HikeArizona.COM

The endless chatter of weather.

The past few years have been the odd ones concerning rainfall. October used to get some decent rains here. according to this http://www.usclimatedata.com/climate.ph ... n=USAZ0166 the average for October is over 1/2 an inch, and that average number has dropped since the past several Octobers have been so dry.

Tucson is actually well over the monthly mean, but this dry warm weather sure is nice. I'm loving living in the low desert!

Looks like a big cool down coming, with a high of only 69 forecast for Tucson by Monday. Back to 80 by the end of next week, but still, and right in my weekend! Hopefully it warms back for my GC trip. Some welcome (probably) precip for California, and maybe this is a sign of the winter to come? I have to cancel some of my planned hikes up high, since I don't want to be out all day on long hikes, or up high if it is windy and cold above 8,000', but the desert will probably be very nice.

Two years ago this morning, the dawning sun revealed the full scope of the mess left by Hurricane Sandy. It would be 11 days before we had light or heat again, just in time for me to leave for welcome relief in AZ. A handful of houses in the neighborhood remain abandoned due to storm damage, and a few more remain occupied despite still having fallen trees poking into their roofs. Stretches of downed electric lines and utility pole fragments still linger on most roads. The oddest vestige of the storm is a quarter mile of telephone line on the road behind my house, which escaped restoration to its proper home on the replacement poles. Instead, it follows the opposite side of the road, tied to every second or third tree with nylon ropes.

The forecast for a possible winter nor'easter this weekend evoked a twinge. I take these few moments to reflect on the power of weather to change our lives, and also on the tremendous convenience of electricity.

big_load wrote:Hurricane Sandy

Not to minimize the devastating impact it had in any way, but extra-tropical, formerly a hurricane, superstorm or some other term would be more accurate.

Regardless, it is impressive what nature can do. I was home for Christmas that year and it was incredible to see the forests of snapped trees across southwestern Connecticut, which I know did not take the brunt of the storm. Truly mind-boggling.

@chumley
Yes, Wikipedia describes it at landfall as "post-tropical cyclone with hurricane-force winds". It brought down a lot of trees in Pennsylvania and even into Ohio. There were many signs of tornadoes, too, which is typical of such storms, but for some reason got little mention. I wonder if that's partly because so much instrumentation went down in the early part of the storm.

Well, back to good ol' Arizona, I'm currently in Meadview, heading for Needles CA later today. It has been very windy here most of the night.

I'm so very happy to be in the desert, I'll be missing the first snowfall in Flagstaff. YAY!!!!

And yes, being in the desert (and being done with my seasonal employment until late spring) has effected a most miraculous cure for my fall depression. Sunshine, warmth, shorts and sandals, long desert vistas and the Colorado River.......love it all! You can have your old yellow leaves. I'll take blue water and green cactus any day for my fall colors.

Sunrise from the deck where I'll be living this winter:

Well, Flagstaff may have gotten a tiny amount of snow, as they picked up over half an inch of precip and the Peaks Cam has snow above 11,500' or so. Looks very white above treeline.

@Jim_H
Snowbowl posted photos yesterday and there was at least an inch at the lodge (9300ft).

I was in Flagstaff over the weekend. There was a tiny amount of snow mixed in with a lot of rain when I was heading out of town yesterday morning. Only saw flakes on the west side of town where it's a little higher in elevation. By the time I hit the I-40 & I-17 intersection the flakes were all but gone. Just cold, nasty freezing rain with a stiff wind, felt like being back in Michigan.

It's pretty pumpkin nice outside today.

Yay! Hurray! I am not there! I did see snow on the Peaks a couple of times before I left Flagstaff, though. So, I saw my snow for the year. Oh, I have to go to the dentist in Flag on Dec. 10. Hope they are having a heat wave that week.

55 yesterday until the front went through. Temps dropped about 20-30 degrees as the leading edge of the front hit the springs. A balmy 8 degrees F when I let the dog out. Afternoon sledding on the agenda

MtnBart01 wrote:55 yesterday until the front went through. ... A balmy 8 degrees F

I think you're in the right place, and I am as well.....in Tucson.

MtnBart01 wrote:55 yesterday until the front went through. Temps dropped about 20-30 degrees as the leading edge of the front hit the springs. A balmy 8 degrees F when I let the dog out. Afternoon sledding on the agenda

I'm working in Westminster through tomorrow. It was in the mid-50s when we went to lunch yesterday, 18 on the way home, and about 10 this morning. I'm looking forward to AZ at the end of the week.

I'm in central Idaho, enjoying a lovely visit with my family, but I'm tellin' you, it's dang cold up here!

Well, I stopped in Flagstaff, and while nowhere near that cold, I find it cold enough. I've had my fill of this winter, and am ready for spring.

@Jim_H
That was quick!

@rwstorm
Here's to hoping!

@Jim_H
Come on up for a visit spring is here!