Atmosphere Comparison

[Jim]

The endless chatter of weather.

[azbackpackr]

I'd say Tucson is high desert, at 2400 feet, as opposed to Yuma, at 138 feet. And that weather forecast sure looks squirrelly. I wonder if it will end up being mostly wind.

[chumley]

In relation to Yuma, Tucson is certainly higher, but I wouldn't consider it to be "high desert". Then again, what do I know? Wiki says the Mojave is high desert, and the Sonoran is low desert. I believe there are some significant elevation overlaps between the two.

[Jim]

Tucson is no way near the "high desert". In a semantics argument, it is still low, but because it is low. It is part of the upper bajada, and Yuma part of the lower bajada. Ecologically, the Sonoran and many deserts are divided in to the lower, middle and upper bajada, and Tucson is classic upper and middle, but the Sonoran is a hot, low desert. Only someone from Mississippi or Illinois would think 2600' is "high elevation".

I live in a high desert, at 5750' and in a place that receives around 7 inches of precip a year. In a good year, it seems. Some call the Colorado Plateau a true desert, others a semi desert, but it is high. The Great Basin is a classic example of a high desert, too.

[Dschur]

As dry as it is there is already rumors of shutting down the forest starting in April this year....

[Jim]

Ah, rumor. The mill must be working overtime. I expect the FS would want to be conservative and keep the forest, or certain districts open to after the Memorial Day weekend.

[chumley]

Looks like the forecast for the storm is beginning to curb the precipitation amounts down a bit. Still too far out to tell though. But two feet of snow in the high-country would go a long way to helping mitigate fire danger in the pines. Another good storm in April can be key. I've always thought that the overall winter precipitation isn't as critical to fire danger as one or two storms in April and/or May. Let's hope.

[azbackpackr]

Yes, I have observed that in the White Mtns. Have a lousy winter, but a kind of wet April and May, and you see fewer fires.

[Jim]

Looks good so far, just needs to stretch a little further SE.

[chumley]

Looks like it could be one of those epic storms in the Sierra. 5 or 6 feet of snow (or more!) would be good there, it's been a very dry winter for them.

[azbackpackr]

White Mtns. should do okay, too, but no red spots there. You never know, though.

[chumley]

The early forecast for the Arizona high country

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS 10 TO 20 INCHES
ARE LIKELY AT THE 7000 FOOT LEVEL...RANGING DOWN TO 2 TO 6
INCHES AT THE 5000 FOOT LEVEL. ACCUMULATIONS OVER 24 INCHES ARE
POSSIBLE ABOVE 8000 FEET.

[Jim]

Yeah, better late and when I would rather not have snow, then never. California and AZ should have had about 5 or 6 of these this winter. I still hope the SE corner of the state sees a healthy amount, since things looked pretty dry there. Despite being substantially wetter this December, I think it has been warmer in January and February. Even a 1/3 of an inch over much of the valley and 1/2 up in the foot hills below 6000' would probably be great.

[outdoor_lover]

The news last night said it has been 84 days since the Valley has had any measureable rainfall....

[chumley]

It's been dry:

Code: Select all

 CLIMATE SUMMARY...
  
 THE PAST THREE MONTHS HAVE BEEN EXCEPTIONALLY DRY FOR MUCH OF THE 
 SONORAN DESERT. BELOW IS A LISTING OF STATIONS AND THE AMOUNT OF 
 PRECIPITATION RECORDED SINCE DECEMBER 16...WHAT NORMALLY FALLS...AND 
 WHAT THE CURRENT PERCENT OF NORMAL IS. THE FINAL COLUMN GIVES HOW 
 THIS YEAR RANKS COMPARED TO PAST YEARS DURING THE ANALYSIS WINDOW.
  
                   16 DEC 2011 TO                PERCENT       RANK
                    15 MAR 2012      NORMAL     OF NORMAL     DRIEST
         BOUSE AZ       0.12"         2.06"         6%          1ST
      COOLIDGE AZ       0.72"         3.10"        23%          7TH
     GILA BEND AZ       0.19"         2.42"         8%          8TH
      MARICOPA AZ       0.09"         2.70"         3%          1ST
         MIAMI AZ       1.86"         6.51"        29%          8TH
 PHX SKY HARBR AZ       0.12"         2.77"         4%          1ST
 PUNKIN CENTER AZ       0.66"         6.57"        10%          4TH
    WICKENBURG AZ       0.29"         4.01"         7%          5TH
          YUMA AZ       0.05"         1.18"         4%          7TH
        BLYTHE CA       0.19"         1.58"        12%          9TH
 

[azbackpackr]

Thanks. I never take the time to try to find those kinds of charts, nice that someone can find them.

Incidentally, I have actually BEEN to Bouse. The Bouse Fisherman Intaglio is nearby. It's a sort of on-the-ground petroglyph, also known as a geoglyph. Look it up, it's interesting, or check out my triplog: http://hikearizona.com/photoset.php?ID=6778

[Jim]

Looks like a good central and southern AZ storm, with not too much up here. Maybe some rain, but not too much snow for me!! Catalina Mountains might get a healthy dose, and the desert might get 1/4 to 3/4 of an inch. Wooob wooob woob woob woob.

[RedRoxx44]

Weather underground says 70% chance of SNOW for southern az Sun nite. It'd be nice as I have Mon off and could run around a little bit. As it is I am going to try for an off trail summit tomorrow which I hope I do have some inclement weather to create interesting photo conditions. If it's too bad I'll just stay home and print photos, have some empty frames.

[chumley]

Looks like the heavy/steady stuff will be done in the morning. Afternoon might be an interesting (though likely still showery) time to be out getting some photos!

[Jim]

Man, Flag is getting it. Over an inch of liquid equivelent at the airport which is coming as snow, and Snowbowl reports 19 inches of snow, with more coming. over a foot predicted for the Catalina Mountains and up to an inch of rain for the Tucson area.

We had fierce wind last night. My house was shaking. Blowing sand, that looked like rain or snow in the street lights, but was sand. Really nasty stuff. More dunes formed up in places. It is just starting to rain now.

[RedRoxx44]

Raining like heck and heavy wind gusts. Feel bad for some of my plants being whipped by the wind. Good time to clean house but I don't feel like it. Locked and loaded but don't want to go out just yet. Will try for later, so will waste my time on the internet and playing with the cats until its too late for anything.