Total rainfall for September 2.43
Departure from normal precipitation for month +1.43 Departure from normal precipitation for year +3.25
It should be remembered that this unusual increase in rainfall is not in itself an ENSO event: the monsoonal airflow from the SW/WSW (SoCal, Gulf of CA, EastPac) is usual for this time of year in NM and AZ, and will continue until cold fronts from the PacNW and central plains displace it.
What *IS* noteworthy is the increase in the amount of water vapor in the flow provided not only by the ENSO-generated hurricanes Linda and Nora, but also generally throughout this past summer. As a result of this water vapor running smack into the central mountain chain, there was a concomitant increase in rain or, at least, in cumulus build-up/verga (and cooling!) nearly every afternoon during the summer months.
We must await winter storm tracks and jet stream data for actual ENSO effects in the southwest. For more information about ENSO-linked storm tracks, see The North American Climate Patterns at www.coaps.fsu.edu/lib/booklet/
Notable Nora-driven birds for Arizona (in greater numbers only except where noted):
Vaux's Swift
Sabine's Gull
California Gull
Franklin's Gull
Common Tern
Least Tern
Caspian Tern
Roseate Spoonbill
Leach's Storm-Petrel
Least Storm-Petrel
(second state record)
Black Storm-Petrel (first state record) Adult Parasitic Jaeger
Black-vented Shearwater
(first state record) Red Phalarope
Red-necked Phalarope
And in New Mexico (4-Corners
area):
Wandering Tattler (first
state record)
For individual contributors, specific dates and locations, please refer to Chuck Williamson's BirdServ Zingy Weekly AZ/NM Listserv at www.nbhc.com/birdwg05/weeknnw5.htm for the last week of September.--Alice Gomez <myadesta@aol.com>