Atmosphere Comparison

Jim · Post by **Jim** » May 15 2009 8:25 pm

The endless chatter of weather.

chumley · Post by **chumley** » Jan 30 2015 3:49 pm

Oak Creek is flashing in Sedona right now.
Sabino Creek in Tucson is also over 1000cfs.

Other creeks with gauges are generally running but not close to flood stage.

Bradshaws, Mazzies, and Supes have gotten 2+ inches so far, and the southeast part of the state has gotten bombed

The bad news? It's WARM!
It's raining at the Nordic Center in Flagstaff (8100 ft).

It's snowing at the base of Snowbowl (9300 ft) but melting and not sticking to trees.
Snow at Sunrise also appears to be very wet and not accumulating on the buildings at the top of the mountain. (10,600 ft)

The snow level is supposed to drop lower tonight and tomorrow, but it seems there will be no accumulation below 7500 feet.

RedRoxx44 · Post by **RedRoxx44** » Jan 30 2015 3:54 pm

If not blocked off may have to see what's flowing out of the Reddington Pass area on Sun.

rwstorm · Post by **rwstorm** » Jan 30 2015 3:56 pm

chumley wrote:the southeast part of the state has gotten bombed

I'm pushing .60 at my house as of this post time...but I'll be getting bombed soon ;)

http://www.wunderground.com/personal-we ... 47#history

chumley · Post by **chumley** » Jan 30 2015 4:09 pm

@rwstorm

I've only been looking at radar down there so far. It'll be morning before I have real readings. Tucson metro looks a bit weak, but Sierra Vista was doing well, and it looks like the Rincons, Galiuros, and Pinalenos should have nice totals as well.

rwstorm · Post by **rwstorm** » Jan 30 2015 4:14 pm

@chumley
I just heard there some stranded hikers somewhere up in Sabino Canyon. With this strong SW flow the orographic lift is big time and this morning's Tucson sounding showed the 5th highest precipitable water value ever in January, so yes, bombs away!

chumley · Post by **chumley** » Jan 30 2015 4:16 pm

Just read an update from Snowbowl. The resort is reporting 5-9" of accumulation so far today.

But a post said the following

I'm just now leaving the resort and it's been going between rain and heavy snow all day. Fun, but wet with low visibility . I also wouldn't say we hit 4 to 9 as most the flakes became drops on impact and there was zero snow on the parking lots, just mud.

:yuck:

azbackpackr · Post by **azbackpackr** » Jan 30 2015 5:08 pm

I heard it rained hard in west Tucson just a few minutes ago. Here in Needles we had a slow steady rain all night. I had patched the leak in the roof yesterday, and the patch worked. Too late for my computer, which was damaged in the previous storm a few nights ago, but that story has a happy ending. I have a new laptop now, and a keyboard for the old one, and a new external hard drive to store all my photos. But that roof leak was a wake-up call to store the photos in a better way.

sneakySASQUATCH · Post by **sneakySASQUATCH** » Jan 30 2015 7:03 pm

@chumley
Consider the source.

chumley · Post by **chumley** » Jan 30 2015 7:51 pm

Tonto Creek and Sycamore Creek are both running strong. The Mazzies have received a lot of rain.

In Tucson, Rincon Creek, and Tanque Verde are also running impressively. NWS reported over 5 inches over the Catalina and Rincon peaks.

Radar indicates the Huachacas may be in that department too.

North of the valley, very light flow in New River, Agua Fria, and Cave Creek.

mazatzal · Post by **mazatzal** » Jan 30 2015 8:14 pm

chumley wrote:Mazzies have received a lot of rain

Yes I got rained on a bit

azbackpackr · Post by **azbackpackr** » Jan 31 2015 8:28 am

Holy cow Chum! Thanks for mentioning river data. For those not in the know, look at the middle column of numbers on this page. That shows you the cubic feet per second, or "cfs." Many creeks and rivers which normally would flow in the hundreds or be down at zero are currently running in the thousands:

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/az/nwis/current/?type=flow

I have always enjoyed this webpage. I don't always get the chance to see the high flows, though. LCR at Holbrook, over 4,000 cfs (get out your cameras, head for Grand Falls!) Black River is a lot higher than normal at 4200, and as a result the upper Salt is way up to over 5,000, a scary run in a boat. This is exciting. Wish I had time for a road trip.

