Tucson and Southern Arizona are getting a soaking from Hurricane Newton as it passes over them. With this rainfall, the area will receive its normal rainfall for the year.
Living in Tucson, I recall what a blessing rain is in the summer. You can bet the flora of the desert is soaking up rain. The fluted trunks on the tall saguaros will swell outward as its long-reaching roots soak up precious water gushing over the desert pavement (fine particles of sand and pebbles that form a mat on the surface). Some Tucson residents who harvest rain into cisterns will also collect hundreds of gallons of water they can use later to water their gardens.
Brad Landcaster is a local leader of water harvesting, has been for decades.
Susan Feathers 