Phoenix-area heat rising this weekend; hotter in western Arizona

The Phoenix area is expected to see temperatures nearing 110 degrees, with even higher temperatures in western areas of Arizona, the National Weather Service said.

Areas near Yuma and La Paz counties could see temperatures reaching 112 degrees, prompting an excessive-heat advisory, the Weather Service said.

The average afternoon temperature in Phoenix for this time in August is about 104 degrees.

The chances of any monsoon rain will range from 10 to 20 percent in Phoenix into early next week, said Mark O'Malley, meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Phoenix.

The monsoon made a brief return to the Valley earlier this week after drier conditions the past few weeks, bringing rainfall Wednesday night to numerous parts of the region.

"So far, this monsoon has been fairly good for the city as a whole," O'Malley said. "The amount of rain has been fairly consistent with what we would have expected during the monsoon season." 

Phoenix officially has received about 4.73 inches of rainfall since Jan. 1, which is .27 inches less than the average for this time of year, according to the National Weather Service.  

For those who are planning outdoor activities, O'Malley suggests drinking plenty of water, taking frequent breaks and avoiding outside activities between 3 and 5 p.m. 

O'Malley said the Phoenix area is not expected to see any effect from lingering moisture brought ashore in Texas from Hurricane Harvey.