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Old 04-05-2010, 04:26 AM
 
Location: Townsend, Massachusetts
298 posts, read 948,185 times
Reputation: 118

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Hello everyone out there in the land of the sun. How is everyone today. We here in the northeast have been going through some very significant flooding this spring. This leads to my question about monsoon season out there. First when does monsoon season actually occur? I realize it is not monsoons like in southeast asia but I am wondering if you ever have floods and such. I do see a lot of washes on the maps and was wondering if they actually spill over their banks when the water is flowing? The washes are normally just like dry riverbeds, right? Do the people in that area carry flood insurance usually? This week I have had to take 2 separate detours on my normally 1 hour commute to work. This has lead to hour and a half commute times in each direction. Wondering if you guys ever go through anything like that out in the Tucson area. I have been working with someone who has just recently relocated here in Massachusetts from Tucson. He was telling me something about a "stupid" motorist law that you have out there. Anyone care to comment on that ha ha ha.
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Old 04-05-2010, 09:40 AM
 
Location: Southern Arizona
9,600 posts, read 31,688,287 times
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Interesting questions, Brrrinmass.

Unless Mother Nature has other plans, we have a couple months before the Monsoon Season begins. General speaking, the season runs from around the Fourth Of July to Labor Day although the "weather experts" recently determined the official season is much longer.

As for the washes . . . since Tucson has very few underground storm sewers, the washes (or big drainage ditches) serve the same purpose. THE STUPID MOTORIST LAW, enacted a few years ago, requires drivers to "foot the bill" (rather than the taxpayers) when they insist on driving through raging washes. Thus the name . . . STUPID MOTORIST.
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Old 04-05-2010, 09:50 AM
 
Location: Tucson
42,831 posts, read 88,139,890 times
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Here's my take on it:

//www.city-data.com/forum/tucso...-monsoons.html
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Old 04-05-2010, 11:55 AM
 
33,387 posts, read 34,824,867 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brrrinmass View Post
Hello everyone out there in the land of the sun. How is everyone today. We here in the northeast have been going through some very significant flooding this spring. This leads to my question about monsoon season out there. First when does monsoon season actually occur? I realize it is not monsoons like in southeast asia but I am wondering if you ever have floods and such. I do see a lot of washes on the maps and was wondering if they actually spill over their banks when the water is flowing? The washes are normally just like dry riverbeds, right? Do the people in that area carry flood insurance usually? This week I have had to take 2 separate detours on my normally 1 hour commute to work. This has lead to hour and a half commute times in each direction. Wondering if you guys ever go through anything like that out in the Tucson area. I have been working with someone who has just recently relocated here in Massachusetts from Tucson. He was telling me something about a "stupid" motorist law that you have out there. Anyone care to comment on that ha ha ha.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bummer View Post
Interesting questions, Brrrinmass.

Unless Mother Nature has other plans, we have a couple months before the Monsoon Season begins. General speaking, the season runs from around the Fourth Of July to Labor Day although the "weather experts" recently determined the official season is much longer.

As for the washes . . . since Tucson has very few underground storm sewers, the washes (or big drainage ditches) serve the same purpose. THE STUPID MOTORIST LAW, enacted a few years ago, requires drivers to "foot the bill" (rather than the taxpayers) when they insist on driving through raging washes. Thus the name . . . STUPID MOTORIST.
most of the flooding that occurs here is flash flooding, not so much of rivers or washes overflowing their banks, but more like you get a sudden heavy flow of water through those areas. there are times when they will over flow their banks, but that is fortunately rare. i think the most serious flooding we had here in tucson was back in oct 83 when the santa cruz river over flowed its banks, and closed some streets and bridges here in tucson, but flooded marana just north of tucson. oddly enough though while the santa cruz river overflowed its banks, the pantano river did not, at least in town.
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Old 04-05-2010, 12:18 PM
 
4,235 posts, read 14,057,787 times
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the "flooding" that happens here during our so-called "monsoon" season is almost always confined to the normally dry washes that carry the runoff from the higher mountains into the basins and valleys.....if a particular rainstorm is heavy enough that afternoon or evening, a normally dry wash will run strong and heavy for a few hours, then dry up within a day or two....they can be dangerous as they fill up fast when it happens....