San Carlos River--I had never paid it any attention before, roaring along at 5800. San Francisco River 5500, Blue River , etc., etc. It's wonderful! Tonto Creek spiked at 3,000. I remember one time there was a flood, and it was up to about 100,000, though.

big_load · Post by **big_load** » Jan 31 2015 9:44 am

@azbackpackr I hope I'm not missing a good flow at Grand Falls.

azbackpackr · Post by **azbackpackr** » Jan 31 2015 3:11 pm

big_load wrote:@azbackpackr I hope I'm not missing a good flow at Grand Falls.

Well, you have to watch the values at Winslow and Cameron. Once the water starts coming up at Cameron, then you go. This afternoon I see 4100 at Winslow and 66 at Cameron. It takes quite a while for the water to get downstream in that section. I suppose you are somewhere far away anyway. But it isn't going to be running 20 grand or anything just about 4 grand, looks like.

big_load · Post by **big_load** » Jan 31 2015 7:56 pm

@azbackpackr I am far away at the moment, but thanks for the info. It will come in handy someday. I'm absolutely determined to see big water at Grand Falls while I'm still capable of making footprints.

azbackpackr · Post by **azbackpackr** » Feb 01 2015 2:26 am

big_load wrote:@azbackpackr I am far away at the moment, but thanks for the info. It will come in handy someday. I'm absolutely determined to see big water at Grand Falls while I'm still capable of making footprints.

You can drive right to it. It is not in a pretty area, either so don't get all excited. It looks good in pictures.

johnny88 · Post by **johnny88** » Feb 01 2015 8:53 am

The rain is great, but it's January and the mountains need some snow. I was up on Kendrick Mountain yesterday, and even at 8900' it was raining!

rwstorm · Post by **rwstorm** » Feb 01 2015 9:17 am

Great start to 2015! Storm total precip at my place was 2.09, January total 2.56.

http://www.weatherlink.com/user/randy883/

outdoor_lover · Post by **outdoor_lover** » Feb 01 2015 9:58 am

I think in the 37 Years I've lived here, I have never seen Fog like this, last this Long....Wonder if they are even Golfing today...Seattle may have an Advantage if this keeps up....

rwstorm · Post by **rwstorm** » Feb 01 2015 10:07 am

@Outdoor Lover
Yes, it really is quite the fog event...and over such a large area. A little after 10 am and I still have about 3/4 mile visibility, as I wait for some breaks to go out for some photos. Hopefully by afternoon the weather will be more Patriot friendly. ;)

Jim · Post by **Jim** » Feb 01 2015 1:07 pm

I am very impressed with the rain totals from Nevada to Arizona and New Mexico, but with the warm and subtropical nature of the storm, the snow totals are far less than impressive. Sunrise was the big winner, with 22 inches, but most other places from Snowbowl to the Sangres, they report at best half that amount. Still, below 6,000' to 6,500' or so, it was wet, and in normal years with normal storms, it tends to be rain or melt very quickly, so it was a great deluge.

One has to wonder, when will California and the SW ever get the once normal Gulf of Alaska lows that drop rain and snow? It has been about 5 years now, of this unusual pattern where Arizona and NM have not really had them, and instead either get the cold (NYE style) inside slider from the Great Basin, or these odd warm wet storms. Ca at least, had a wet 2011 winter, but not since. Global Warming? A temporary pattern shift? A new normal?

Atmosphere Comparison

Atmosphere Comparison

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Re: 2015: Rain, Snow, Wind, and Sun!!!!!!

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Re: 2015: Rain, Snow, Wind, and Sun!!!!!!

Re: 2015: Rain, Snow, Wind, and Sun!!!!!!

Re: 2015: Rain, Snow, Wind, and Sun!!!!!!

Re: 2015: Rain, Snow, Wind, and Sun!!!!!!

Re: 2015: Rain, Snow, Wind, and Sun!!!!!!

Re: 2015: Rain, Snow, Wind, and Sun!!!!!!

Re: 2015: Rain, Snow, Wind, and Sun!!!!!!

Re: 2015: Rain, Snow, Wind, and Sun!!!!!!