Great Precip Event For Mid-June!

After the synoptic pattern transitioned to a westerly trough interacting with residual Bud moisture (e.g., a pattern more typical of Fall transitions) early yesterday, there was considerable thunderstorm activity across much of the area. The trough moving across our region produced much more rainfall that did the first part of event when the Bud moisture intrusion occurred. Here at house we had only 0.23" inches of rain for period ending at 5:00 am MST yesterday, but a total of 0.93" by time last storm of day at 6:00 pm. The total for the event at DM AFB was an impressive 1.42".

The view from campus yesterday looking north toward Catalinas captured a heavy thunderstorm coming into the north metro at 5:00 pm. The nearly concurrent KEMX base scan (below) indicated an arc of heavy storm echo crossing I-10. This storm collapsed over the north potion of city, producing a wet downburst. We were near River and campbell, where winds of 40 to 50 mph occurred from the south - at same time TUS and DM reported gusts from north of 25 to 30 mph.

Second below (from WeatherBell and Vaisala) shows CG flash density for 24-hours ending at 7:00 am this morning.

Two snips from ALERT precip totals for the event (these are quite hard to read - no matter how close I zoom in the actual data icons remain tiny); however the white/red icons indicate more than inch amounts - which were concentrated north and east metro (above). Below shows amounts for Catalinas area.

Our June weather excitement is over as the East Pacific lobe of the 500 mb subtropical high will bring a nonsoonal pattern to the Southwest. The coming week will be dry as a rapid heat-up sets in.