Storm Totals: NoPho’s First Notable Rain in 4 Months

Last night’s storminess finally brought more than trace amounts of precipitation to most of NoPho, the I-17 corridor from Norterra to New River. Most gauges in the region recorded more than a half-inch, with some notable exceptions that illustrate the always-fickle nature of monsoon storms.

It was the first meaningful rain in the region since about 0.25 inches fell March 9-11. The precipitation roughly doubled the totals since January in Tramonto, Sonoran Foothills and Norterra, still leaving these areas well short of the more than 5 inches that would fall by now in an average year.

Rainfall in Anthem ranged from heavy in its easternmost areas to modest on the far western side.

Some of the heaviest rains in the Valley stretched from Deer Valley Airport eastward to North Scottsdale—more than 1.5 inches fell in gauges all over that area. Deer Valley Airport has gotten about 3 inches since Jan. 1. On average, it sees 5.82 inches in the first seven months of a year. [See: NoPho Climate]

Sky Harbor Airport received 0.71 inches of rain.

While a chance of thunderstorms will persist through Sunday, the National Weather Service said this morning that the weather has shifted: “A change to our flow pattern will bring a noticeable decrease in thunderstorm activity today and Friday,” the agency said. “In general, the lower elevations should remain dry while the higher terrain north and east of Phoenix will still have a 25-50 percent chance of storms.”

Robert Roy Britt

NoPho resident Robert Roy Britt has written for In&Out publications since its inception in 2005. Britt began his journalism career in New Jersey newspapers in the early 1990s. He later became a science writer and was editor-in-chief of the online media sites Space.com and Live Science. He has written four novels. .