Heat expected to subside but not humidity

Mid-May's weather is providing an unwelcome preview of the coming summer: The heat of June with the stickiness of July and August.

Winds rip through East Valley, leave damage

With a high of 104 degrees at 4 p.m., Tuesday marked the 14th straight day with high temperatures of at least 100 degrees. While the heat is expected to subside, bountiful humidity is expected to continue throughout the week, creating the possibility of showers and thunderstorms.

At the National Weather Service's local office, warning coordination meteorologist Ken Waters said the annual monsoon hasn't arrived - although the conditions certainly are "monsoon-ish."

"This normally is your baking time," Waters said.

Waters noted May typically is one of the driest months for the Southwest. But, he added, last May a strong storm dropped nearly a half-inch of rain on the Valley.

On Sunday and Monday, thunderstorms erupted over parts of Arizona. Waters said he felt some raindrops at his east Mesa home over the weekend. Also, a lightning strike was recorded in western Maricopa County, and strong wind gusts were reported near Yuma and on Interstate 8 between Casa Grande and Gila Bend.

About 250 homes were without power Tuesday morning in a section of Mesa where winds blew over eight power poles Monday night. Power was restored by Tuesday afternoon.

A late-night storm brought 60 mph winds, lightning and blowing dust throughout the East Valley.

In Chandler, gusts blew several large canopies that were set up in the parking lot of a Lexus car dealership at Interstate 10 and Ray Road.

Wednesday and Thursday night there is a 30 percent change of thunderstorms.

Responsible is a low-pressure system, currently located off the Southern California coast, sending tropical moisture from Mexico into Arizona.

On Sunday, the average dew point - a measure of moisture in the atmosphere - was 40 degrees; five days earlier, the dew point was 15.

Tuesday's 14th straight day with high temperatures of at least 100 degrees set a record; in 1984 and 2003, there were stretches of 13 consecutive days with triple-digit heat.

Typically at this time of year, daytime highs are in the mid-90s.

But further research by the National Weather Service did not find any link between early May heat such as this and extreme heat throughout the rest of the summer.

No daily records have been broken or tied during this current run.

The heat wave is expected to subside by Wednesday, with highs falling to the upper 80s by Thursday.