By now many of you have heard about the massive flooding that has taken
place here in Phoenix this morning. We set a new record for the most amount of
rain in a single day, 3.29", which easily surpasses the earlier record of 2.91"
set in 1939. My rain gage registeed 3.50", almost twice the amount that I have
ever measured for a single storm in over 35 years.
The rain started around 0200 and did not stop until 1015, then the news
helicopters were able to take off and cruise the area. Some of the video of
inundated intersections and freeways is amazing. A nearby grocery store had
it's roof collapse.
When I went to the coffee shop this morning, I had to abandon the
residential streets due to very deep water and instead go down the middle of a
main thoroughfare.
They are still evacuating children one at a time from a daycare centre in
Chandler, which received 5.63" of rain. It may take a couple of days before
all the standing water there drains off.
They have opened up all of the gates at Lake Pleasant to release water.
That will flood the Agua Fria flood plain and might result in further damage.
Crews are busily towing away abandoned cars that were immersed in 3 feet
or more on the freeways, while other crews are clearing away the mud and
debris. They are hoping to have the freeways open in time for the evening rush
hour.
In the meantime, we have another disturbance in the early stages of
forming a tropical cyclone off the Mexican coast. One forecaster here is
already pointing out that it may arrive here, which is very likely since it is
presently tracking to the northwest.
Another tropical cyclone is in the process of forming in the eastern
Atlantic.
Chris
When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro
- Hunter S. Thompson
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