we very much look forward to July and August because, though much more humid, the rain, wind, and somewhat cooler temps are welcome after very dry and hot May and June......

few, if any, people carry flood insurance out here....the people who do such things have made flood-prone neighborhood maps and, I think, there are special rules when those people sell their house.....
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Old 04-05-2010, 12:38 PM
 
Location: Tucson
42,831 posts, read 88,139,890 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by azdr0710 View Post
the "flooding" that happens here during our so-called "monsoon" season is almost always confined to the normally dry washes
Aha... And half of the streets built without proper drainage!

Quote:
we very much look forward to July and August
Some of us do; some of us don't.
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Old 04-05-2010, 02:15 PM
 
Location: SE Arizona - FINALLY! :D
20,460 posts, read 26,321,953 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sierraAZ View Post
Pretty funny.



I have to say though that I am one of those monsoon lovers.



Ken
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Old 04-05-2010, 02:24 PM
 
Location: SE Arizona - FINALLY! :D
20,460 posts, read 26,321,953 times
Reputation: 7627
Quote:
Originally Posted by brrrinmass View Post
Hello everyone out there in the land of the sun. How is everyone today. We here in the northeast have been going through some very significant flooding this spring. This leads to my question about monsoon season out there. First when does monsoon season actually occur? I realize it is not monsoons like in southeast asia but I am wondering if you ever have floods and such. I do see a lot of washes on the maps and was wondering if they actually spill over their banks when the water is flowing? The washes are normally just like dry riverbeds, right? Do the people in that area carry flood insurance usually? This week I have had to take 2 separate detours on my normally 1 hour commute to work. This has lead to hour and a half commute times in each direction. Wondering if you guys ever go through anything like that out in the Tucson area. I have been working with someone who has just recently relocated here in Massachusetts from Tucson. He was telling me something about a "stupid" motorist law that you have out there. Anyone care to comment on that ha ha ha.
Well, you DO have to take the "don't drive through a flooded roadway" warnings SERIOUSLY.

When we where there a couple years back during a very substantial monsoon season in late July and early August three folks (in two cars) were all drown (2 different locations) when they foolishly chose to drive through flooded roadways and then were carried off by the current, trapped against some debris of some sort and then trapped in their cars as the water rose around them - and as I said, these two incidents both were the result of the same downpour - they CAN be very dangerous.

Having said that, if you use common sense and don't be an idiot you should be fine (as the vast majority of people are) - and these produce some TRULY SPECTACULAR lightning displays as well as cool and refresh the air.

I LOVE MONSOON SEASON.
Moving there (soon I hope) from cool, damp, gray Seattle - where (despite our famous reputation for rain) we hardly ever get such storms - I can hardly wait for our first monsoon season.



Ken
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Old 04-05-2010, 05:25 PM
 
Location: Townsend, Massachusetts
298 posts, read 948,185 times
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the santa cruz river overflowed its banks, the pantano river did not, at least in town.[/quote]




Are the Santa Cruz and Pantano rivers actual rivers? With water and everything, ha ha ha? or are they washes that are normally dry. Do you have actual rivers in the area? Is there any fishing in the local area? I have a small 12" Aluminum boat and was wondering if I should bring it out there when I move or if I should sell it before we get out there.
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Old 04-05-2010, 06:28 PM
 
33,387 posts, read 34,824,867 times
Reputation: 20030
Quote:
Originally Posted by brrrinmass View Post
the santa cruz river overflowed its banks, the pantano river did not, at least in town.



Are the Santa Cruz and Pantano rivers actual rivers? With water and everything, ha ha ha? or are they washes that are normally dry. Do you have actual rivers in the area? Is there any fishing in the local area? I have a small 12" Aluminum boat and was wondering if I should bring it out there when I move or if I should sell it before we get out there.[/quote]

both were rivers many years ago. the santa cruz river dried up due to a dam built in mexico for irrigation down there. as for the pantano river, i have no idea why it dried up. bring your boat though as there are a number of lakes with in a couple hours drive that you can put the boat on if you choose.
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