• Flood Risk AZ/NM/CO

    From Mike Powell@618:250/10 to All on Thu Sep 17 09:05:58 2026
    AWUS01 KWNH 170931
    FFGMPD
    TXZ000-COZ000-NMZ000-AZZ000-UTZ000-171530-

    Mesoscale Precipitation Discussion 1312
    NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
    530 AM EDT Thu Sep 17 2026

    Areas affected...Eastern AZ...Central and Western NM...Southwest CO

    Concerning...Heavy rainfall...Flash flooding possible

    Valid 170930Z - 171530Z

    SUMMARY...Areas of heavy showers and thunderstorms will continue
    to lift northward this morning across the Southwest. Rainfall
    rates as high as 1.5 inches/hour and localized cell-training will
    maintain a regional threat for flash flooding.

    DISCUSSION...The latest GOES-W IR satellite imagery shows a
    well-defined and increasingly elongated shortwave trough lifting
    north across eastern AZ. This energy along with deep layer
    southerly moisture transport and modest instability continues to
    focus broken coverage of heavy showers and thunderstorms.

    MUCAPE values are as high as 500 to 1000 J/kg, but the moisture is
    particularly impressive with values running 2 to 3 standard
    deviations above normal and generally in the 95th+ percentile of
    climatology. High WBZ heights along with the transport of tropical
    moisture northward from mainland Mexico is fostering very
    efficient rainfall across the broader Southwest U.S., with locally
    enhanced rainfall rates where areas of deeper convection are
    situated. Radar and satellite data shows the strongest areas of
    convection generally over central NM, but some dynamically
    enhanced convection is seen over eastern AZ in closer proximity
    the shortwave energy.

    The latest guidance lifts the shortwave energy northward toward
    the Intermountain West this morning which will bring much of the
    broken convective activity northward along with it. Upslope flow
    and related orographic ascent over the higher terrain, and
    especially into southwest CO, will bring areas of heavy rainfall
    that may result in flash flooding. Rainfall rates with any of the
    stronger convective elements may reach 1.5 inches/hour, with some
    localized additional rainfall totals through mid-morning of 2 to 3
    inches given concerns for some cell-training.

    A regional threat for flash flooding will continue as a result,
    and this will again include the highly sensitive dry wash areas,
    along with burn scar locations and slot/box canyons.

    Orrison

    ATTN...WFO...ABQ...EPZ...FGZ...GJT...PSR...PUB...TWC...

    ATTN...RFC...FWR...STR...TUA...NWC...

    LAT...LON 38710671 38600544 37340481 35200492 32600555
    31830659 31810780 32670844 32900933 32631062
    33511138 34551139 35811081 36620950 38020818

    $$
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    * Origin: capitolcityonline.net * KY, USA (618:250/10)