10
Loading video...
By Anna Skinner
Associate News Editor
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Three people have drowned, including one juvenile, as dangerous monsoonal moisture continues to inundate the Four Corners region on Wednesday.
The North American Monsoon, which typically brings an influx of moisture across the U.S. Southwest, has been inundating New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, and Colorado with excessive rainfall this week, prompting numerous warnings and other alerts from local National Weather Service (NWS) offices because of a widespread flood threat associated with the storms.
On Wednesday, the threat turned deadly after the Navajo Police Department Shiprock District in New Mexico responded to a possible drowning in the early morning hours.
Read More on Weather
Two adults and a juvenile were found dead at the scene, KOB 4 reported. The flood threat is expected to persist at least into Thursday, AccuWeather reported, warning that as much as a foot of rain could hit some areas.
“A foot of rain across the region is a 1-in-1,000-year event and though we do not expect widespread rainfall of 12-inches, it is certainly possible locally,” AccuWeather expert meteorologist Tyler Roys told Newsweek in an email sent to reporters on Wednesday afternoon. “This storm has a lot of characteristics of a Tropical Rainstorm and at times will have heavy rainfall rates that could create significant flash flooding risks.”
Flood Threat Maps
Flood watches remain in place across nearly all of Arizona, western New Mexico, southwestern Colorado, and southern and central Utah. The extensive threat comes only weeks after a flash flood in the Grand Canyon triggered by similar monsoonal conditions killed two people, underscoring the life-threatening impact that flash floods can have.
Animated weather footage from windy.com shows where the severe alerts remain in place.
NWS meteorologists warned of heavy rainfall rates and continuous thunderstorms through at least Wednesday night, although AccuWeather reported that heavy rain could persist through Thursday. In some cases, rainfall rates could exceed 2 inches per hour, which could trigger life-threatening flash floods.
As of 2 p.m. ET Wednesday, flash flood warnings are in place in Utah and Arizona.
The Windy.com weather radar shows storms continuing to move through the region.
As far as rain is concerned, the forecast shows as much as 3 additional inches of rainfall hitting some parts of the region over the next few days.
Thunderstorms were also expected to continue.
What Is a Monsoon?
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) defines a monsoon as a shift in winds that can cause either a very rainy season or a very dry season. Summer monsoons can bring rainy seasons because winds can bring in humid air, leading to heavy, relentless rain.
"During typical conditions in the spring, the U.S. Southwest experiences strong, dry winds blowing from the west. During a summer monsoon, the region experiences winds from the south, which carry moisture from the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California. This can cause heavy rainfall and thunderstorms," NOAA said on a webpage about the North American Monsoon, which impacts the U.S. Southwest.
What Happens Next
The monsoon typically ends after September. As for the current flood threat, most flood watches will expire by Wednesday night, although independent meteorologists have warned that the flood threat could persist through Thursday. People in affected areas should stay alert, follow local weather guidance, and be prepared to evacuate if a life-threatening flash flood warning is issued for their area. They should also avoid driving through flooded roads, as most flood deaths occur in vehicles.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Jason Lemon and Sam Wilson.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines