winning writer as he holds court at the famous bar. In Key West, Florida the Conch Republic’s parallel is “SLOPPY-JOE’S”, a downtown corner bar where each July they have the annual “Papa Hemingway” LOOK-A-LIKE Contest, where one year the winner didn’t even have a beard, last year’s winner, a barber from Mesa, AZ, did sport a fine beard. As you walk around the two homes, look in the closets, bookcases, wall hangings, view the photographs, numerous animal heads, African decor, you know this is the home of a restless individual, someone always getting ready to go somewhere else or going off to explore new lands. Its true his depression drove his mood, so did his health and he was a man’s man to whom fear was a stranger and he died in the autumn of his life…

CLICK HERE TO TOUR HEMINGWAY’S CUBAN HOME visit his writing tower, see the stuffed heads and skins from his safaris in Africa plus the 5-6,000 book library he had left behind…
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CLICK HERE TO TOUR HEMINGWAY’S KEY WEST Walk in his steps through his home to his favorite bar Sloppy Joes and the fence he pissed on …“><a href="“><a href="“><a href="“><a href="”

February 22, 2011 | Categories: Uncategorized | 2 Comments

PSSSSST….CAN YOU SPARE A PESO ! MAKING A LIVING IN HAVANA CUBA

The huge walls of the City of Havana began construction almost 500 years ago, those thick walls soaks up the Caribbean Sun while the narrow passageways create a cool shaded walkway which makes life much more comfortable escaping the tropical heat. Within that maze of walls, plazas, all of its inhabitants have developed a strategy to survive. Everyone gets a taste, but if you snooze you lose, you have to be ready. There is the Cuban economy or marketplace and the Cuban Black Market both work together to provide all the goods Cubans require but (during the present special period: the recession) supply is limited and long absences are frequent, like light bulbs, just because you have the lamp, the electricity, doesn’t get you light without the bulb. The U.S. 50 year Embargo on CUBA has placed real hardships on the people of CUBA, but the Cubans don’t hate us, they don’t feel sorry for themselves, they laugh at their plight and look to President Obama with great anticipation but dare not hope. They have been disappointed before and have learned to live with the realities of their country. CUBA just laid off another 500,000 jobs forcing yet another half million people to develop new strategies to survive. The average Cuban lives off $20 a month, In the October issue of Harper’s Magazine contributor Patrick Symmes has a story entitled Thirty Days as a Cuban: where he pinches pesos and drops weight trying to survive like the average Cuban, he barely lives to see his flight home.



Meanwhile real Cubans scam tourists for pesos, smuggle rum or cigars, run illegal taxi’s, or beg in the streets. Talents like drawing, turns into quick tourists sketches signed by the artist, colorfully dressed Cuban women swarm foreigners to be photographed and then charge $5 pesos or CUC. Cubans with huge cigars, grab tourists in the plaza for a photo, then charge a peso for their image, nearby a local band performs with cigar box open for donations. As you walks the streets of Havana, folks constantly ask where you’re from and each has his own come-on which begins as soon as you answer. Elsewhere, pirated CDs and DVDs, are sold on the streets and large crowds appear to shop and buy. My favorite of them all, were the three dachshund puppies, from left Canela, 6, the mom, Azuear age 3, the baby and Cachito age 8, the dad. They simply sat there all dressed up and when cued by their owner, psssttt…he says and the puppies stand up and stare straight into the lens and have their picture taken and then go back to at ease. Our Cuban tour guide says “the government pretends to pay us and we pretend to work” One small elevator, had a women in a chair, sitting inside and pushing the up and down button for pesos tips. Frequently folks young and old will approach, rub their belly and hold out their hand. Our tour guide suggested you might give these folks, your small coins, the centavos which bring us to the Cuban Pesos and how there are special stores where that currency is exchanged, and others, for cuc$ is where tourists shop. Locals can go to the movies for 80 cents, but tourists can’t. The Presidente Hotel, probably a 3-4 star stay, charges $85 a night, the tour was charged $65 a night for the same room and breakfast. Living with families in Havana, breakfast is often included and two people can share a room for $25 or less a night. Likewise many homes are open as restaurants and bars where frequently the woman of the house is the owner/operator and her children, waiters and kitchen help. This entrepreneurial spirit is what Cuba hopes will spring from the layoffs and more home licenses are expected as the renovation of the old buildings of Havana continues. In Cuba, you are given a place to live. If you need a bigger home, you find someone who wants to swap and if their home is bigger or better, then you pass some cash under the table and everyone is happy. One local writer’s poem explores the return to a previous home and how the hummingbird plate of many years ago still lived in that space and still held so many memories for her. I was standing on a street corner and when a fella and his #3girlfriend stopped on their way to hear Amereto Fernandes, once a staple at the Buena Vista Social Club and stayed to chat and invited me along, when we arrived down the street at a local bar, this fella and his girl felt I should buy them both a drink, Amereto was glad to pose for photos, if I bought his CD and of course, the Bar was happy with me taking photos as long as I too, had a drink. Total around $25…happened so fast never saw it coming and that is how it is done.Cick on next photo for Havana slideshow)

