As the California atmospheric river storm pivots into the southwestern United States into midweek, heavy rain will raise the risk of flash flooding as well as unload heavy mountain snow on the region.
The same storm responsible for torrential rain, life-threatening flash flooding, high winds and mountain snow in California will swing slowly inland over the southwestern United States through midweek. Soon after heavy rain raises flooding concerns in the deserts, heavy snow will pile up over the mountains in Nevada, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and Colorado, AccuWeather meteorologists warn.
Heavy rain on the desert landscape is notorious for rapid runoff and dangerous flash flooding, mudslides and other debris flows. This highlights the concern among forecasters for the interior Southwest over the next few days.
Even though the atmospheric river, or firehose of rain, that was blasting Southern California on Monday will weaken as it pivots eastward, enough will remain intact to bring periods of heavy rain to the deserts of the interior southwest United States, AccuWeather Storm Warning Meteorologist Joseph Bauer said.