Verna and Bob's Weblog

Climate

Arizona Flag Sunrays

Arizona Flag Sunrays

I’m certain that Arizona sunrises and sunsets like this were the inspiration for the Arizona State Flag. We fly the state banner below the Stars and Stripes on our flagpole (when the monsoons aren’t here) and the similarities between the design on the flag and the setting sun last evening are quite clearly evident.

I am so glad to be repatriated to my birth state and Bob is glad to be an expatriate from California in favor of this beautiful place. God blessed the desert with beauty and tranquility (most of the time). Click on the image to enlarge.

September 4, 2015 by Arizona Climate Photography Something Shiny

The Dry Hassayampa River

Dry Hassayampa River

I took this photo from the bridge on US 60 westbound across the now dry Hassayampa River which has been flowing wet a couple of times this summer. This is the confluence of Sols Wash, in from the left, and the main river flowing down from the upper right side.

The river rose above its banks on July 18, 2015 in what is now known as The Wickenburg Storm Event. The Flood Control District of Maricopa County classified the storm as a millennium event, or happening once in a thousand years.

We were on the way back from delivering our trailer to the dealer who is going to make some repairs so it will be available for our California and Nevada vacation next month. We also will use the trailer as a “guest room” when some of our family visits us late next month.

August 17, 2015 by Arizona Climate Photography

Sunset

Sunset

The monsoon season reliably brings the cloudiness that often results in spectacular sunsets. Tonight was no exception when the setting sun played its magic on the bases of the clouds.

The weather is forecast to clear overnight with an excessive heat warning over the next few days. We’re ready for it, though, since no outside work is planned.

August 12, 2015 by Arizona Climate Photography

Another Fierce Rain


This one isn’t as bad as the record-breaker of July 18, 2015, but it deposited quite a lot of rainfall. Panning from right to left above, you can see (through the patio screen) the waterfall on the hill behind the wall, fierce rain falling on the RV drive and the rain gutter overflow from the roof.

The retention walls did their jobs though, keeping us dry inside and diverting wash runoff down the road via the west wash path. The capital investment in walls and pavement have paid off this season 100 percent.

August 11, 2015 by Arizona Climate

Casandro Dam Basin

Casandro Dam Basin

The afternoon after our big monsoon thunderstorm and record-breaking rainfall, Verna and I drove up the road to a vantage point near US 60 where the Casandro Dam catch basin can be seen. I caught this panoramic image of the basin with the water level at just about the ten percent full point. If you click on the image to enlarge, you can see the high water mark came up to the top of the spillway. There was a LOT of water that fell on our desert town.

We were OK since our house is protected by retention walls that divert the runoff around the house, but there were a couple of places where the muddy mess piled up on the concrete. That was easily fixed with a shovel, wheelbarrow and hose.

In the panoramic view above, the red arrow points to the approximate place where our house is located below the houses beyond. Click on the image to enlarge.

July 22, 2015 by Arizona Climate Panoramas

Avalon 1998

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