Storms in the winter? (Phoenix, Carefree: art, drought, weather)

[Nea1]

My first winter here and just wondering what the usual weather here is like during the winter. Any storms?
have there been big storms here before in the winter and what type?

[Ponderosa]

Winter is the other rainy season (monsoon being the summer one). It usually does not get going until late Dec/January and continues to early March. Winter storms are from cold fronts that come down the California coast. They tend to come in series due to pattern shifts in the Eastern Pacific. Three storms in a row then dry for a couple weeks then some more storms.

They are nothing like the summer monsoons although sometimes it can get windy in advance of them and stir up a lot of dust. Rain is usually light 1/4-1/2 inch in Phoenix area and more general. The mountains get snow. Snow level can drop to about 2000 feet in colder storms so Carefree sometimes get white and the mountains visible outside of town will have snow on them from time to time. The day or two following storms might have highs only in the upper 50s and frost on the car windows in the morning. Even with the storms a true "rainy day" is rare. It tends to be mostly cloudy with partial clearing then some more clouds etc. Winter rains are usually welcomed as are the summer ones - breaks the monotony of sunshine.

The last few years (except 2005) have been a big disappointment with drought conditions, but this year is supposed to be better due to El Nino conditions in E. Pacific. We'll see. If the rains come early and frequently we will have a spectacular wildflower display come March.