Topline
The southwestern US will face a “significant risk” of heavy rain and flash flooding as the remnants of Tropical Storm Priscilla – downgraded from a Category 2 hurricane – are expected to move through the region this weekend, weather officials warned Friday.
This NOAA satellite image taken on Thursday shows Tropical Storm Priscilla off the west coast of Mexico in the eastern Pacific Ocean. (NOAA via AP)
Associated press
Key facts
According to According to the National Hurricane Center’s Friday morning update, Priscilla has continued to weaken in intensity and is expected to become a post-tropical remnant later in the day before dissipating on Saturday.
However, the moisture-laden remnants of the storm could bring between 2 and 4 inches of rain across parts of central and northern Arizona, southern Utah and southwestern Colorado through Saturday — with some localized cases as high as 6 inches.
The heavy rain could lead to flash flooding in central Arizona and southwestern Utah, with “scattered areas of flash flooding expected in the rest of Arizona, southern Utah, southwestern Colorado and far northwestern New Mexico,” the hurricane center warned.
In one separate updateThe National Weather Service warned that “many streams may overflow, potentially affecting larger rivers,” and the flooding could cause debris flows in and around areas recently affected by wildfires.
The Associated Press noted Priscilla’s remnants could produce as much rain in just a few hours as some of these areas receive all year, increasing the risk of flash flooding.
What about Tropical Storm Raymond?
Tropical Storm Raymond, which was previously named on Thursday, is the third system to form off Mexico’s Pacific coast this week, after Priscilla and Octave. The NHC reported maximum sustained winds of 60 mph with higher gusts Friday morning and the storm is expected to move parallel to Mexico’s southwestern coast Friday. While Raymond is likely to weaken this weekend, moisture from the remnants of Raymond also brings the potential for additional heavy rainfall in parts of the southwestern U.S. early next week, the NHC said.
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