It Never Rains in Southern Arizona

Whassup Saguaro state?

Doug says there is a rumor of torrential rains here Thursday through Sunday--so, really? So much more snow got dumped last weekend, this is great. D.

Interesting...there is a "Pineapple Express" coming in your general direction, according to the FNMOC, starting Thursday evening, but the two computer models I generally look at are in disagreement. The GFS model shows a direct hit on AZ, but the NOGAPS model shows the direct hit being in Sonora, with plentiful rain in AZ, but probably little flooding (and also ending sooner, being mostly gone by Sunday).

All things being equal, NOGAPS is my model of choice, but I need to look harder before deciding (I'll decide on Monday for sure). I'll start updating you on the latest info....

Well, maybe there will be some flooding. With warm rain falling on snowpack at higher elevations, the streamflow might be considerable.

The term "Pineapple Express" is often used in California to signify a long band of moisture featuring heavy rain originating around Hawaii. I use the term more loosely, to signify any long band of moisture, featuring heavy rain, originating from the tropics, at roughly the same latitude as Hawaii. There is no reason, after all, why one can't have "Pineapple Expresses" all the way around the globe, in any semi-tropical to low-middle-latitude zone, in either hemisphere.

These kind of rains are what people tend to associate with El Nino: low overcast, warm, wet, persistent, and above all, focused, like a spear from the tropics, hitting rather small target areas at the point of the spear very hard. Sonora is at the point of this spear, and maybe AZ too, depending on the state of play of mid-latitude Rossby waves.

D. continues:

Is that = to Welcome? (pineapples were given to guests as 'welcome' in the South--which is why that theme is used a lot in furniture, wood moulding, etc.)

Well, if hurling with great force a prickly pineapple at startled guests qualifies as "welcome" in the South, then southern hospitality may be overrated.

It's presented in a basket, you goof, in their room. At the end of their stay or as a hint to move on they're given another.

Oh! Very genteel! And if they don't get the hint to move on, then and only then, do you pummel them with pineapples.

ABSOLUTELY!

"Martini Lounge" - Saguaro Martinis (you probably can't see the tiny saguaros in their glasses)