HikeArizona.COM

The endless chatter of weather.

No... I enjoy it and embrace it while it's here. I know it won't last long. It's a great change!

We've certainly had a wet January with more allegedly on the way. We're at roughly 8.75" for the last week, 12.75" for the last 30 days and 23" since the July 1st start of the rainfall year. That's pretty good so far, but I'd like to see a lot more snow.
The rain here is different than what I was used to in Arizona. Rain typically falls gently here for hours on end, sometimes devolving into a glorified misting, and rarely into a downpour. I remember the rain in Arizona being much more intense and shorter lived.

Guess it depends. My allergy to mold has been horrible for a solid month now. This weather is the worst for that. Right now, I'm completely miserable; headaches, sinus pressure, sneezing, eyes itching, drowsiness at times, all from mold. It actually seems worse than when I lived in Florida, 15 years ago, because there the systems moved out after a few days, at most. We've been under this freak zonal flow of relentless moisture, haze, and clouds for a solid month!

Alternating A/C and heat works only so well to dry out my place and attempt to keep humidity below 40%. I just love waking up at 4 AM sneezing.

No hiking in this, either. I don't enjoy it, or the after affects. I know there have been some sunny days, but it some how works out to be when I have worked. Squaw Peak in a fog? No thanks. I certainly won't drive somewhere to hike in this.

This isn't normal or typical winter weather. I can't recall another period of weather like this in the 10 years I have lived in the Arizona or New Mexico area. If we would get a few normal lows that were followed by cold, dry, continental air and high pressure, that would be much better. I wish I could have been here for the drought in 2013 and 2014.

Still, I am left wondering why people who move from Michigan, the west side of Washington, or where ever that this type of weather is , "normal", end up liking this, or missing it, or viewing it as a pleasant change. I have never once looked at a beautiful, dry, sunny day, and thought, "this is miserable, I need a change". Seems if you want to be in Arizona, and you don't like the 110 and sunny of summer, you might like the expected 65 to 70 and dry days of winter, at low altitude. Then again, I do remember people who lived in Florida simply because they could get a job there, and it was cheaper to live in than NY. They would even tell me they hated Florida, but at least it didn't snow. I suspect that may be common in Arizona, too.

Looks like we might get more rain (and lots of snow)!

These La Niña storms are shaping up to be a lot better than that overhyped boychild last year.

Initial estimates of 1-2" in the valley, 2-4" in the Mazzies, Supes, and other mountains north and east, with low snow levels and 1 to 2 feet in Flagstaff and other locales over 7,000 feet could have a big impact statewide by Sunday (with another storm forecast to follow early next week!)

I just want it all to dump fast and move on. Bring in some dry air, and have an nice extended stretch of dry weather. The Peaks aren't exactly lacking for snow, and most of the Rim isn't lacking for precip this winter. Clearly, to a point, I much prefer a dry or droughty winter.

I'm pretty excited to see 20-31 inches dumped on Mt Graham Friday and Saturday!
Never should have gotten rid of my snowshoes when I left GRCA.

Jim_H wrote:Is anyone else sick and tired of the endless gray, overcast, and cloudy conditions we've had here for the last month?

Not at all, enjoying this type of weather while it lasts. Looks like we might be getting some snow this weekend.

At least this series of storms is going to be colder, and it is forecast to actually precipitate here, unlike the situation over the last 3 weeks now.

After these storms and by the middle of next week, the CA Weather blog talks about a ridge building over the west coast, and presumably giving us in Arizona an extended period of that which people actually move here for: sunshine. Sorry, to those who delight in drear as some sort of wonderful change.

Why exactly do people who like gray live in Arizona? What with places like Michigan, Connecticut, Washington or where ever else, probably being better.

Jim_H wrote:Why exactly do people who like gray live in Arizona? What with places like Michigan, Connecticut, Washington or where ever else, probably being better.

For me, at least, it's less about liking gray than about contrast—it's so clear and sunny here all the time that some contrast of clouds and rain is nice now and then. If it was gray all the time, I wouldn't enjoy it, but the contrast of having some mixed in now and then breaks things up and makes for a nice change.

What he said ^^^.
Plus the fact that rain and snow do wonderful, magical things to the desert ... flowing washes, ephemeral waterfalls, full lakes, Spring wildflowers, etc.

cactuscat wrote:ephemeral waterfalls

My definition of an ephemeral waterfall is that it's no longer running by the time I get there.

Jim_H wrote: Why exactly do people who like gray live in Arizona? What with places like Michigan, Connecticut, Washington or where ever else, probably being better.

Nor'easters in Connecticut (we were there for Hurricane Sandy) or a few overcast weeks in Arizona.. hmmmm

Kidding aside, personally like some variety as far as weather. Sometimes I need to see gray skies and low lying clouds embracing the red rocks. Absolutely love the smell of the high desert when it rains, the ground is softer and not as dusty, the sound of the washes finally alive with running water. Also dreary overcast days means I will not sweat as much when I am trail running.

Looks like storm #1 was a bit underwhelming, especially in the low desert areas, with most of the valley getting less than 0.1" of rain. Snowbowl got 20" of snow and greater Flagstaff and the Mogollon Rim about 8", which is pretty respectable.

It looks like the Mazzies, Supes, and Pinals got a decent rain yesterday too.

For tonight's storm, the forecast is down to about half an inch more in the valley but the mountains are still looking for some impressive totals.

Tucson is calling for 0.5-1.5" of valley rain and 12-36" of snow in the mountains.
Flagstaff says tonight's storm should result in double or triple the amount received last night.

Should be a fun weekend!

The first storm was always forecast to be light in the Valley. The main body of precipitation for Phoenix and Tucson low deserts and surrounding mountains was always forecast to be Friday night into Saturday. A 3rd, and more uncertain storm of the greatest magnitude may come Sunday to Tuesday. Models, according to the CA Weather Blog, were divergent on storm #3, and though the forecasters were hedging towards a cold wet solution, the energy may go to the PNW, and not SWCA, and AZ-NM. However, it appears that the trend is towards the 3rd storm coming southward.
http://weatherwest.com/

That discussion is a few days old, but the information is still valid.

Oh, and guess what! The end of these miserable days is nearly here! A blocking ridge and some very welcome sun will soon be replacing these miserable days of British Columbia weather.

@chumley

It looks like the Mazzies, Supes....got a decent rain yesterday too

Sweet! I better get online soon to reserve my permit to go looking for waterfalls in the Supes this weekend

chumley wrote:Should be a fun weekend!

Well, I for one cancelled my trip down Grandview to Horseshoe Mesa and Cave of the Domes. We figured it wasn't worth the hassle of driving through all that weather and snow.

Put some snow melt down yesterday, I guess I was being overly optimistic.

We did not get any snow last night and so far still no snow today, just rain.
Supposedly some rain overnight tonight down in Phoenix, possibly rain (or just overcast?) tomorrow and winds around the 20s...should make for an interesting trail race.

Well, if my legs are able to handle it after 2 weeks of no hiking and hardly any for 2 weeks before that, next Friday might be a great day on the Peaks in deep snow. Haven't seen that since 2010 on the Peaks, 2011 in the eastern Sierra. It ought to easily be well over 100 inches by Wednesday, at 10,000' on the west side of the Peaks.

By far, this is the most snow I have seen at GCNP, with this being my 5th winter here. 13" sits on my back wood fence, 17" on the picnic table and areas right around 20" or more in the yard (above my knee). The biggest storm is forecasted for tomorrow, which will likely add greatly to these totals. With the predicted highs well below freezing for several days, this stuff is going to stick around forever!

@nikorock28
Lucky!