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All is Vanity See other All is Vanity Articles Title: MOISTURE FINALLY ARRIVES (3" of rain) MOISTURE FINALLY ARRIVES Few complain as events are disrupted Pat Kossan, Diana Balazs and Carl Holcombe The Arizona Republic Mar. 12, 2006 12:00 AM On Day 144 it finally rained in the Valley of the Sun. And where it didn't rain, it snowed. Phoenix officially collected 1.05 inches at Sky Harbor International Airport by 6:30 p.m., the first measurable precipitation since Oct. 18. Folks in the East Valley enjoyed the heaviest rainfall, with parts of Queen Creek measuring more than 3 inches. Pinetop in the White Mountains was buried in 31 inches of snow by 8 p.m., while Carefree and Cave Creek and the McDowell Mountains area even got enough snow to build snowmen and go sledding when the snowline slipped as low as 2,000 feet. Forest Lakes in the Rim country had 28 inches. advertisement The skies are expected to clear today, and a chance for more rain is slim. Overnight, another quarter to three-quarters of an inch of rain was expected in the Valley with southeast areas getting the brunt, and 6 to 12 inches of snow in mountain areas at the central and eastern Mogollon Rim. Monday is expected to be sunny, and temperatures could reach the 70s by Tuesday. But snow showers were expected to continue early today in the high country. National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Bruce cautioned that rain and snow did not mean Arizona's decade-long drought was over, although rains cut forest-fire risks. "Obviously, it's a large enough storm to help the situation," Bruce said. "But, it's not enough to make up for a whole winter where we received virtually no precipitation." And while most residents were relieved after nearly five months of dry weather, the downpour left some tourists grumpy, washed out the Phoenix Patrick's Day Parade, closed the Chandler Ostrich Festival, and forced the Donnelly-Guevara garden wedding indoors. A sampling Here is sampling of how some Valley events were affected by the storm as the day progressed: 9:15 a.m. Cindi Machado could have seen her breath in the chilly air had she ventured out of Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort in north Phoenix. Instead, she's in the lobby in black high-heel sandals, with a tiny white flower on her exposed toes. She's squatting in front of a rack of pamphlets describing 100 things to do in Arizona, 95 of them outside, where it is dark and chilly and pouring rain. It's her first time in Arizona, and before noon, north Phoenix would get more than an inch of rain. "I'm just picking up a bunch of brochures, for next time," Machado said, nearly snapping. Friend Rob Weill said they just had to cancel a trip to Sedona, where forecasters expected heavy snow. Weill said it was warmer at their home in Florida. "You can tell I'm from Florida, look at my shoes," Machado said. "I think the first place we'll hit is a shoe store." But even before that, the couple was in the resort's gift shop, picking up umbrellas and sweatshirts with everyone else. 10:45 a.m. The Valley's Irish hard-liners were already pouring glasses of Guinness, Harp and Smithwicks at the Irish Cultural Center and trying not to notice that the St. Patrick's Day Parade didn't start at 10 a.m., canceled for the first time in its 23-year history. There would be no Irish Faire at Margaret T. Hance Park, leaving 60 vendors with pounds of food and mounds of T-shirts they couldn't sell. And it's leaving the whole lot of them $35,000 short for next year's festivities. Phoenix washout By noon, a half-inch of rain had fallen, a "soft day" in Ireland, organizers insisted, but a washout in Phoenix. They couldn't risk Irish dancers falling on the wet streets or bands getting electrocuted as the rain pooled around them. The whole thing didn't sit well with Harry Carroll, president of the parade committee and a former New Yorker accustomed to St. Patrick's Day Parades in rain, snow, sleet, lightning or thunder. The retired Phoenix police officer worked as a uniformed street cop and a detective but said this about Saturday's decision: "Hardest call I ever had to make in my life." 1:35 p.m. Chandler officials huddled and, by 2 p.m., opted the close the 18th-annual Ostrich Festival at Tumbleweed Park at McQueen and Germann roads. The rain was on and off in the morning, allowing the festival's parade down Arizona Avenue to proceed. Raining steadily By noon, however, it was raining steadily. The main outdoor stage was filling with puddles; one parking lot was already flooded, and everyone feared for the safety of the animals, if the ostriches raced on a wet track, said Becky Jackson, who heads the Chandler Chamber of Commerce, which sponsors the festival. Last year, the Chamber netted $100,000 from the event. "We need the rain, there's no doubt about it," Jackson said. "But it could have started on Monday." If the weather cooperates, the festival will resume at noon today and run until 11 p.m. 2:50 p.m. The Peoria Sports Complex already canceled the spring-training matchup between the San Diego Padres and the Chicago White Sox, and officials were debating about the 7:05 p.m. game between the Seattle Mariners and the Kansas City Royals, the only night game scheduled. Four other Cactus League afternoon games were canceled. Peoria spokeswoman Mary Lake said it would be terrible to be forced to cancel two games in one day. But by noon, some parts of Peoria had seen a half-inch of rain, and Lake said it had just stopped, but the skies remained dark and threatening. Lake said the playing field was covered. "Not that the seats are going to be dry," Lake said. And as for those folks with tickets to watch the game from the grass: "Good luck." By 5:30, the decision had been made, and the night game was canceled. 3:30 p.m. It was the second day of the 36th-annual Scottsdale Arts Festival. Hot chocolate and coffee were in demand; lemonade was not. About half the artists opened shop for most of the day, but now their tents were closing. Need the moisture "Well, it's been slow, but we're from Flagstaff, so we know how much we really need the moisture," said Tasha Griffith, 27. Griffith was helping her husband, Bryan, 30, who had his photography on display. Wisconsin visitor Rebecca Riggert, 54, was part of a sparse but determined crowd. "It's warmer here than it is generally this time of year in Wisconsin, so this is a treat," she said. Festival Director Janice Bartczak said the event had survived rain in the past. "People came out with their umbrellas," Bartczak said. "I mean, they were strolling outside and, maybe, just enjoying the rain." The festival continues today at the Scottsdale Civic Center Mall, Second Street and Drinkwater Boulevard. 4 p.m. It was drizzling steady and cold when Kate Donnelly and Alex Guevara were due to get married under the old trees and manicured grounds of the Valley Garden Center in downtown Phoenix. Instead, the couple, the band and the guests had to make do with a ceremony in front of the large picture window inside the center's reception hall. Father-of-the-bride Pat Donnelly watched the weather and prayed all week but woke at 5 a.m. Saturday to rain and lightning. "Native Americans believe it's good luck to have rain on your wedding day," Donnelly said. "So, we had a dry spell here; we had a wedding, and we broke the spell."
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 1.
#1. To: All (#0)
where I live it was 3" of rain in one day. that is easily 50% of the expected rainfall for a year. first rain in 144 days.
#2. To: Red Jones (#1)
here we've had SO much rain in the last few days.. and an absolute downpour l/n.. more rain is expected here and we have a flood watch.. and it's unseasonably warm just as it has been all winter.. today it's 64 and 70 expected tomorrow! The ducks are happy :p
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