At a Glance
- A change in the weather pattern finallyer emerged in the West.
- The first significant rain and and snow of the season will affect Southern California and the Southwest into Thursday.
- Rain and snow was mostly beneficial, as most of the region is dry.
- Too much rain in some areas could caused localized flash flooding.
The first significant rain and snow event of the season brought relief from dry conditions but also resulted in some localized flooding in Southern California and the Southwest.
Some roads were flooded in Southern California on Tuesday. A portion of Highway 243 near Idyllwild, California, had been washed away from heavy rain, according to a report relayed by the National Weather Service.
As of Wednesday morning, 2.32 inches of rain had been measured in Valley Center, California. In just 30 minutes Wednesday afternoon, 0.78 inches of rain fell near Deer Valley, Arizona.
Vehicles were reported stuck due to flooding along State Route 62 in the Mojave Desert early Wednesday. Motorists were stranded along Highway 177 north of Desert Center, California.
(LATEST NEWS: Wet Weather Floods Roadways in California, Arizona and Utah)
A water rescue was reported near New River, Arizona, Wednesday evening and roadway flooding was reported in the Phoenix area, as well as in northwestern portions of Arizona.
Both directions of Interstate 70 were closed near Vail Pass, Colorado Wednesday afternoon due to accidents from snowy roadways.
As of Wednesday evening, 14 inches of snow was measured at Pine Mountain Club, California.
First Significant Rain and Snow of the Season
This was the first notable precipitation in this region so far this wet season, which typically begins in November and lasts through April.
More than 80% of California is at least abnormally dry, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor, since precipitation has not fallen this wet season. This is a big jump from Nov. 5, when less than 18% of the Golden State experienced abnormally dry conditions.
Los Angeles and San Diego average around an inch of rainfall from Oct. 1 through Nov. 15, but they did not receive any rain during that period. It has been the eighth-driest start to the water year in downtown San Francisco, where only 0.03 inches have been measured, and it does not appear much, if any, rain will fall there with this upcoming system.
Drought conditions have also developed and expanded in the Four Corners region since late summer due to a relatively dry monsoon season in Arizona and New Mexico, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Drought conditions cover about a quarter of the West.
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