Rain in the desert

[2005jettatdi]

It has been raining this week. People who do not live it the desert really cannot appreciate how much desert dwellers like rain. The bad part is the extreme humidity, as high as 50-60 percent all week. Last evening we got a real nice downpour, with a river running down the street into the basin. You have to like that because you know it can soak in at the basin to recharge the aquifer.

The neighbor's Palo Verde blew over a couple of days ago. I told him he was giving it too much water. You need to let desert trees be dry enough that they put down deep roots. He was running his irrigation for an hour 3 times a week. We run our for 15 minutes when it is dry.

 

[GON]

Love the smell of the air that follows after raining in the desert.

 

[Gyro Gearloose]

"Extreme humidity, 50 -60 %" . You're killin' me. .

 

[Hirev]

The bad part is the extreme humidity, as high as 50-60 percent all week.

 

[Chris142]

"Extreme humidity, 50 -60 %" . You're killin' me. .

Thats a lot for us. Evaporative coolers won't work and thats what many of us use.

 

[Chris142]

Love the smell of the air that follows after raining in the desert.

Same!

 

[The_Jeff]

I was lucky enough to be in Vegas for some thunderstorms a couple years ago. They were amazing. Back home we have trees and stuff to muffle the sound, but the desert muffles nothing. Great show.

 

[Spring Break '92]

It just broke 10 am here in Virginia and it's 83% humidity. Many days in the summer it's 80% or more overnight and into the morning. I don't ever want to hear about 50-60% humidity being high, I DREAM of 50-60% humidity. We had to spend $15,000 a couple of years ago to kill mold under our house, get all of the insulation under the floor replaced, have moisture barrier installed and a dehumidifier installed. And here is the thing - there are many people who have no idea that they need one. We needed one 10 years ago when the house was new, but no builders install them in new homes unless the house is being built to spec.

 

[Chris142]

It just broke 10 am here in Virginia and it's 83% humidity. Many days in the summer it's 80% or more overnight and into the morning. I don't ever want to hear about 50-60% humidity being high, I DREAM of 50-60% humidity. We had to spend $15,000 a couple of years ago to kill mold under our house, get all of the insulation under the floor replaced, have moisture barrier installed and a dehumidifier installed. And here is the thing - there are many people who have no idea that they need one. We needed one 10 years ago when the house was new, but no builders install them in new homes unless the house is being built to spec.

But is it 110+ with that humidity? Im miserable with 30%

 

[Gyro Gearloose]

Seeing a thunderstorm in the southwest in person. Bucket list item.

 

[slo town]

Seeing a thunderstorm in the southwest in person. Bucket list item.

Sue and I were heading back to Cali from Arizona on I-10 after a visit to the Pima Air Museum. These are screenshots are from a video that Sue took. These images are literally 11 seconds apart on the video. And just 3 or 4 minutes prior to this we were in bright sunshine.

Scott

 

[JN94]

"Extreme humidity, 50 -60 %" . You're killin' me. .

It's a high of 98 with a heat index of 110 and 96% humidity for today in my area.

 

[Kira]

Years ago, I went on a rafting trip down the Green River in Utah at a point just above its confluence with the Little Colorado.
In a very narrow canyon, it began to rain hard.
Loose mud shot from nooks and crannies as at every level above our heads, not just merely running into the river at ground level.
The sky turned a storm color I had never seen before. The lightening was terrifying.

It was among the most dynamic climatological experiences I've ever had.

 

[97prizm]

Thats a lot for us. Evaporative coolers won't work and thats what many of us use.

Depending on the desert 12-15% is fairly common. Now the Atacama desert is a whole different animal. I've seen where scientists have recorded low single digits for humidity.

 

[Expendable]

I remember when I first got to Luke in 1986, the wife and I were crossing a bridge on Glendale that named some river but it was completely dry.
I had never seen anything like that before, I can tell you it wasn't dry after the first rain storm.

 

[Spring Break '92]

But is it 110+ with that humidity? Im miserable with 30%

No, we get upwards of 100, but still - 30% humidity isn't destroying wood in your home. High humidity makes 80F feel closer to 90F, so imagine what it feels like at an actual 90 or 95F. We get heat indexes of over 110. It's actually less humid on the central east coast of Florida than it is here.

 

[Pew]

"Extreme humidity, 50 -60 %" . You're killin' me. .

100% humidity at 97° for us two days ago lol. I can't imagine how TN has felt for the past two weeks.

 

[Hohn]

"Extreme humidity, 50 -60 %" . You're killin' me. .

75 degree dew point would like a word.

 

[2005jettatdi]

Depending on the desert 12-15% is fairly common. Now the Atacama desert is a whole different animal. I've seen where scientists have recorded low single digits for humidity.

A couple weeks ago the humidity was 4%. 10% or less is common, except during monsoon season. When you are used to such low humidity 30% is pretty high. When it is dry, mid 90s temp is comfortable. When the humidity is high, 90 degrees is not comfortable. That is life in the desert. We chose to live here because we like it, rattlesnakes, scorpions, tarantulas* and all.

*I always enjoy seeing tarantulas. They are quite harmless and entertaining. Because we are already seeing tarantulas now I am hoping for a big march of the spiders in September.

 

[GON]

I remember when I first got to Luke in 1986, the wife and I were crossing a bridge on Glendale that named some river but it was completely dry.
I had never seen anything like that before, I can tell you it wasn't dry after the first rain storm.

I doubt you would recognize much in the vicinity of Luke AFB today, when compared to 1986. I was at Luke in 2012, and returned in 2024, and was blown away by the buildup around Luke AFB.

The areas immediately surrounding Luke today are massive, modern suburbs. Anything you want from a COSTCO to fine dining is immediately available to anyone in the vicinity of Luke AFB/