Great expectations of mice and men…

…weren’t quite realized1 in the rain totals that our storm produced; the very exciting prediction of several inches of water content foretold for Ms. Lemmon didn’t happen (see ALERT gauge listing below, saved for pretty much the maximum 24 h period of our storm.)

Still, rains were substantial, the occasional morning lightning was great, and in a few places in PC (Pima County) the rain total did exceed 2 inches, with amounts of an inch and a half in the Cat Mountains.  Good, better, but not as “great” as in expectations, except maybe at Park Tank, Reddington area, where the ALERT gauge says, 3.78 inches.  Also, if you didn’t catch it, a stupendous sunrise and sunset; see pics WAY below.

Here in Sutherland Heights, 0.60 inches fell, by far most of that during the middle of last night when strong storms bounded in and abounded all over eastern AZ with a final rainband.  Here’s what that 3rd and final rain “act” looked like on radar and in the satellite imagery last night (very exciting weather shape, BTW; “the curl”):

Radar and sat imagery from IPS MeteoStar for

Radar and sat imagery from IPS MeteoStar for 1:15 AM.  The heaviest rain fell just to the north of us.  This “curl” configuration indicates that a potent part of the trough was passing by, causing clouds to explode upward from the tip of the “tail” near Rocky Point on their way to the NE from there.  Got even bigger as they passed by us and headed toward Miami-Globe area.  You can  also see the three bands of rain that affected us, more or less still intact.

 
              Precipitation Report for the following time periods ending at: 03:59:00  03/02/14 (also learn where stuff is)
                       (data updated every 15 minutes)      
              Data is preliminary and unedited.
              —- indicates missing data
                          
    Gauge    15         1           3          6            24         Name                        Location
    ID#      minutes    hour        hours      hours        hours
    —-     —-       —-        —-       —-         —-       —————–            ———————
Catalina Area
    1010     0.00       0.04       0.16        0.28         0.43      Golder Ranch                 Horseshoe Bend Road in Saddlebrooke
    1020     0.00       0.00       0.24        0.43         0.67      Oracle Ranger Stati          approximately 0.5 mile southwest of Oracle
    1040     0.00       0.00       0.16        0.31         0.51      Dodge Tank                   Edwin Road 1.3 miles east of Lago Del Oro Parkway
    1050     0.00       0.00       0.12        0.28         0.47      Cherry Spring                approximately 1.5 miles west of Charouleau Gap
    1060     0.00       0.00       0.35        0.55         0.83      Pig Spring                   approximately 1.1 miles northeast of Charouleau Gap
    1070     0.00       0.00       0.00        0.00         0.20      Cargodera Canyon             northeast corner of Catalina State Park
    1080     0.00       0.00       0.12        0.24         0.35      CDO @ Rancho Solano          Cañada Del Oro Wash northeast of Saddlebrooke
    1100     0.00       0.00       0.08        0.20         0.31      CDO @ Golder Rd              Cañada Del Oro Wash at Golder Ranch Road

Santa Catalina Mountains
    1030     0.00       0.00       0.00        0.04         0.43      Oracle Ridge                 Oracle Ridge, approximately 1.5 miles north of Rice Peak
    1090     0.00       0.00       0.00        0.00         0.39      Mt. Lemmon                   Mount Lemmon
    1110     0.00       0.00       0.39        0.71         1.02      CDO @ Coronado Camp          Cañada Del Oro Wash 0.3 miles south of Coronado Camp
    1130     0.00       0.00       0.00        0.00         0.04      Samaniego Peak               Samaniego Peak on Samaniego Ridge
    1140     0.00       0.00       0.00        0.08         1.46      Dan Saddle                   Dan Saddle on Oracle Ridge
    2150     0.00       0.00       0.00        0.00         1.30      White Tail                   Catalina Highway 0.8 miles west of Palisade Ranger Station
    2280     0.00       0.00       0.00        0.20         1.34      Green Mountain               Green Mountain
    2290     0.00       0.00       0.00        0.12         1.54      Marshall Gulch               Sabino Creek 0.6 miles south southeast of Marshall Gulch

