HikeArizona.COM

The endless chatter of weather.

Hail yah! 2 days in a row.

MtnBart01 wrote:Hail yah! 2 days in a row.

I haven't seen any stats, but I wouldn't be surprised if CO were the hailingest place around.

Anyone else tired of monsoon season? Yeah, I get it, we need the rain, but the humidity over here is like the east. Not that hot really, but super humid. Can we dry out already?

Now, I recognize the spotty nature of heavy monsoon thunderstorms and that one location can have an inundation and another a short distance away can have nearly nothing, but there have been some impressive totals so far this month, in AZ. Flagstaff has had nearly 5 inches, and SE AZ has done well across the board with Douglas at nearly 8 inches for the month. Totals for SE have been widely above normal, for most locales.

@Jim_H
Through yesterday, Douglas has had 8.47 for the month. This represents not only the wettest July of record (since 1948), but the wettest month period, and is the first time they have topped 8 inches in a month. Not bad.

RWStorm wrote:Through yesterday, Douglas has had 8.47 for the month.

Is Wilcox Playa under water?

@big_load
Good question. A lot of the water in the Sulpher Springs Valley seems to pool up there, so I imagine it is filling up nicely. I'll get a look at it when I drive by tomorrow.

There has been a large area of light to moderate rain over the Playa region this evening, so I'm sure it is getting some good water buildup.

RWStorm wrote:There has been a large area of light to moderate rain over the Playa region this evening, so I'm sure it is getting some good water buildup.

I wish I could see it in full glory. It must seem like the ocean.

Cascade Co. was several inches below normal and is only an inch below normal thanks to the monsoons and almost daily afternoon deluges. Gives the snow plows double duty use clearing the highway of flash flood debri to keep the pass open. I can usually get some hiking in in the am and then the rains bring the temps way down in the evening. With lows in the 50s the increase in humidity doesn't really make it uncomfortable.

So, the Flagstaff NWS office had a story about the wet July, so far. With the 0800 totals at Flagstaff for the month which are on the story and the 1.14" storm this afternoon, it wouldn't take much for this July to be the wettest on record. It's #3 right now, and needs about 1 1/4 inch to be #1.
added:
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/fgz/News/Monsoo ... pdated.jpg

Flagstaff picked up another 1/3 of an inch, bumping July 2013 in to second place for wettest recorded July. About 9/10 of an inch to be #1.

We have had 2.5 inches this past week in Payson up to this point in July we had only had .5 inches.. Last night we received almost an inch of slow steady rain over 4 or so hrs..

@Dschur
We got rained out up there on the Rim earlier this Week, I can believe those totals....

Jim it would be cool if FGZ had a rainfall index much like PSR has now (http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/psr/PRI/). Monsoon storms can be so localized that even though the gauge at FLG or Bellemont is showing #1 or #2 in rainfall, it may not be painting an accurate picture of the area as a whole. With the ability to communicate in remote locations now (via both cellular and satellite connections) I expect more weather sensors to be placed in the future. The more data we gather, the more we can learn, and the more accurate "picture" we can draw.

Nickel sized hail pounded the park today - my yard looked like winter. Flash flood warning now, with good reason!

Jim_H wrote:Flagstaff picked up another 1/3 of an inch, bumping July 2013 in to second place for wettest recorded July. About 9/10 of an inch to be #1.

.18 so far today. But looks to be drying out until the calendar turns to August. Might be tough to get the final .44 to break the record.

edit: maybe not. they got .34 this afternoon/evening. Only .10 to go now...

Flooding occurring or imminent along Cataract into Supai, and all the creeks in the canyon from Hermit's Rest to Desert View according to the NWS. Including popular trailside creek crossings at Hermit, Monument, Hance, Bright Angel, etc.

Solid rain up north today...

The river sure must be very muddy!

Parts of the BA trail got washed out from 3mile to the River, and the day-use area of IG was flooded. Wish I had been down there somewhere to see the action!