Atmosphere Comparison
Posted: May 15 2009 8:25 pm
The endless chatter of weather.
HikeArizona.COM
Find hikes, GPS routes, photos and triplogs journals. Extensive collection of flora, fauna, geology and culture labels. Archaeologist, biologist, book authors, historians and outfitters galore keep our content true.
https://hikearizona.com/dex2/
Atmosphere Comparison
Page 115 of 379
Re: 2012: Rain, Wind, and Sun
Posted: Mar 14 2012 3:20 am
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.
Re: 2012: Rain, Wind, and Sun
Posted: Mar 14 2012 8:16 am
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.
Re: 2012: Rain, Wind, and Sun
Posted: Mar 14 2012 8:47 am
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.
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.
Re: 2012: Rain, Wind, and Sun
Posted: Mar 14 2012 9:18 am
As dry as it is there is already rumors of shutting down the forest starting in April this year....
Re: 2012: Rain, Wind, and Sun
Posted: Mar 14 2012 9:31 am
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.
Re: 2012: Rain, Wind, and Sun
Posted: Mar 14 2012 9:34 am
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.
Re: 2012: Rain, Wind, and Sun
Posted: Mar 14 2012 10:04 am
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.
Re: 2012: Rain, Wind, and Sun
Posted: Mar 14 2012 10:37 pm
Looks good so far, just needs to stretch a little further SE.
Re: 2012: Rain, Wind, and Sun
Posted: Mar 14 2012 11:27 pm
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.
Re: 2012: Rain, Wind, and Sun
Posted: Mar 15 2012 5:42 am
White Mtns. should do okay, too, but no red spots there. You never know, though.
Re: 2012: Rain, Wind, and Sun
Posted: Mar 15 2012 8:04 am
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.
Re: 2012: Rain, Wind, and Sun
Posted: Mar 15 2012 8:33 am
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.
Re: 2012: Rain, Wind, and Sun
Posted: Mar 15 2012 5:45 pm
The news last night said it has been 84 days since the Valley has had any measureable rainfall.... 
Re: 2012: Rain, Wind, and Sun
Posted: Mar 15 2012 11:17 pm
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
Re: 2012: Rain, Wind, and Sun
Posted: Mar 16 2012 5:59 am
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
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
Re: 2012: Rain, Wind, and Sun
Posted: Mar 16 2012 9:34 am
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.
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.Re: 2012: Rain, Wind, and Sun
Posted: Mar 17 2012 4:05 pm
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. 
Re: 2012: Rain, Wind, and Sun
Posted: Mar 17 2012 6:51 pm
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!
Re: 2012: Rain, Wind, and Sun
Posted: Mar 18 2012 7:03 am
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.
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.
Re: 2012: Rain, Wind, and Sun
Posted: Mar 18 2012 7:49 am
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. 