Thursday, January 21, 2010

Riders on The Storm

Riders on the storm
Riders on the storm
Into this house we're born
Into this world we're thrown
Like a dog without a bone
An actor out alone
Riders on the storm

Jim Morrison, The Doors

Well, folks, the wave is rolling out upon Arizona. We are beginning to get some reports from our Arizona friends. Snow level is 3360 feet @ Cornville--that's about 2000 feet lower than progged. Flag might have as much as a foot of snow already. I-17 closed both directions for 50 miles south of Flag. The reports roll in--we will add them to those post with separate time stamps. Keep 'em coming!

(9 am) Release of 2000 cfs below Bartlett begun this morning. NAU closed down. ADOT Road COnditions website inaccessible due to internet overload.
(9:45 am) Snow turning to light rain in Cornville
(10:15) Hwy 89A closed north of Sedona--extra DPS officers to Northland. Approx. current total snow depth @ Flagstaff = 36 inches
(10:30)Cave Creek up 7 feet since yesterday; New River up 5 feet; Agua Fria up 4 feet--their hydrographs are vertical.
(10:37)Baker Butte SNOTEL has gained 5 inches of water in 3 days--snow pack gained 30 inches--depth now 52 inches.
(10:40) Here's the latest streamflow forecast as of 9:45 AM this morning:
-OAK CREEK AT SEDONA CREST AT 20.1 FEET EARLY FRIDAY MORNING (FLOOD STAGE 14 FEET...RECORD STAGE 20.3 FEET)
-OAK CREEK AT CORNVILLE CREST AT 20.5 FEET EARLY FRIDAY MORNING (FLOOD STAGE 9 FEET...RECORD STAGE 19.2 FEET)
-VERDE RIVER AT CLARKDALE CREST AT 26.8 FEET EARLY FRIDAY MORNING (FLOOD STAGE 14 FEET...RECORD STAGE 26.4 FEET)
-VERDE RIVER NEAR CAMP VERDE CREST AT 25.7 FEET MIDDAY FRIDAY (RECORD STAGE 28.4 FEET)
-GRANITE CREEK BELOW PRESCOTT CREST AT 12.8 FEET EARLY FRIDAY MORNING (FLOOD STATE 11 FEET...RECORD STAGE 12.5 FEET)
-AGUA FRIA RIVER NEAR BLACK CANYON CITY CREST AT 27 FEET EARLY FRIDAY MORNING (FLOOD STAGE 16 FEET...RECORD STAGE 27.2 FEET)
(12:50) Went to Dentist 10:50 until now--OK, here goes. 1) Maggie J. in Flagstaff had this to say, "Looks like Flagstaff of old. People on bikes, cross country skiis, walking in the streets with dogs, sledding down a street nearby that has a good hill. Streets are getting narrower due to the snow on the sides. It just keeps coming down steady but light. May be turning to rain. It's a good heavy snow, though."
2) Gary W. in Rimrock said: "Raining moderately all morning/0.68” this morning @ 07:00 this was for the 24-hour read total/At 11:00 we already had another 0.50” over the last four hours/Sheet flow and large puddles everywhere." He also noted the Verde Search & Rescue has been put "on stand by" for rescues.
(1:00) Flagstaff airport closed, mall closed, City offices closed.
(1:12) New River has exploded. Running 17000 cfs. Click here to see all New River streamflow peaks--it's odds on to blow past its all time high of 18,600 set in Sept. 1970!!!
(1:32) Since midnight today, Baker Butte has picked up 2.8 inches of pure water and 13 inches of VERY wet snow!
(1:33) Just noticed that the Baker Butte SNOTEL temp has jumped 4.6 degrees to 35.2 degrees--this site is located at 7,700 feet! If the snow turns to rain at that elevation, really, really wild things are going to break loose.
(2:23) Looks like Sky Harbor Airport is basically shut down. Southwest cancelled ALL operations. Hellacious cross winds are to blame. Airport website says airport is NOT closed.
(2:24)New River flow gauge is probably destroyed. Reading forzen at 17,000. Any flows much higher will endanger the I-17 bridge at New River.
Will it survive?
(2:25)NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED WIDESPREAD FLASH FLOODING near Roosevelt, Globe, Superior, U.S. 60 out of Apache Jct., urges extreme caution.
(2:27)SRP's Twitter says: "Larger water releases from Verde, Salt River dams begin tonight. 4 safety, stay clear of Salt Riverbed in Phx."
(2:30) DPS says power lines lying across I-17 near Kachina VIllage--both lanes. DPS closes Hwy 87 Winslow to Pine.
(2:32) Tucson NWS says "HURRICANE FORCE WIND GUSTS FROM 70 TO 80 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE."
(2:52) Granite Creek @ Prescott: 1970 cfs--could set a new peak flow. CLick here to see peaks of record.
(2:53)Flagstaff newspaper Twitter says, "This likely to make the Top 3 for snow accumulation. We'll update the web site with a full story soon."
(3:01)TV 15 says DPS closing westbound I-10 near Casa Grand--zero visibility on interstates in Southern Arizona.
(3:08)East Verde up six feet today alone--6,000 cfs @ 3 pm.
(3:10)Tonto Creek rose 2,200 cfs in the past 15 minutes.
(3:11)Taking a break to enjoy sunshine & 40 degrees here in Idaho Falls.

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