Santa Catalina Foothills
    2090     0.00       0.00       0.04        0.12         0.75      TV @ Guest Ranch             Tanque Verde Wash at Tanque Verde Guest Ranch
    2100     0.00       0.00       0.00        0.16         0.43      DEQ Swan                     Swan Road at Calle del Pantera
    2160     0.00       0.00       0.04        0.08         0.31      Sabino @ USFS Dam            Sabino Creek at USFS Dam
    2170     0.00       0.00       0.04        0.12         0.59      Ventana @ Sunrise            Ventana Canyon Wash at Sunrise Road
    2190     0.00       0.00       0.08        0.20         0.75      Al-Marah                     near El Marah on Bear Canyon Road
    2200     0.00       0.00       0.04        0.12         0.71      AC Wash @ TV Bridge          Agua Caliente Wash at Tanque Verde Road
    2210     0.00       0.00       0.08        0.12         0.79      Catalina Boosters            Houghton Road 0.1 miles south of Catalina Highway
    2220     0.00       0.00       0.08        0.20         0.83      Agua Caliente Park           Agua Caliente Park
    2230     0.00       0.00       0.04        0.16         0.79      El Camino Rinconado          El Camino Rinconado 0.5 miles north of Reddington Road
    2240     0.00       0.00       0.12        0.16         0.91      Molino Canyon                Mt Lemmon Highway near Mile Post 3
    2390     0.00       0.00       0.04        0.16         0.39      Finger Rock @ Skyli          Finger Rock Wash at Sunrise Road

Redington Pass Area
    2020     0.00       0.08       0.55        0.67         3.78      Park Tank                    Redington Pass, 0.8 miles south of Park Tank
    2030     0.00       0.04       0.28        0.39         2.09      Italian Trap                 Redington Pass, 0.7 miles east southeast of Italian Trap Tank
    2040     0.00       0.00       0.12        0.16         1.14      White Tank                   Redington Road near White Tank
    2050     0.00       0.00       0.12        0.16         1.14      Bellota Ranch Road           Bellota Ranch Road near Redington Road
    2070     0.00       0.00       0.12        0.24         0.87      TV @ Chiva Tank              Tanque Verde Wash 0.5 miles south of Chiva Tank
    2080     0.00       0.04       0.12        0.16         0.87      Alamo Tank                   Redington Road near Alamo Well

Rincon Mountains
    4100     0.00       0.00       0.00        0.04         1.06      Manning Camp                 Manning Camp in the Rincon Mountains
    4110     0.00       0.00       0.04        0.08         0.47      Rincon Creek                 Rincon Creek at X-9 Ranch

Greater Tucson
    2110     0.00       0.00       0.04        0.16         0.71      TV @ TV Road                 Tanque Verde Wash at Tanque Verde Road
    2120     0.00       0.00       0.08        0.20         0.59      TV @ Sabino Cyn Rd           Tanque Verde Wash at Sabino Canyon Road
    2300     0.00       0.00       0.08        0.16         0.63      Well D-37                    Rosewood Street west of Harrison Road
    2310     0.00       0.04       0.08        0.16         0.67      Well E-23                    Rancho El Mirador north of Broadway Boulevard
    2320     0.00       0.00       0.04        0.08         0.47      Beverly Well C-51            Beverly Avenue at Hawthorne Street
    2330     0.00       0.00       0.08        0.08         0.51      Kolb Boosters                Kolb Road at Golf Links
    2350     0.00       0.00       0.04        0.12         0.39      Rillito @ Dodge              Rillito Creek at Dodge Boulevard
    2360     0.00       0.00       0.04        0.20         0.43      Rillito @ La Cholla          Rillito Creek at La Cholla Boulevard
    2370     0.00       0.00       0.04        0.28         0.63      Alamo @ Glenn                Alamo Wash at Glenn Street
    2380     0.00       0.00       0.04        0.16         0.35      DEQ Ruthraff                 Ruthrauff Road at La Cholla Boulevard
    4160     0.00       0.00       0.08        0.12         0.55      E-8                          Irvington Road near Pantano Road
    4180     0.00       0.00       0.12        0.12         0.51      Pantano @ Houghton           Pantano Wash at Houghton Road
    6040     0.00       0.00       0.04        0.04         0.43      Santa Cruz@Valencia          Santa Cruz River at Valencia Road
    6180     0.00       0.00       0.04        0.08         0.39      ArroyoChico@Cherry           Arroyo Chico at Cherry Street
    6190     0.00       0.00       0.08        0.12         0.59      Arroyo Chico@Randol          Arroyo Chico at Randolph Way
    6230     0.00       0.00       0.08        0.12         0.55      Ajo Detention Basin          Tucson Diversion Channel at Ajo Detention Basin
    6240     0.00       0.00       0.12        0.12         0.63      DEQ Cntry Clb                Country Club Road near Columbia Street
    6250     0.04       0.04       0.16        0.20         0.75      Craycroft@Golf Link          Craycroft Road at Golf Links Road
    6260     0.00       0.00       0.08        0.08         0.55      Tucson Electric Pow          Irvington Road at Belvedere Avenue
    6270     0.00       0.00       0.12        0.16         0.59      Pima Air Museum              Valencia Road at Pima Air Museum

