Monsoon Season | The Severe Southwest
Monsoon season brings severe rain and wind to the southwest every year. Learn more here…
Monsoon season is the time of year when the Southwest gets a lot of wind and rain as a result of certain ingredients. The season affects many who prepare for the storms that come during this time. There are a lot of things to learn about it, like how to prepare for monsoon season and the types of monsoons. This post is only about the season in the Southwest U.S., not the ones in other places like India. You can also find the the season months in this post.
This post is about the Southwest monsoon season.
Stormy Monsoon Season
When is It?
Monsoon storms are a big deal, so it is important to know when the season for them is. These storms can still happen outside of their designated season. The season starts in June and goes all the way through September. In some Southwest places, the season doesn’t start until July, like northern Arizona. Monsoon storms don’t always start in June every year, with each year being different in the storm’s timing. Peak monsoon season months are usually July or August.
Monsoon Storms
The monsoon storms are usually scattered rather than isolated thunderstorms. Down/microbursts are common with these storms. Supercells are not a common type of storm. Most have heavy precipitation cores that can last for a long time, along with severe wind. Lightning is a real attraction for storm chasers when it comes to the season. Many storm chasers from around the country travel to states with the most monsoon storms, like Arizona, to get great lighting pictures like the ones shown above.
How Much Rain?
The desert region on average gets less than a foot or two of rain, with two rainy seasons. The first rainy season would be monsoon season from July through September, and the second one is the winter rainy season of December and January. The Dec.-Jan. season is not as severe, but still lets the region have a little more rain. Depending on the elevation and latitude, some cities have a major precipitation difference. For example, Yuma has an average total annual rain of just above 3″, while other places getting dozens of inches.
