Atmosphere Comparison

[Jim]

The endless chatter of weather.

[Jim]

I'm out for my days off in Needles, California, of all places. Staying in a motel right on the Colorado River. It's pouring rain. I am not sure anyone who lives here has seen rain more than once or twice in their lives, but here it is...! Pretty neat thunderstorm, and warm enough outside for me to leave the door open while the rain pours down! Love it!

Ah, yes, I remember living in Flag and having it be freezing cold (not literally) during and after thunderstorms, more so as summer wore on and we got to this time of year and a little later. I've been pleased that it isn't in the 50s or even 40s, when it rains here, or in Alamo, for that matter. Well, in summer.

[chumley]

Some nice rain tonight in a few spots. South Mountain with 1.5 to 2.5". Much of the Bradshaws with over 3".

Wish it had covered more of the state with those kind of numbers.

[kingsnake]

Raining in Sunnyslope this morning as well ...

[hippiepunkpirate]

Hasn't really stopped raining in Flagstaff since yesterday around noon. No downpours, just steady light rain. Looks to keep going all day today in the same manner.

[SpiderLegs]

Actually got rain out here in the west valley near PIR. Pretty impressive storm last night and still sprinkling this morning. Seems like any rain peters out or is block by the Estrella's by the time it makes it out to my little corner of the valley.

[Dschur]

Steady rain at our house in Payson all night long and ended up with 1/2 inch rain in the gauge this morning...

[chumley]

Towers Mtn with 4.88" so far. Another spot at over 4" too. Still raining in the Bradshaws so I expect there will some spots with over 5" of rain in the last 24 hours.

[Bradshaws]

Raining in Cave Creek for hours We ran out of wiper blades by 7:30

[Jim]

The storms seemed to park over the area north of Phoenix, around and west of I-17, south of the Prescott Valley (not PV, though) and east of the western deserts. I guess that is the Bradshaw area. Very impressive totals out there, from the radar. Flagstaff and the western Rim region did well, too. It will be green, that is for sure.

Tucson's western area, and parts of the Catalina had rain, but most of the town, and the eastern parts of the basin, and the Rincons, continue to be dry. I would actually prefer that a good storm drop over an inch on the Rincons, to kill the fire, and start greening the grass up there. Not to mention, with as dry as it has been, and as late as it is getting in to the summer for tree growth, it's really stressful on the forest. It's, "natures way".

[tibber]

In about 10 days at my place near Union Hills and Cave Creek, Monsoon 2014 total so far:
Aug 2 - 3/4" in an hour
Aug 3 - almost 1/2" in an hour
Aug 12 - 3/4" in an hour
Aug 13 - was raining this AM but don't suspect it lasted long. (update 8-14-14, gauge added another 1/4" in the AM)

Nothing better than turning off the irrigation system .

[azbackpackr]

Still down here in Needles by the river. The road--Needles Highway--on which this motel is situated had to be closed in both directions last night during the downpour. Some folks were turned away by the manager due to motel being full. They came back--nowhere to go, road closed, no way out for them. She put them in a room that was not in use due to needing fixing-up, I think. Anyway, she found room for them. We all stood outside under the eaves to watch the show. Better than the Perseids, which of course we could not see! ;)

[Jim]

@tibber
Unless July was a bust, you've had a good summer, and the first half of August has been very wet for you! Eastern like totals.

[Nighthiker]

Rained at my place in Payson since midnight at times quite heavy. Nice steady rain now, was planning a visit to the valley for a couple of days may postpone until tomorrow.

[tibber]

July was a bust

yep

so glad August isn't

[sneakySASQUATCH]

Looks like I brought the flash flood alerts with me. I got several on my phone yesterday while I was spreading rock and ignored them thinking they were for Colorado, but it turns out when your signed up for the alerts evidently I get the alerts for wherever I am. Kind of cool. Spreading rock was much nicer in the rain.

[Jim]

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY...PROGS SHOW DRY DEEP LAYERED WESTERLY FLOW
ACROSS NORTHERN ARIZONA. WE HAVE LEFT THE SLIGHT CHANCE OF DAYTIME
STORMS GOING FOR THE MOGOLLON RIM. OTHERWISE EXPECT FAIR LATE SUMMER
WEATHER.

From the Flag NWS office. Dry looks to be all but certain. However, it's now official, I guess, it's late summer.

[Jim]

Flagstaff appears to be having another very wet summer, though not as wet as last year. Since July 1st, they have had 7 and 2/3 inches of rain at the airport; 3 & 1/3 inches for August to date, and 4 & 1/3 for July. I know that monsoon rain is variable, and some places get more while other get less, such as Tucson and the ranges around the basin this summer which have been dry, but Flagstaff just seems to keep having above normal wet summers. Really the entire western Rim has been wet, as well as the area extending south west of I-17. The Peaks have done well, judging by the Snotel data, so those high elevation springs will be gushing! Another area that has been dry, is the area I lived in 2 years ago, which got their first rains over the last few days. Better late than never!

[chumley]

Very atypical August weather in the forecast for this week. A winter-style pacific low moving down the coast combining with monsoonal flow to bring moisture into the western deserts tonight into tomorrow.

Lower than normal temperatures all week long, and a "significant precipitation event" on tap for late in the week or weekend drawing from the remnants of a tropical cyclone off Baja.

Bring it on!

[Jim]

get it over with! I can't wait for the fall dry season to arrive.

[rwstorm]

More monsoon madness I say!! Keep it rocking!