By Alex Sosnowski, Expert Senior Meteorologist
August 21,2013; 9:05PM,EDT
The combination of the ongoing monsoon and moisture from a forecast tropical system over the eastern Pacific will bring heavy rainfall to portions of the Southwest Sunday and Monday.
The weather pattern has the potential to bring drought-busting rain to some locations but also packs the risk of flash and urban flooding.
A tropical system, which has yet to develop, is projected to drift northward along the coast of Baja California, Mexico, this weekend. From that position, the system would be able to pump a great deal of moisture northward. The next name on the list of Eastern Pacific systems for 2013 is Ivo.
Initially, northwestern Mexico and part of Southern California to southern Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico will be targeted with the downpours. However, the rainfall is likely to spread northward into part of the Sierra Nevada, northern Nevada, much of Utah and the Colorado Rockies.
A couple of inches of rain could fall over a few hours, which is more than enough to cause dry stream beds to turn into raging rivers and overwhelm storm drains in towns and cities.
Motorists should be prepared for not only rapidly changing weather conditions but also hazards on the roads. Downpours miles away can lead to rapid flooding.
RELATED:
Southwest Regional Radar
U.S. Watches & Warnings
Watching for Development in the Eastern Pacific
How much, if any rain reaches areas from San Diego to Los Angeles and Sacramento is questionable. However, areas from Palm Springs, Calif., to Las Vegas, Phoenix, Flagstaff, Ariz., and Salt Lake City are more likely be hit with torrential downpours.
The rain and higher humidity will lower the risk of wildfires for a time in the Southwest.
However, the bulk of the drenching rain is forecast to stop short of or diminish over the area where massive wildfires are burning in portions of Idaho, Oregon and northern California.
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