WHAT IS THE VALUE OF THE CUBAN PESOS ? WHICH PESO ? THE PESOS USED BY THE LOCALS OR THE ONE USED BY THE TOURISTS ? Visiters to Cuba buy kuks, which trades even with the Canadian dollar but stands above the US Dollar, $1.20 to $1, so walking thru customs costs the US visitor an extra 20% which goes straight to Fidel, and then there’s the state’s Health Insurance which is factored into the cost of the Tour, about $400 for the week. The convertible peso ( CUC$), is one of two official currencies in Cuba, the other being the peso. It has been in limited use since 1994, when it was treated as equivalent to the U.S. dollar. In 2004, the U.S. dollar ceased to be accepted in Cuban retail outlets leaving the convertible peso as the only currency in circulation in many Cuban businesses. Officially exchangeable only within the country, its value is currently pegged to $1.08 U.S. [1] The convertible peso is, by the pegged rate, the tenth-highest-valued currency unit in the world and the highest valued “peso” unit. U.S. Credit Cards are not acceptable in CUBA since there are no U.S. Banks there.

CLICK HERE FOR CUBAN PLAZA BAND VIDEO

<a href=" SPANISH TRANSLATIONS:

February 7, 2011 | Categories: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

“IT WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN” Congresswomen GABRIELLE GIFFORDS Staff OverWhelmed…

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THE CRYING BEGAN JUST AFTER 10 AM JANUARY 8TH after the shock of the TUCSON Shooting of 19 and the death of six when CONGRESSWOMEN GABRIELLE GIFFORDS and her staff were targeted by a mentally ill young man who fired point blank at the Congresswomen, shooting her in the head and then turning his weapon upon her staff and the crowd. President Obama came to Tucson and in a “historic” address he eulogized 9 year old Christina Greene saying Americas needs to find it’s way back to being the country this third-grader believed in and wanted it to be, many tears were shed that night. After the Speech the healing began in Tucson, says Renee Bracamonte, who attended the UMC memorial the night after the shooting and saying she was barely able to walk away that night because of all the pain and grief present that night. “Then it changed,” she said, the next time she and her husband Greg went, “This time it was full of peace and love” and as they walked through the notes, photos, and teddy bears, we wondered if this could have happened for someone else or anywhere else, “Gabbie has touched so many lives, you wonder if anyone else would have caused the same out-pouring of love and now hope”. We thought this was unique to Tucson,” Renee said. “It’s hard to believe Gabbie has touched all these lives.”Mark Kimble agrees “but there you are” said Kimble, a staff member who was present at the Safeway shooting, he says pointing to the acre of photos, balloons, cards, posters and mementos left by those who felt touched by the 40 year old Congresswomen. “last week we collected all the stuffed animals about 600 teddy bears and took them to kids at local hospitals. Look, they’re are all back–pointing out how the ones removed had morphed into many more as folks contribute to the up-swell of hope and peace radiating from the vigils and shrines that have spontaneously sprung up at Gifford’s Offices at Swan and Pima, at University of Arizona’s Medical Center (UMC) <a href="“><a href="“>where doctors treated her injuries before transferring her last week to Houston for what has been an amazing and hopeful recovery and another shrine, stands at the Safeway at Oracle and Ina Roads on Tucson’s Northwest side where three helicopters landed to treat the injured after the shooting. Kimble says he and C.J. Karamargin have been overwhelmed by media requests since the shooting and said he misses 250 phone calls a day, even though he handles at least that many each day. Two congressmen sent their media staffers to Tucson to help out and another 25 showed up at the Giffords offices in Washington DC and began working for Gabbie and not their Congressmen until the Giffords staff could crawl out from beneath the crush of international outpouring which has moved her story and those of the victims to the top of the news hour all over the world. “It will never be the same again”, Kimble said. “She is the best known politician in the country”. Her communications director C.J. Karamargin is now on a first name basis with Diane Sawyer, Cathy Couric and all the media networks and outlets but beneath it all the staff continues to keep the doors open while Gabbie is in Houston with her husband Mark Kelly, an American Astronaut scheduled to command the final shuttle flight into space. Mark was with her when she was transferred last friday from UMC to Texas he reported it was very emotional as the ambulance pulled through Tucson streets (the route was publicized) Gabbie teared from the applause and cheers of encouragement coming from folks lining the streets who wanted to pay homage to the scrappy fighter Tucson has long known and loved. All along there’s hasn’t been a dry eye anywhere, this traumatic event has scard the community, the nation and the American political system. The first deputy on the scene wept she couldn’t arrive quicker because traffic ignored her sirens nor let her pass, investigators at the scene broke down mid-questions and paused to collect themselves, funerals have been held for nine year old Christina Greene, Gabriel Zimmerman 30, and Judge M. Roll, Dorothy Morris, 76; Dorwan Stoddard, 76; and Phyllis Schneck,79. Thousands have visited the shrines and attended the vigils, each has shed a tear, you can’t help but feel touched by all the love, concern and sentiment. “Let a new era of love begin with me” writes one, “from this day forward I will…”, another painted John Lennon’s words from “IMAGINE” on flagstone, including “Imagine all the people living Life in Peace”. National Public Radio and CNN both reported Giffords death before learning of their mistake and now have started working to avoid such errors and a listener that day, husband Mark Kelley, said he and Gabbie’s step daughters had to live with that news for many minutes. But when asked what concerned him most about Gabbie resuming her role Kelly said he knew her first “Congress on your Corner” would be held at the same Safeway at Oracle and Ina Roads. Years ago, before her story-book marriage to Navy Commander Mark Kelly, she was asked why a successful young women would want the aggravations of politics and she smiled, raised her beer and said simply, “I am a patriot.” That’s why it didn’t surprise me when an Iraqi War Vet tracked down Gabbie’s care nurse, gave her his purple heart, refused to leave his name, and insisted she deserves it more than he did. It was pinned to her gown. At tonight’s STATE of the NATION Address President Obama and the rest of the Nation gave Gabbie Giffords a standing ovation and left a symbolic empty chair.<a href="“>
http://pkweis.photoshelter.com/swf/CSlideShow.swf?bgtrans=f&trans=xfade&f_l=t&f_link=t&f_fscr=t&f_smooth=f&f_tb=t&f_mtrx=t&f_bb=t&tbs=6000&f_bbl=&f_fss=f&target=_self&f_ap=t&f_2up=t&f_up=f&f_crp=f&btype=new&f_wm=t&f_s2f=t&bcolor=%23231a1a&f_emb=t&f_cap=t&f_sln=t&ldest=c&imgT=casc&cred=iptc&v=20091016&feedSRC=http%3A//pkweis.photoshelter.com/gallery/G0000XLpgrwum7fI%3Ffeed%3Drss%26ppg%3D200<!–
GAB GIFFORDS US CONGRESSWOMEN – Images by Phares K. Weis III
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Dr. Peter Rhee, one of Giffords’ Tucson physicians, and the family of Christina-Taylor Green, a 9-year-old girl killed in the Tucson shooting massacre, will sit in a box with the first lady. Daniel Hernandez’s the Gabrielle Giffords intern whose quick attention to Giffords on the scene is credited with helping to save her life, will also sit with first lady Michelle Obama and his father Daniel Hernandez Sr, it happens to be his 21st birthday on the day the President of the United States calls him a hero and a Patriot and his father will be there to see it.

