HikeArizona.COM

The endless chatter of weather.

Northern Arizona has just been rain rain rain. Sometimes even in the morning.

Bradshaw’s have been pounded almost every day it seems this monsoon season. Big Bug Mesa rain gauge reporting 4.5 in in the last 2 days. Hoping to get up there soon.

@azbackpackr
You love it! Endless rain! It's too warm, too. Eeewww! It's hot at 70 degrees! Bring more rain and endless rain, and fog and highs in the 50s,and rain! You love it, you @*!!@%%ing love it! Locals in Flagstaff love rain. Don't you know?!? Rain, rain, rain!

I noticed the first sign of that crisp, cool, autumn-type air early this morning. It's a bit early, but that cooler dry air is a great sign.

Also it's nice to see Wyoming and Montana racking up a late August snowstorm today, with up to 8" above 9,000 feet

chumley wrote: noticed the first sign of that crisp, cool, autumn-type air early this morning. It's a bit early, but that cooler dry air is a great sign.

We were able to open the doors and windows this morning to air the place out. Pretty fun to see the temps drop over 10 degrees between Oracle Road and the trailhead at Catalina SP. Started our group run at a brisk 62 degrees this morning.

@chumley I love when you post a 5 degree dip in the Skillet Party as if it means anything at all! So 10 days from now there’s going to be a rush of snowbirds and Autumn bliss in the air?

Nobody loves autumn more than the butterfly and I, keep up the positive vibes!

You can have your old dead leaves. I just changed my departure date from this hill (Flagstaff) to my winter digs down on the banks of the Colorado River. Originally I had planned on mid to late October. I now have decided for sure on October 1st. I don't want to see old dead leaves, or snow. Don't wanna wear long pants or a jacket.

azbackpackr wrote:I don't want to see old dead leaves, or snow. Don't wanna wear long pants or a jacket.

I don't mind any of that, except the snow. I don't wish to shovel it or travel on it any more.

Well, I'm glad to read you're leaving Flagstaff a little earlier. September is usually nice there, but October is a change month.

I'm wondering if we are going to see a return of monsoon season and moisture. It almost looks like the tap is shutting off suddenly as it did last year.

@joebartels I don’t think it’s the 5 degree dip in temperature as much as the 20 degree dip in dew point.

@Jim_H
Forecast is calling for a return to the thunderstorm pattern, starting on Saturday.

@azbackpackr
And I further support your choice to return to Needles at the end of September. I was looking at old logs from 2014 and I remembered how cold it was, especially at night, when I visited Flagstaff in early October of 2014. Beautiful in the day, but cold at night. I went to hotel to escape it!

Oh, and I feel like it Autumn, since it got so dry again. I like it, though. Maybe some more rain for the state, we still need it. But if the rainy season ends soon, hopefully we are not as dry as we were last fall and winter.

A lot of scattered hard rain north of Flag today on the Rez. As I was coming back down 89 from Lees Ferry I had just missed some heavy showers. Hamblin Wash, which runs along the Echo Cliffs, was running, as were some of the others. On the flat barren areas around Moenkopi there was a lot of standing water.

And then the bus I was driving broke down by Babbitt Ranch.

It hasn't rained yet today in Flagstaff, just a couple of sprinkles.

As for the fall season coming up, yes, I want to be off this hill. The Guard Geranium doesn't like the nighttime temps in the 40's, and I will have to start bringing it in at night.

Well, unless you're already out on the mountain or road, I wouldn't be planning to hike stuff like Humphrey for a few days, high chance of storms from today to Wednesday. Maybe the Peaks or Flagstaff will get some more rain. It would be nice if there was some more rain this summer. Mmmm, but no more summer rain after the15th.

Man, dry weather forecast for the rest of the week and weekend. Excellent high elevation hiking conditions. Wish I wasn't wasting my time moving...

@Jim_H
Rowdy and I got rain on twice today in Prescott but we really enjoyed it.

Jim_H wrote:Wish I wasn't wasting my time moving...

To where?

@big_load
He's moving! Arms, then legs, then arms again, then legs again, then head nodding, jaw flapping... ;)

@big_load
The exclusive adjacent 85014 to the much less exclusive but gentrifying 85040. If you know Phoenix, I am moving from the west side of Camelback East to south Phoenix, close to South Mountain, but still close to the ghetto.

Jim_H wrote:close to South Mountain, but still close to the ghetto.

I've noticed over the last few years how that area is gentrifying.