Southern Tucson Area
    6200     0.00       0.04       0.20        0.20         0.67      Summit Elementary            Summit Street at Epperson Lane
    6210     0.00       0.00       0.08        0.12         0.59      Franco @ Swan                Franco Wash at Swan Road
    6220     0.00       0.00       0.20        0.20         0.83      PC Fairgrounds               Houghton Road at Dawn Road
    6280     0.00       0.00       0.12        0.16         0.63      Wilmot                       Wilmot Road 2 miles south of Old Vail Connection Road
    6290     0.00       0.04       0.55        0.55         1.42      Corona                       Sahuarita Road at Sewage Treatment Plant

Altar/Avra Valley Area Area
    6370     0.00       0.04       0.16        0.31         1.77      Arivaca                      Las Guijas Mountains near Arivaca
    6380     0.00       0.00       0.12        0.31         1.10      Altar Wash @ Hwy 28          Altar Wash at Highway 286
    6410     0.00       0.00       0.12        0.24         0.59      Diamond Bell                 Diamond Bell near Stagecoach Road at Killarney Avenue
    6420     0.00       0.00       0.08        0.20         0.31      Brawley@Three Point          Brawley Wash at Highway 86
    6430     0.00       0.00       0.04        0.08         0.28      Vahala Park                  Wade Road at Los Reales
    6440     0.00       0.00       0.04        0.20         0.24      Brawley@Milewide             Brawley Wash at Milewide Road
    6450     0.00       0.00       0.08        0.16         0.43      Hilltop Rd                   Hilltop Road at Riveria Road
    6460     0.00       0.00       0.04        0.28         0.35      Picture Rocks CC             Picture Rocks Community Center
    6470     0.00       0.00       0.04        0.16         0.35      Michigan @ Calgary           Michigan Street at Calgary Avenue

Marana/Oro Valley Area
    1200     0.00       0.00       0.04        0.20         0.28      CDO @ Ina Road               Cañada Del Oro Wash at Ina Road
    1230     0.00       0.00       0.04        0.24         0.31      Oro Valley PW                Calle Concordia at Calle El Milagro
    1240     0.00       0.00       0.08        0.28         0.35      Moore Rd                     Moore Road at La Cholla
    1250     0.00       0.00       0.04        0.24         0.35      Pima Wash @ Ina              Pima Wash at Ina Road
    1260     0.00       0.00       0.08        0.28         0.43      Big Wash                     Big Wash at Rancho Vistoso Boulevard
    1270     0.00       0.00       0.08        0.20         0.31      CDO @ Big Wash               Cañada Del Oro Wash near Oracle Road
    6020     0.00       0.00       0.08        0.24         0.35      Santa Cruz @ Ina             Santa Cruz River at Ina Road
    6110     0.04       0.04       0.08        0.24         0.24      Avra Valley Airpark          Santa Cruz River 0.5 miles east of Sanders Road