January 25, 2011 | Categories: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

JACK FROST WINTERS IN TUCSON

SHORT STAY IS FORCASTED….It’s still snowing in Bisbee but the sun is shining in Tucson and I-40 and I-17 re-opened Thursday morning after Wednesday afternoon road closures when the first wave of a winter-weather system swept through the state Wednesday, lashing the Valley with rain, dumping deep snow in the high country and paralyzing Arizona’s major north-south route. Southbound Interstate 17 was re-opened about 10:30 a.m. Thursday after being closed just south of Flagstaff on Wednesday. Interstate 40 from Kingman to Flagstaff and on to Holbrook was reopened Thursday afternoon after being closed for several hours. In addition, Arizona 260, Arizona 87 and 89A have all been closed, and officials are not sure when they might be re-opened.
The second chapter of the winter blast was set to hit Arizona today, as precipitation tapers off and temperatures start to plunge. High temperatures for Thursday are expected to reach 49 degrees, well below our average high of 67 degrees. Friday morning’s low is expected to dip to 29 degrees at the official weather station at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport – cold enough to damage plants and even burst water pipes, according to the National Weather Service. The lows on Friday and Saturday mornings are likely to be the coldest since January 2007.
Snow accumulations of eight to 18 inches above 6,000 feet and two to eight inches between 2,800 and 6,000 feet are predicted. Motorists in Southern Arizona should be prepared for winter weather and deteriorating road conditions. The warning covers the upper Santa Cruz River Valley, the Altar Valley, metro Tucson, the upper San Pedro River Valley and Eastern Cochise County below 5,000 feet
Tonight: Snow showers likely before 11pm. Areas of frost after 2am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 20. Breezy, with a west wind 26 to 29 mph decreasing to between 10 and 13 mph. Winds could gust as high as 46 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.
Friday: A 10 percent chance of snow showers after 11am. Areas of frost before 8am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 24. West wind between 9 and 14 mph.
Tonight: A slight chance of rain and snow showers before 8pm, then a slight chance of snow showers between 8pm and 11pm. Areas of frost after 2am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 28. West wind 14 to 17 mph becoming south 6 to 9 mph. Winds could gust as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 10%.
Friday: Areas of frost before 8am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 46. Calm wind becoming west between 6 and 9 mph.
New Year’s Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 51. Light north northwest wind.
The same storm created 100 mph gusts when it blew through California’s High Sierra and overturned semis in Nevada.
TUCSON WEATHER FRIDAY …COLD and PARTLY CLOUDY

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December 30, 2010 | Categories: Uncategorized | Leave a comment