Flood Threat as Desert Downpours Target the Southwest

Desert downpours bolstered by moisture from Tropical Storm Georgette will hitthe Southwest, potentially causing flooding, Wednesday into early Thursday.Showers and soaking storms over Arizona will spread eastward and northward toNew Mexico and southern Colorado during Wednesday and Wednesday night.

Highest rainfall will reach 2 to perhaps 4 inches within several hours, whichcould trigger desert and urban flash flooding.

Cities in the targeted area will include Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz., andAlbuquerque, N.M.

Desert flash floods can be deadly, as their runoff can make normally dry washesinto raging torrents within minutes.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Georgette, located off southern Baja California,Mexico, was named on Tuesday morning.

Georgette will head northward over Baja California to the Sea of Cortez, as atropical storm or tropical depression, Wednesday, then it will break up anddissipate.