# Super monsoon storm in Phoenix **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 8, 2014, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-monsoon-storm-in-phoenix/697865 "2014-09-08T14:17:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-monsoon-storm-in-phoenix/697865/1 "2014-09-08T14:17:11Z")
Woke up to hard rain early this morning. When I opened the front today just a little while ago water almost poured in through my front door. :eek: Water had filled the porch area and spilled over onto the sidewalk, which is now about an inch underwater. And it’s still raining! [Here’s a photo of one of hour highways from this morning.](http://s10.postimg.org/lg6pdylt5/Rain.png) I’ve been living here for over twenty years and never seen anything like this. Good luck to the rest of you in Phoenix! ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-monsoon-storm-in-phoenix/697865/2 "2014-09-08T14:49:20Z")
Loving every minute of it. Coffee and rain, mmmmmm. This does happen every few decades AClockworkMelon, I remember boating down 19th Avenue as a teenager. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-monsoon-storm-in-phoenix/697865/3 "2014-09-08T14:51:27Z")
Mesa isn’t so bad. Only normal heavy rain effects. Streets are open. Water in the curbs. All the retention basins are full, though! I’d love to see Indian Bend wash - bet it’s up to the overpasses. Quite the something on I10 at 43rd, eh? I got blocked on the (3)60 back in the 80s by similar flooding - that’s been the last time I’ve seen it this heavy. ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-monsoon-storm-in-phoenix/697865/4 "2014-09-08T16:13:04Z")
Send it this way! ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-monsoon-storm-in-phoenix/697865/5 "2014-09-08T16:22:08Z")
Las Vegas awaits any water falling from the sky that nearby communities are not using; thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-monsoon-storm-in-phoenix/697865/6 "2014-09-08T16:36:21Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > [Here’s a photo of one of hour highways from this morning.](http://s10.postimg.org/lg6pdylt5/Rain.png) I’ve been living here for over twenty years and never seen anything like this. Seems like a rather poor location for a highway. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-monsoon-storm-in-phoenix/697865/7 "2014-09-08T23:14:11Z")
It was raining a load in Tucson, too. No bad effects. The usual cautions against driving through washes. Now the sun’s out and things are starting to dry out. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-monsoon-storm-in-phoenix/697865/8 "2014-09-09T00:18:25Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Mesa isn’t so bad. Only normal heavy rain effects. Streets are open. Water in the curbs. All the retention basins are full, though! I’d love to see Indian Bend wash - bet it’s up to the overpasses. Some guys in Mesa got their Jet Skis out to check those full of water basins. 🙂 > **[Storm swamps Phoenix: Mesa flooding a 'slow-moving disaster'](https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2014/09/08/phoenix-flooding-monsoon-monday-abrk/15272279/)** > > A massive storm inundated the Valley and forced the closure of streets and highways throughout the area Monday morning (Eight video on the right, scroll down on the videos strips in the news cast window) Although there are reports of people evacuated from some homes in Mesa and other locations around the Phoenix metro area. > [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Quite the something on I10 at 43rd, eh? I got blocked on the (3)60 back in the 80s by similar flooding - that’s been the last time I’ve seen it this heavy. I have been here since 2001 and this is the first time my workplace had to close due to rain, in Arizona… ---
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-monsoon-storm-in-phoenix/697865/9 "2014-09-09T02:37:19Z")
Our retention basin overflowed and sent a 2 foot deep river running down my street. I spent the afternoon shoveling clay birms and sandbagging to stop the water from pouring into my neighbors’ basements. Fortunately my home is few inches higher than theirs. The fire department says they’re planning on cutting power and water tonight and might evacuate us. Rumor has it there will be more rain tonight and who knows how that will go. So yeah, it WAS that bad in mesa. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-monsoon-storm-in-phoenix/697865/10 "2014-09-09T03:01:39Z")
I thought there was an enormous drought out West? Not in Arizona? In a drought situation one would think everyone would welcome heavy rains. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-monsoon-storm-in-phoenix/697865/11 "2014-09-09T03:04:06Z")
Huh, it seems the Jet Ski video is the seventh one now in the Arizona Central news. And not they report that it was about 100 homes in mesa that were evacuated. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-monsoon-storm-in-phoenix/697865/12 "2014-09-09T03:14:17Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > I thought there was an enormous drought out West? Not in Arizona? In a drought situation one would think everyone would welcome heavy rains. There is a drought. But the problem with rains like this is that it comes down too hard and fast to soak into the ground. Instead, it runs off causing erosion and flooding and other damage, and it doesn’t soak into the aquifers. It’s sort of like wanting a drink from a water fountain and getting a firehose in the face instead. ---
