NASA Sees Simon Spreading Over U.S. Southwest

NOAA's National Weather Service (NWS) indicated on Oct. 8, that Simon's remnants would be bringing heavy rain and the possibility of flash flooding to the desert Southwest.

NWS noted “Moisture associated with the remnants of Tropical Storm Simon will bring showers and isolated thunderstorms to parts of the Desert Southwest on Wednesday. Rainfall totals of up to an inch or more are possible across much of Arizona, which could lead to flash flooding in some locations. The threat for heavy rain and flash flooding will move into the central Plains later in the week.”

The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder or AIRS instrument that flies aboard NASA's Aqua satellite gathered infrared data on the clouds and thunderstorms that make up the remnants of Hurricane Simon. On Oct. 7 at 21:05 UTC (5:05 p.m. EDT), AIRS showed tall, cold cloud tops from Simon stretching from northern Baja California over Arizona and into southern Utah. 

The last advisory on the depression was issued by the National Hurricane Center on Oct. 7 at 2100 UTC (5 p.m. EDT). At that time the center was located near 27.9 north and 116.3 west, or about 75 miles west of Punta Eugenia, Mexico. The remnants were moving to the north-northeast.

The NWS in Albuquerque, New Mexico issued a bulletin on Oct. 8 at 5:32 a.m. MDT concerning the hazardous weather expected from Simon's remnants: Showers and thunderstorms associated with remnants of former Hurricane Simon will move into western New México today and Tonight.

Quick storm motions will limit the threat of flooding…though some minor flooding will be possible…mainly overnight. Moderate to locally heavy rainfall is possible Thursday (Oct. 9) and Thursday night across northern and western New Mexico.

Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center