Regular Article

Spatial distribution and frequency of precipitation during an extreme event: July 2006 mesoscale convective complexes and floods in southeastern Arizona

  1. Peter G. Griffiths1,
  2. Christopher S. Magirl2,
  3. Robert H. Webb1,
  4. Erik Pytlak3,
  5. Peter A. Troch4,
  6. Steve W. Lyon5

Article first published online: 23 JUL 2009

DOI: 10.1029/2008WR007380

Issue

Water Resources Research

Water Resources Research

Additional Information

How to Cite

Griffiths, P. G., C. S. Magirl, R. H. Webb, E. Pytlak, P. A. Troch, and S. W. Lyon (2009), Spatial distribution and frequency of precipitation during an extreme event: July 2006 mesoscale convective complexes and floods in southeastern Arizona, Water Resour. Res., 45, W07419, doi:10.1029/2008WR007380.

Author Information

  1. 1

    U.S. Geological Survey, Tucson, Arizona, USA

  2. 2

    U.S. Geological Survey, Tacoma, Washington, USA

  3. 3

    NOAA/National Weather Service, Tucson, Arizona, USA

  4. 4

    Hydrology and Water Resources, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA

  5. 5

    Physical Geography and Quaternary Geology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 23 JUL 2009
  2. Article first published online: 23 JUL 2009
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 11 MAY 2009
  4. Manuscript Revised: 28 FEB 2009
  5. Manuscript Received: 20 AUG 2008

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Keywords:

  • extreme event;
  • weather radar;
  • mass wasting;
  • floods;
  • debris flow;
  • geomorphology

[1] An extreme, multiday rainfall event over southeastern Arizona during 27–31 July 2006 caused record flooding and a historically unprecedented number of slope failures and debris flows in the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson. An unusual synoptic weather pattern induced repeated nocturnal mesoscale convective systems over southeastern Arizona for five continuous days, generating multiday rainfall totals up to 360 mm. Analysis of point rainfall and weather radar data yielded storm totals for the southern Santa Catalina Mountains at 754 grid cells approximately 1 km × 1 km in size. Precipitation intensity for the 31 July storms was not unusual for typical monsoonal precipitation in this region (recurrence interval (RI) < 1 year), but multiday rainfall where slope failures occurred had RI > 50 years and individual grid cells had RI exceeding 1000 years. The 31 July storms caused the watersheds to be essentially saturated following 4 days of rainfall.

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