Phoenix's last official measurable rain was December 18th. Is anybody concerned??? (Mesa: homes, neighborhood)

[CodyW]

Anybody remember that dry spell a few years ago that lasted somewhere near 200 days, I think?

Could very well be heading for a repeat.

[PoppySead]

It's all a cycle, it will return. I don't think it will last forever. Rain is always nice but what do want us to do? Dance?

[Macaw1981]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

Last winter did not have ample precipitation in the mountains. There were a few storms in February last year that brought some rain & snow ... not a lot by any means, but still enough to create some snowpack. There was even some light snow in April & May in the high country. But it was still below normal, and wasn't enough to stop the fire season from being one of the most active & destructive. The lack of moisture in January & February this year seems to be much more significant than last year. If the trend continues, expect another harsh fire season ... possibly even earlier & longer than last year's.

As far as the series of low rainfall years, it appears we might be on the same track as the early 2000s for the same thing to happen. Last year was dry, and this year is heading in the same direction so far. Even an active monsoon doesn't help all that much because it is mostly the winter moisture we depend on.



That's one of the things I'm concerned about. I don't want to have a repeat of last year's "haboobs", which were the result (in part) of a previously dry winter & spring. The air is much more difficult to breathe when there is so much dust ... not good for those with health issues.



Whoosh! Where was Noah and his ark when that rain fell?!
()



As far as the water situation, I would tend to agree that metro Phoenix is in better shape than say, Las Vegas or Tucson. However, that's only one side of the story. Water USAGE dramatically increases during these dry periods. Like it or not, many people still have grass lawns and prefer them over desert landscaping ... and it's not wasteful to have greenery. It's actually more attractive and COOLER to have this type of vegetation than a rock/desert yard. It can be quite expensive to convert an established grass lawn to desert or xeriscape ... and then again, it is very expensive to have to constantly water grass & trees when it is unusually dry like this. So what is a homeowner supposed to do?



The snowpack in the high country hasn't been all that great. It is better than the record drought of 2005-2006 (thanks to some nice storms in December of last year), but the snowpack is still below what is considered normal. I'm not really concerned about the lack of water supplies to Phoenix ... I'm more concerned about the expense of water usage when we don't get the normal winter rains. It's not easy on the budget.

Seems to me that people don't give much thought about the lack of moisture now because the temperatures are ideal. However, the low humidity & lack of rain is not good in the big picture. All it really does is give bragging rights to the snowbirds & sun freaks. It's funny that very few people are concerned now ... but when the fires & dust storms start later on, people suddenly start wishing for rain. It's really quite backward when you think about it.

I would just add that Vegas is having severe problems with water shortages. One of the first things they did was offer homeowners incentives to take out the grass and put in desert landscape. You have to keep in mind that there are many desert trees that can be planted in the front yard that are low water use and provide the shade and keep the area cool. I have heard the argument about grass and high water use plants being better then natural landscape and I do not buy it.

I think the high country had some pretty good snowfall this year.

[rgscpat]

So many people talk about the weather, but so few try to do anything to change it!

But, if nothing else, the weather allows millions of people to talk who would otherwise be unable to start a conversation.

All said in gentle jest, mind you.

[PoppySead]

Originally Posted by rgscpat

So many people talk about the weather, but so few try to do anything to change it!

But, if nothing else, the weather allows millions of people to talk who would otherwise be unable to start a conversation.

All said in gentle jest, mind you.

lol, well, I've done the dance a few times. I have some indian blood and thought I might give it a shot. I guess I did it wrong.

[PoppySead]

I'm curious if we will hit our first 100 in March again?
I can't wait for swimming season, it's a nice break when there has been little rainfall.

[JoeC]

Originally Posted by Macaw1981

I would just add that Vegas is having severe problems with water shortages. One of the first things they did was offer homeowners incentives to take out the grass and put in desert landscape. You have to keep in mind that there are many desert trees that can be planted in the front yard that are low water use and provide the shade and keep the area cool. I have heard the argument about grass and high water use plants being better then natural landscape and I do not buy it.

I think the high country had some pretty good snowfall this year.

Albuquerque offers a similiar incentive; if I remember correctly, they've also put considerable pressure on "grass lawn-only" HOAs to allow homeowners to switch to xeriscaping. If the valley doesn't yet have similar programs in place, I'd be a bit surprised. To be honest: When we look at available properties with lawns, the first thing we consider is how much it will cost to rip the grass out and replace it with gravel, Palo Verdi, and cactus.
The valley IS desert; huge expanses of water-hungry grass seems a little silly. I understand a patch in the back yard for the kids to play on or dogs to do their "business" on... beyond that?

[Ponderosa]

There is going to be a good dust storm this afternoon and tonite. It will be the worst on the east side where the wind gets a chance to pick up dirt from the fields to the southwest. Casa Grande and I10 south should be thick as a London fog later today.

For those new to the area, you have heard of the haboobs, but not many people mention the spring dust storms. They start up about now and repeat every week or so until May. They should be especially dirty this year given the lack of rain in the area. Enjoy!!

[CA-NV-AZ]

Originally Posted by Macaw1981

I would just add that Vegas is having severe problems with water shortages. One of the first things they did was offer homeowners incentives to take out the grass and put in desert landscape. You have to keep in mind that there are many desert trees that can be planted in the front yard that are low water use and provide the shade and keep the area cool. I have heard the argument about grass and high water use plants being better then natural landscape and I do not buy it.

I think the high country had some pretty good snowfall this year.

As a Las Vegas resident, I can vouch for this. You are totally correct. Nevada's water problems are worse than Arizona's, and any kind of conversion to a more natural, less-water-dependant landscape is always encouraged.
That said, some rainfall would be nice. I don't like it this dry either. Phoenix area averages more rainfall per year than Vegas does but both cities haven't had the normal amount during all of '11 and so far in '12.

[Nanny Goat]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

There is going to be a good dust storm this afternoon and tonite. It will be the worst on the east side where the wind gets a chance to pick up dirt from the fields to the southwest. Casa Grande and I10 south should be thick as a London fog later today.

For those new to the area, you have heard of the haboobs, but not many people mention the spring dust storms. They start up about now and repeat every week or so until May. They should be especially dirty this year given the lack of rain in the area. Enjoy!!

Yuck, and then spraying down everything the next day due to all of the dust/dirt.