The remnants of Hurricane Jimena brought some extra moisture to Arizona Friday and should bring even more widespread showers to the region today.
However, the moisture consists of a series of weak disturbances, so heavy rain likely will occur only in isolated areas, said Darren McCollum, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Flagstaff.
In its Friday afternoon forecast, the Weather Service was predicting that thunderstorms are likely for Prescott today, with a 60 percent chance.
And the unsettled weather should hang around for several days, with a 50 percent chance of rain tonight, a 40 percent chance Sunday and a 30 percent chance on Labor Day.
Rainfall chances could increase if enough moisture lingers, McCollum added.
Jimena made landfall Wednesday along the Mexican Baja California peninsula, killing at least one person in its floodwaters. Forecasters expect the remnant tropical depression to head back west out into the Pacific Ocean, although some of its moisture is streaming into Arizona.
A few areas of Yavapai County already received significant rain Friday.
The National Weather Service issued a small stream advisory for the Bagdad area west of Prescott after radar indicated that 2-3 inches of rain fell Friday afternoon.
And the Weather Service issued an urban and small stream flood advisory for the Walnut Grove area along the Hassayampa River south of Prescott, after radar indicated about two inches of rain was falling per hour.
The agency also issued a severe thunderstorm warning Friday for a remote area about 12 miles southeast of Camp Verde in southeastern Yavapai County.
Any rain would be welcome in this region, since the monsoon has produced well-below-average rainfall since it began in mid-June.
The monsoon typically continues through mid-September, and so far this month the Prescott area has seen scattered showers.
The Sundog measuring site on the northeast side of Prescott had recorded 0.19 inches of rain by Thursday. The 111-year average for September is 1.71 inches.
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Posted: Saturday, September 05, 2009
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