Tropical one-two punch threatens Southwest with days of heavy rain and major flooding
Prediction markets at Kalshi are pricing in a 99% chance of rainfall for popular Southwest cities such as Phoenix.
Hurricane Polo blasts across Mexico, moisture fueling dangerous flood threat across US Southwest
Hurricane Polo made landfall as a Category 2 storm on Baja California Sur, Mexico, late Monday. Polo is bringing damaging wind gusts and life-threatening flash flooding to the region, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). The storm is forecast to make a second landfall in mainland Mexico later Tuesday after tracking over the Gulf of California. In addition, moisture from Hurricane Polo is fueling life-threatening flooding across the southwestern U.S.
The Southwestern U.S. is set for wet, nasty storm conditions this week as Tropical Storms Polo and Rachel threaten the region with flooding.
A major flood threat over the next few days will plague the Southwest as tropical moisture from Polo and Rachel surges northward from Mexico.
On Tuesday, a surge of tropical moisture will target the Southwest across Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado, with 1 to 2 inches of rain, and over 2 inches for the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles.
The main threat on Tuesday is life-threatening flooding, specifically for New Mexico.
Heavy rain led to flooding in near Arizona City on Dec. 4, 2022. The Pinal County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to multiple stranded vehicles. (Image: Pinal County Sheriff's Office)
As a result, a Level 3 out of 4 flood threat exists across portions of New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado.
This comes as the remnants of Hurricane Polo move into the Southwest region late Tuesday evening, with persistent rainfall steadily moving north from Mexico, where rainfall is 1 to 2 inches per hour.
"Polo's remnants will likely still be intact as it moves through New Mexico," the FOX Forecast Center said. "The wind could gust as high as 50 to 60 mph on top of the already saturated ground."
This will fuel the risk of falling trees and power lines, as severe weather conditions show little signs of slowing down.
CORTEZ, COLORADO - AUGUST 24: Rain clouds pass overhead as monsoon season storms persist on August 24, 2024 near Cortez, Colorado. A shift in wind direction from westerly to southerly typically triggers the American Southwest monsoon by mid-June and runs through September, bringing storms of often-spectacular cloudbursts that produce widespread flash floods and dangerous lightning.
(David McNew / Getty Images)
In light of the serious storm threat targeting the region, experts at Kalshi break down the odds for how much rainfall will dump across the Southwest.
Prediction markets at Kalshi are pricing in a 99% chance of rainfall for popular Southwest cities such as Phoenix and Las Vegas.
On top of that, the National Weather Service has an active flood watch for the city through Tuesday tonight, with a chance of thunderstorms.
The wet weather will continue through Thursday, with repeated rounds of persistent rainfall totaling about 2 to 3 inches, further fueling the dangerous flood threat.