Vail Area
    4220     0.00       0.00       0.16        0.16         0.79      Rancho Del Lago              approximately 1.8 miles northwest of Vail
    4250     0.00       0.04       0.39        0.43         0.94      Pantano @ Vail               Pantano Wash 1.5 miles southeast of Colossal Cave Road
    4270     0.04       0.04       0.24        0.24         1.06      Salcido Place                6 miles north-northwest of Mescal
    4280     Site temporarily removed due to road construction        Cienega Crk @ I-10           Cienega Creek at Interstate 10
    4290     0.04       0.04       0.20        0.20         0.91      Mescal                       2 miles northwest of Mescal
    4310     0.00       0.00       0.55        0.55         1.22      Davidson Canyon              Davidson Canyon Wash 0.25 miles south of Interstate 10
    4320     0.00       0.04       0.12        0.12         0.43      Empire Peak                  Empire Peak
    4410     0.00       0.04       0.04        0.04         0.75      Haystack Mtn.                Haystack Mountain

Green Valley Area
    6050     0.00       0.00       0.47        0.67         1.61      Santa Cruz@Continen          Santa Cruz River at Continental Road
    6060     0.00       0.08       0.16        0.20         1.22      Santa Cruz@Conoa             Santa Cruz River at Elephant Head Road
    6080     0.04       0.08       0.12        0.12         1.34      Santa Cruz@Tubac             Santa Cruz River at Tubac
    6310     0.00       0.00       0.20        0.24         0.98      Keystone Peak                Keystone Peak
    6320     0.00       0.00       0.08        0.08         1.18      Tinaja Ranch                 near Caterpillar Proving Ground
    6330     0.00       0.00       0.08        0.08         1.10      Anamax                       Mission Road north of Continental Road
    6350     0.00       0.04       0.12        0.12         1.18      Elephant Head Butte          near Elephant Head Butte
    6390     0.04       0.20       0.35        0.35         2.80      Florida Canyon               Florida Canyon Work Center

There were numerous storm totals over 2 inches throughout the State, mountain ones that can be seen in the USGS rolling 24 h archive here (amounts will diminish due to the continuous updating that goes on, as with the PC ALERT gauges), and in the rainlog network from the U of AZ, and in the CoCoRahs reports for Arizona, the latter two sites do not have complete 24 h totals ending at 7 AM AST until several hours after 7 AM AST.

Southern California rains exceeded 10 inches in several mountain locals over the past few days, almost 14 inches at one mountain site in Ventura County.  So, SC’ans are quite happy,  today anyway.

——————————————–

Wow; those sunset clouds!

Good grief, there was quite the spectacular mammatus display late yesterday.   Even resembled the great mammatus ahead of the El Reno tornado in OK last May.  Then, as the sun set in a brief clearing to the west, the downward protruding bulges became lit, and the yellow-orange color of the fading sun light (as it passed through a great distance through the lower atmosphere and the shorter wavelengths of blues get scattered out) lit up the ground and foothills of the Catalinas.  It was almost too gaudy to be real and not “shopped” as we say today.

6:51 AM.  Sun burst on Stratocumulus.
6:51 AM. Sun burst on Stratocumulus bases.
4:22 PM.  Incoming Cumulonimbus mammatus.  The core of this shower was far to the S beyond Pusch Ridge.
4:22 PM. Incoming Cumulonimbus mammatus. The core of this shower was far to the S beyond Pusch Ridge.

 

4:24 PM.  Overhead already!
4:24 PM. Overhead already!

 

6:06 PM.  Breathtaking lighting.
6:06 PM. Breathtaking lighting.
6:11 PM.  Rainbow enhances sky mammatus drama.
6:11 PM. Rainbow enhances sky mammatus drama.

 

6:16 PM.  Mammatus bulges down out of "Altostratus cumulonimbogenitus."
6:16 PM. Mammatus bulges down out of “Altostratus cumulonimbogenitus.”

Expecting lots of nice looking Cumulus today, maybe some ice/virga, but no measurable rain.

The End

——————————-

1Titular nod to one of the great novel of our time, written some decades ago,

By Art Rangno

Retiree from a group specializing in airborne measurements of clouds and aerosols at the University of Washington (Cloud and Aerosol Research Group). The projects in which I participated were in many countries; from the Arctic to Brazil, from the Marshall Islands to South Africa.