HikeArizona.COM

The endless chatter of weather.

@chumley
Yikes...btw good use of orograhpics..so its safe to assume you also can explain the phenomena of orographic uplifting...taught that a few times to the kiddos..lol

Some of the totals coming together for this and the next storm look to be very impressive. Up to 7 inches of precipitation liquid on higher peaks in southern California, up to 2 inches of just rain in Flagstaff, and over 4 inches near Payson.

It's raining up here in Valley Center, California. A steady rain. It started sometime during the night. The fire department was distributing sand bags yesterday, anticipating flooding. We live almost on top of a hill, so probably don't need them.

Jim_H wrote:up to 2 inches of just rain in Flagstaff, and over 4 inches near Payson.

I guess I better take my San Tan five year old grandson to Payson today as he has yet to see real rain. ;)

I never saw snow falling from the sky until I was in my late 40's. For us San Diegans, snow was something you went to visit on a Saturday when you could see it on the mountains from the city.

Watching it actually fall was fun at first. It was really cool to see how the world is transformed. After 14 years of living in the snow country, I don't care if I never see it again, however. Too cold for me. I never could remember to go out and get my car ready to go to work, so I was always late to work on snowy or icy days. I just never could get used to that part.

@Jim_H
I think that Payson forecast means I will be sticking to the Supes this weekend...

@friendofThundergod
I don't think the Supes will be noticeably different from Payson. It's going to be substantially wet over all of central Arizona.

@chumley
I know, but more comfortable running around the Supes with potential flash floods and rain, rather than Mazatzals which I have only been to once...I know alternate routes if Boulder or La Barge is swelled..not so sure up there, not to mention more potential for white-stuff...I can hike in Supes all weekend and not touch 4000 feet..trail head starts at 5800 feet in the Mazatzals...a whole different animal you know..

Mazzies are big. Plenty of trail options starting at 2000-ft.

It's called the Verde River

If totals look anything like this, it'll be good news for most of the west.

This series of storms looks add quite a bit of moisture to the southwestern corner of the CONUS. It's not very cold, but the extra precip may end up saving a few salmon and steelhead runs. We're at about 2/3" here in the East Bay with more allegedly coming later tonight. Hope it heads down to SoCal & Arizona!

Jim Lyding wrote:This series of storms looks add quite a bit of moisture to the southwestern corner of the CONUS. It's not very cold, but the extra precip may end up saving a few salmon and steelhead runs. We're at about 2/3" here in the East Bay with more allegedly coming later tonight. Hope it heads down to SoCal & Arizona!

We had a nice bit of rain overnight and part of the morning, with more forecast at 10 p.m. This next round is supposed to be heavier rain, off and on for a couple of days, plus wind and BIG surf! Sunday I might go down to the beach to see it.

Blowing dust this afternoon. Really nasty this evening. May have to cancel my hike tomorrow, if it is even close to this level of dust. No rain for south-central New Mexico.

Jim_H wrote:Blowing dust this afternoon. Really nasty this evening. May have to cancel my hike tomorrow, if it is even close to this level of dust. No rain for south-central New Mexico.

You're not getting rain because Calif. and Ariz. are so thirsty, so we are going to take all of it, and send you just the wind and dust. Hahaha!

Well, these lows are moving northeast, or east, and either through Arizona up to Colorado, or Utah to Colorado, skipping New Mexico.

@Jim_H
And down here in southeastern AZ, we may not do as well as originally hoped. But even .3 to .5 inch of rain would be welcome after this stretch of zilch!

rwstorm wrote:@Jim_H
And down here in southeastern AZ, we may not do as well as originally hoped. But even .3 to .5 inch of rain would be welcome after this stretch of zilch!

What happened to 1 inch?

@Jim_H
To qualify, I am speaking of the Tucson area, not nearby sky islands. Looks like the low won't dig down the coast as far before turning east-northeast. Still, we will be happy with what nature gives us.

Jim_H wrote:Blowing dust this afternoon. Really nasty this evening.

So the question is, just how do you measure dust?

rwstorm wrote:@Jim_H
To qualify, I am speaking of the Tucson area, not nearby sky islands. Looks like the low won't dig down the coast as far before turning east-northeast. Still, we will be happy with what nature gives us.

I wonder if that will impact the rain and snow for southern California and Arizona, over the morning totals forecast?