Monsoon Damage (Phoenix, Maricopa: lawsuits, design, county)

[KurtAZ]

Point being...it is not any worse than it has been in the past. We have had floods in the 70s that took out all the Salt River crossings except a couple of bridges (Mill Ave is one). There was another flood in the 90s that did much the same thing. The 6" of rain 4 years ago was an odd but not unheard of event. Flash floods are not new. Winds causing significant damage are not new.

If you moved here in the last few years...during seasons of "Non-soon"...perceptually these storms seem to be worse than normal. They are not. Maybe a bit stronger winds...I haven't seen the wind speed estimates from the recent storms but:

Top 5 Monsoon Storms

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by KurtAZ

Point being...it is not any worse than it has been in the past. We have had floods in the 70s that took out all the Salt River crossings except a couple of bridges (Mill Ave is one). There was another flood in the 90s that did much the same thing. The 6" of rain 4 years ago was an odd but not unheard of event. Flash floods are not new. Winds causing significant damage are not new.

If you moved here in the last few years...during seasons of "Non-soon"...perceptually these storms seem to be worse than normal. They are not. Maybe a bit stronger winds...I haven't seen the wind speed estimates from the recent storms but:

Top 5 Monsoon Storms

That '96 one was a humdinger. There were blue tarps on homes up there for months waiting for roofers. What gets me is that here, where I live, we don't get much weather. A monsoon storm is basically a few gusts of wind and dirt on the cars. We have had four events this year and all but last night were violent. Last night was more typical. I do take issues with people who say"I been livin' here all my life and ain't never seen nothin' like this". Sound like a bunch of hillbillies. Anyway...

APS and SRP have both said that this years storms have done more damage than they have seen in a long time, though they were not specific with respect to past years.

FWIW, the winter floods on the Salt are not the same animal. We will have to see if they are topped in the future as the weather around the world gets more severe.

[KurtAZ]

Gotta wonder how much, if any, of this compares to other years in an essentially even Southern Oscillation pattern.

[JGMotorsport64]

Originally Posted by BIG CATS

The storm last week? I was up at a buddy's house by the McDowell's... the rain was so thick and coming down sideways that it looked like a blizzard. White out conditions. The houses across the street weren't even visible through the rain. We watched garbage cans fly down the street at 30 mph it seemed. The wind was so fierce that we were in the BACK of his garage (20' at least) and still getting wet from the wind whipping that rain around. It was intense. His house was moaning and groaning like an old lady.


For a few minutes there I was actually kinda panicky. It was very tornado-like, including that loud freight train sound. I really thought there was a tornado hitting his 'hood.

I meant all of them for the past week or so. I’ve had about 3 severe storms and 3 or so large dust storms. Someone’s flat roof got ripped off down the street (the roll out shingle type) and his concrete fence knocked down.

I recall some crazy storms but it seems like it’s been a long time.

[Colt AZ]

Originally Posted by KurtAZ

I wonder if that is because the Estrella area is a "recent" development. Used to be farms and a bull riding arena that we used to go to out there...maybe no one reported any of those past storms as no one lived there?

Actually, that sounds right.

[yukon]

Originally Posted by BIG CATS

I'd agree this is the worst monsoon season I can recall. It seems at least once a week (or more) power outages are occurring, and many streets are impassable due to downed trees. Our neighborhood has lost 3 mature Joshua Trees due to this storm season. These trees have been there for 30+ years according to the owners. Driving down the road the other night was like playing a video game... dodging trees, cacti, roof shingles, garbage cans every 50'. The Valley has been hit HARD this year, and the storm last week was the worst Ive seen in my life (and this is coming from an ex-Midwesterner).

The Thursday night storm I got stuck in was worse than the typical tropical storm in FL. I don't remember storms like this when I was a kid here (early 60s). I remember dust storms here and in 29 Palms, but not the severe thunderstorms.

[jimj]

They just said on CBS 5 that no, this is not the worst Phoenix has seen. In 1984 Phoenix got 4.84 inches of rain from the Monsoon compared to the .84 inches we've gotten so far, measured at Sky Harbor where their gauges are.

[ElleTea]

Originally Posted by jimj

They just said on CBS 5 that no, this is not the worst Phoenix has seen. In 1984 Phoenix got 4.84 inches of rain from the Monsoon compared to the .84 inches we've gotten so far, measured at Sky Harbor where their gauges are.

I think it's ridiculous to measure rainfall for the valley on ine gauge. Maybe Sky Harbor has only seen that much, but other areas have seen as much as 3 or 4 inches in ine storm. I get that the NWS needs an "official" measurement, but in an area tjos large it just doesn't come close to telling the whole story, especially when the rain can be so localized.

What is the comparison? Phoenix metro area is the same size (approximately) as the entire state of New Hampshire I think? Would you want to track rainfall for that entire state by what one small town received?

[unwillingphoenician]

Originally Posted by ElleTea

I think it's ridiculous to measure rainfall for the valley on ine gauge.

Agreed. Cumulative rainfall maps are better. Overlay and add the maps for individual events and come up with a season total. The maps are based on radar. The loops are saved. Use the area covered by bands of certain rainfall to estimate an area-wide total. More rain on the way, beginning overnight tonight and heaviest tomorrow and Thursday. Doesn't sound like they're talking wind, but locally heavy rainfall. But you never know.

[Jnvlv247]

Boston got 8 inches the other day, that's Phx's YEARLY average rainfall

Our storms are fun and dramatic but the rain totals make people laugh when I tell my east coast friends

It's a lot for us!!!