Simon expected to dump less rain than Norbert

By the time most Valley residents wake this morning, forecasters say, tropical depression Simon will have swept in, done his thing and be on his way out.

And they expect Simon to be a gentleman. National Weather Service meteorologists say the storm will be much less severe overall than what Hurricane Norbert produced in the Valley last month, with record-setting rain totals, widespread flooding and accompanying mayhem.

Simon should drop about a half-inch of rain across most of the Valley today, although some pockets may experience severe thunderstorms that could result in as much as 1½ inches of rain, National Weather Service forecaster Kin Kaid said. Localized heavy rain, flooding and gusty winds are possible near the strongest parts of the storm, according to the Weather Service.

At his worst, Simon is forecast to be nothing like Hurricane Norbert, which dumped as much as 6 inches of rain in parts of the Valley on Sept. 8, Kaid said. More than 3¼ inches fell at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, making it the wettest day on record in Phoenix since 1895.

Still, Kaid said, forecasters couldn't say for certain on Tuesday night what Simon will do in the Valley.

Outlying effects of the storm were already being felt in Yuma and other parts of Arizona on Tuesday afternoon, with radar showing pockets of rain as far north as Lake Havasu City.