Surge of Tropical Moisture From Javier a Flood Threat for Southwest U.S.

August 9,2016
Increased moisture into the Southwest U.S. will give rise to a renewed threat of flash flooding the next few days, instigated in part by what used to be Tropical Storm Javier.
(FORECAST: Javier Near Baja California)

Moisture from Javier and to its east will be pulled into the Southwest U.S. by a southward dip in the jet stream.

The center of Javier will remain well away from the Southwest U.S. and will dissipate near Baja California soon. However, moisture associated with Javier and moisture to its east is being pulled north by a southward dip in the jet stream in the western United States.
All of this means that we will see widespread shower and thunderstorm activity in parts of Arizona, New Mexico, southern Utah, southern Colorado and West Texas this week.
(FORECAST: Albuquerque | Flagstaff | Phoenix | Tucson)
The usual impacts from monsoonal moisture surges into the Southwest will be in play. This includes blowing dust, heavy rainfall, flash flooding and dangerous lightning.
Flash flood watches have been hoisted by the National Weather Service in parts of the Southwest.

Current Flood Alerts

(INTERACTIVE: Latest Southwest U.S. Radar)
Rainfall totals are forecast to be 1-3 inches in parts of the Southwest, though locally higher amounts are possible where clusters of thunderstorms stall.
(MORE: Five Things to Look For During the Southwest Monsoon)

Rainfall Forecast

Thunderstorms across the Southwest can sometimes produce torrential rain in a short period of time. In these situations, rivers, creeks or dry streams (arroyos) can quickly fill and produce high water on roadways.
As always, you should never attempt to drive through floodwaters.
Just last week we saw the impacts of what storms during the Southwest monsoon can do. Slow-moving storms caused flooding in the northern Phoenix area on Friday where water rescues were reported.
(MORE: Flooding Last Week in Arizona)
It's easy to misjudge the depth of floodwater, particularly at night. Sometimes the bridge or road masked by flood water may have been undermined or completely washed out.
According to FEMA:
- 6 inches of water will reach the bottom of most passenger cars, causing loss of control and potential stalling.
- 1 foot of water will float many vehicles.
- 2 feet of rushing water will carry away most vehicles, including SUVs and pickups.

MORE: Lightning Strikes on Iconic Places