Disaster flood situation: 12 months worth of rain to hit desert terrain in just days
Digital Reporter
Tuesday, September 16, 2014, 12:53 PM - Odile made landfall as a powerful Category 3 hurricane at the southernmost tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula late Sunday.
Its gales whipped torrents of rain ashore, chasing visitors in popular tourist destinations into closed quarters.
At least 15,000 tourists were impacted in Cabo, Mexican civil defense official Luis Felipe Puente said.
IN PHOTOS: Evacuees take shelter from Odile
Ports and beaches have been closed, and school classes and celebrations for Mexico's Independence Day were cancelled in Mexico's Baja California Sur state. Mexican Independence Day is Tuesday, September 16.
Odile continued to lash the state of Baja California Sur with strong winds and heavy rains as pushed northward, but it weakened to a tropical storm late Monday night.
"Heavy rainfall is a serious threat across central portions of the Baja California Peninsula, northwestern Mexico and the southwestern United States," warned the U.S. National Hurricane Center Tuesday.
The #Southwest is at risk for flooding rain with storms and increase moisture from #Odile pic.twitter.com/7FspCzggRN
— CNN Weather Center (@CNNweather) September 16, 2014
GREATEST RISKS
According to Weather Network meteorologist Doug Gillham, the greatest risk during the next three days is flooding that will result from the tropical rains that fall across the desert and mountainous regions of southeastern Arizona, southwest New Mexico and adjacent areas of Mexico.
"Rain amounts of 150 to 225 mm are expected during the next few days, which represents 6 to 12 months worth of rainfall for this region," Gillham says.
IF this verifies southern AZ, NM &parts of west TX in big trouble. Graphics are 3 & 5 day total rain 4casts: #Odile pic.twitter.com/PkdwPwNIs9
— Jim Cantore (@JimCantore) September 16, 2014
The heaviest rain will fall across southeastern Arizona, southwest New Mexico and adjacent parts of Mexico.
"Localized flash flooding and widespread flooding can both occur as the desert terrain is not able to absorb these rain amounts over such a short period of time," Gillham warns. "There are also mountains in parts of this region which further increases the flood threat. Rapid rises in stream and river flow will occur with flooding likely near canyons in the mountains, with the threat for flooding to spread across the flatter terrain where the streams emerge from mountains."
Flash Flood Watches are in effect for much of the Southwest US as moisture from #Odile moves in. pic.twitter.com/wq0qyVGcfp
— NWS (@NWS) September 16, 2014