Phoenix Faces Potential for Historic November Rainfall
Phoenix, Arizona is experiencing an unusually wet November, sparking discussion about whether 2025 could rank among the city’s rainiest on record. While still early in the month, the current weather patterns follow a record-breaking October, raising the possibility of important rainfall totals.
Historically, exceeding two inches of rain in November is a benchmark for exceptionally wet months in the desert city. Data from the National Weather Service reveals only ten Novembers in Phoenix’s history have surpassed this threshold. A continued pattern of precipitation could see 2025 join this exclusive list, impacting local infrastructure and water resources.
Here are the 10 wettest Novembers in Phoenix’s history:
- 1905 – 3.61 inches of rain. Major destructive flooding occurred in the Gila River basin during this month.
- 1931 – 3.18 inches
- 1923 – 2.84 inches
- 1993 – 2.79 inches
- 1952 – 2.60 inches
- 1982 – 2.50 inches
- 2013 - 2.43 inches. Rainfall was concentrated over three days, with November 22nd being the second-wettest November day on record.
- 1919 – 2.38 inches. A rare snowfall was experienced in the city this month.
- 1978 – 2.30 inches
- 1902 – 2.01 inches
October 2025 was the third wettest on record, with 3.26 inches of rain. Forecasters indicate a 15-30% chance of continued rain through the weekend and the remainder of the month, with an “above normal” chance of precipitation.
