Part of the American West, already severely affected by a historic drought, was placed on exceptional flood alert with nearly 15 centimeters of precipitation expected in places, according to the meteorological services, Friday August 19.
A “period of significant precipitation” could affect the states of Arizona and New Mexico, causing exceptional floods, especially in regions ravaged by fires, said the National Weather Service (NWS). Heavy rain is expected “in southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico today [vendredi] and Saturday”said the same source.
The western United States is experiencing its 23rd year of drought and these cycles are being exacerbated by human-induced climate change. The risk of heavy precipitation events increases with increasing temperature. But sudden rainfall doesn’t necessarily help. “If the water falls heavily in a very short time, it flows”says meteorologist Chris Rasmussen, of the NWS in Tucson, Arizona. “She doesn’t have time to be really absorbed by the ground as we would like to see her”, she specifies.
