Clouds bring brief relief from heat in Desert Southwest

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - After a stretch of near-normal July heat, parts of the Desert Southwest could see a slight change in the forecast.

Scattered storm activity remains possible across the region Tuesday, with the best chances east of Yuma and into the higher terrain of eastern Arizona.

Still, outflows from those storms may drift west, bringing gusty winds, blowing dust, and a very slim chance for spotty showers tonight through early Wednesday morning.

Increased cloud cover is expected to bring some relief from the heat. Temperatures across Yuma County and Imperial Valley will likely stay a few degrees below normal Wednesday and Thursday.

Highs may hover in the upper 90s to low 100s below the seasonal average for mid-July.

The storm risk locally remains low, but a few isolated showers or weak thunderstorms can't be ruled out, especially during the late evening hours.

Wind gusts of 20 to 30 mph are possible near storm outflows, particularly south and east of the region.

Looking ahead to the end of the week, drier conditions are expected to return by Friday into the weekend.

Temperatures will gradually climb back to near-normal values by Saturday, with highs back in the 105–108° range.

Humidity will briefly improve midweek but is expected to drop again over the weekend as high pressure rebuilds.

Rain chances will stick around for the higher terrain in Arizona, but should fade across the lower deserts, including Yuma and Imperial County.