Heavy weather Down South

Looks like our Friends & LBRs Down South are fixin' to get smacked by some stout monsoon storms today.  At 6 AM (Arizona Time), the NWS had already observed some thunderstorms producing a half inch of rain in a mere 15 minutes.  Apparently, conditions are ripe for these storms to fire off all day and well into the upcoming evening.  A traditional Happy Days Monsoon would form up in the afternoon and then fade away in early evening.  The type of storm system shaping up today involves a much more complex interaction with a low pressure system in the Gulf of California.  In other words, it has potential to be a real corker in places.

Each year when we leave The Straw House, we screw into place what we call a "flood board."  It protects the front door.  That's the door facing up-drainage to the adjacent wash on our property.  Back in early September 2002, The Straw House was actually flooded when water came up two feet high all across the north side of the house.  Some of our propane tanks and other stuff we left outdoors were washed clear over to Wet Beaver Creek.  Water would have to come up well over two feet again to force its way through the front door a second time.  That's the purpose of the "Flood Board," peace of mind when we see a weather forecast such as the one this morning.

With the Arizona monsoon, one never knows.  One area might stay totally dry all day long.  A nearby area might experience a damaging flash flood.  It's the classic fickle finger of fate type of deal.  If a big cell parks itself in the headwaters of the wash on that runs across our property, a large localized flood is virtually guaranteed.  If the big thunderstorm cells park themselves elsewhere it will be a ho-hum day at Second Chance Ranch.

Below is the radar profile from 6 am Arizona Time.  This is definitely an active system that's poised to move north into the Central Highlands soon.  We will be monitoring the situation as it evolves throughout the day.  We encourage our Verde Valley and Arizona LBRs to report any unusual weather here in the form of a blog comment.  THANKS!

Many Cheers, jp