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-monsoon-storm-in-phoenix/697865/13 "2014-09-09T03:30:05Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > I thought there was an enormous drought out West? Not in Arizona? In a drought situation one would think everyone would welcome heavy rains. Let me know the next time you’re chilly, I’ll set fire to your house. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-monsoon-storm-in-phoenix/697865/14 "2014-09-09T03:48:03Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > I thought there was an enormous drought out West? Not in Arizona? In a drought situation one would think everyone would welcome heavy rains. what **Morgyn** said, and indeed, it has been very dry, here is a bit from the last report from August from the University of Arizona: [http://www.climas.arizona.edu/swco/aug-2014/southwest-climate-outlook-august-2014](http://www.climas.arizona.edu/swco/aug-2014/southwest-climate-outlook-august-2014) > [@](#): > > Summary > PUBLISHED: > Thursday, August 21, 2014 > > Precipitation: Much of Arizona and New Mexico received average to above-average precipitation in the past 30 days, although as is often the case with the monsoon, precipitation intensity and location were inconsistent. New Mexico experienced more consistent precipitation, and central New Mexico saw a number of storms that brought considerable moisture. Arizona’s monsoon has been patchy in nature, with large storm events, but fewer areas seeing repeated rainfall events. Many areas with above-average seasonal totals received most of their rainfall from just one or two large storms. > > Temperature: Monsoon storms drove short-term temperature variability on a day-to-day basis, but over the past 30 days, most of Arizona and New Mexico experienced near-average temperatures. > > Water Supply: In Arizona, total reservoir storage dropped by about 340,000 acre-feet (AF) in July, putting total reservoir capacity at 46 percent (compared to 48 percent last year). In New Mexico, total reservoir storage dropped 100,000 AF in July, putting total reservoir capacity at 22 percent (compared to 16 percent last year). Lake Mead and the Colorado River Basin received significant media attention in light of falling reservoir levels and the ongoing drought in the West. Our podcast series on the Colorado River (“1075”) features extended conversations with regional experts on these issues. As we are a desert we had an advantage as over here there are a lot of projects going on to save water and more infrastructure to deal with dry conditions. IIUC the state is also noticeable on ignoring many climate change deniers by not stopping ongoing projects to deal with the issue today and in the future. There will be more underground reservoirs that are or will keep a lot of water from events like the one we passed through. Eventually we will need to discourage the wide use of pools and lawns though, getting rid of mine has saved me a lot on the water bill. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-monsoon-storm-in-phoenix/697865/15 "2014-09-09T03:59:31Z")
I have to say also that I’m glad that I investigated well in my home search of a few years ago if my home was going to be in an area that could be flooded in an extreme event, (climate change is an issue of averages, extreme events like the one we passed will still happen and this one came from the remnants of hurricane Norbert) besides finding a great deal on my home, that was the best move I have ever made. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-monsoon-storm-in-phoenix/697865/16 "2014-09-09T04:15:40Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Seems like a rather poor location for a highway. Is that the one they built that follows a normally dry riverbed? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-monsoon-storm-in-phoenix/697865/17 "2014-09-09T05:26:02Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Is that the one they built that follows a normally dry riverbed? That’s not the issue. The problem is the overpasses - the freeway dips below grade to allow for the overpasses, and all that water overwhelms the drains, which inevitably get clogged with debris. [Here](https://www.flickr.com/photos/11822576@N08/14999463228/) is a photo I took this morning of a normally dry “wash” that’s near my house. This runs through a golf course, like many other washes (arroyo) do out here. ---
**Author:** ![DrumBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@DrumBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrumBum)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-monsoon-storm-in-phoenix/697865/18 "2014-09-09T17:16:28Z")
> [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](#): > > Our retention basin overflowed and sent a 2 foot deep river running down my street. I spent the afternoon shoveling clay birms and sandbagging to stop the water from pouring into my neighbors’ basements. Fortunately my home is few inches higher than theirs. The fire department says they’re planning on cutting power and water tonight and might evacuate us. Rumor has it there will be more rain tonight and who knows how that will go. > > So yeah, it WAS that bad in mesa. The houses in Arizona have basements ?? I thought that was only in the Midwest… ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-monsoon-storm-in-phoenix/697865/19 "2014-09-09T18:25:40Z")
Basements are uncommon out here, but they exist. We have a split-level house that has the lower level around 4’ below grade. ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-monsoon-storm-in-phoenix/697865/20 "2014-09-11T14:49:44Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > That’s not the issue. > The problem is the overpasses - the freeway dips below grade to allow for the overpasses, and all that water overwhelms the drains, which inevitably get clogged with debris. It seems that it would have been smarter to raise the overpasses. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-monsoon-storm-in-phoenix/697865.md?page=2)