Southwest monsoon ramps up, brings much-needed rain
By
Brandon Buckingham, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Updated Jul 6, 2021 3:52 AM EDT
Scenes of flash flooding similar to what was experienced in Zion National Park in Utah this past week may not be the only display of the destructive power of heavy rainfall across the Southwest in the coming days.
As tropical moisture surges northward from the Pacific and provides fuel for thunderstorm activity, residents and visitors across the Southwest should remain on alert for rapidly changing weather conditions.
A photo of the destructive flash flooding in Zion National Park on June 29, 2021. (Photo/National Park Service).
A noticeably different feel to the air can be felt in places like Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona, as a moisture-laden air mass has settled in. Rather than the typical "dry heat" that is experienced throughout a majority of the year, an influx of moisture from both the eastern Pacific Ocean and Gulf of Mexico has many desert locales feeling more like Florida.
This hot and, in some places, sticky air will continue to provide fuel for daily shower and thunderstorm activity across the Southwest and portions of the Rocky Mountains into the middle of the week.
As a result, some drought-stricken areas across the western United States may finally begin to experience some relief. While a majority of the rainfall activity will be centered around the Four Corners states, occasional thunderstorm activity will spread into the central and northern Rockies this week as well.
Although the rainfall will be beneficial across the region, hazardous and potentially life-threatening weather will also be possible.
The combination of the extremely parched ground across the Southwest and thunderstorms capable of producing gusty winds and dust storms, known as haboobs may form.
While they can produce picturesque scenes from a distance, visibility can rapidly drop to near zero and practically turn day into night if you were to end up caught inside a passing haboob. Motorists traveling along interstates 8, 10, 17, 19 and others across the Southwest must be cautious for these events when traveling.
"Haboobs can force dust and other particles in greater concentration through the air as well. In these dust storms, air quality can drastically decrease in a matter of moments," AccuWeather Meteorologist Mary Gilbert said.
Dust storms have been known to distribute the spores that cause valley fever by making them airborne. (Photo/mdesigner125/Getty Images)
In addition to the threats for haboobs, any intense downpour from a thunderstorm could cause streams or dry creek beds, known as arroyos, to rapidly fill with dangerously fast-flowing water.
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While the rainfall will be extremely beneficial across the Southwest, there will still be a risk of dry lightning strikes.
"Dry lightning strikes may start additional wildfires, as the ground is tinder-dry for many locations. Dry lightning is a term to describe a thunderstorm that produces little to no rainfall," Gilbert said.
Often times during the monsoon season across the Southwest, thunderstorm activity typically fires up across the higher terrain initially before slowly drifting into the lower valleys. Into midweek, this will likely be the case in many places.
A majority of the tropical air will surge into portions of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado. Unfortunately for drought-stricken locales of Nevada, California and a majority of the Northwest, little if any drought relief is expected.
On top of dry conditions, the heat will persist across the Northwest as a dome of high pressure remains anchored over the region.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo
News / Weather Forecasts
Southwest monsoon ramps up, brings much-needed rain
By Brandon Buckingham, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Updated Jul 6, 2021 3:52 AM EDT
Scenes of flash flooding similar to what was experienced in Zion National Park in Utah this past week may not be the only display of the destructive power of heavy rainfall across the Southwest in the coming days.
As tropical moisture surges northward from the Pacific and provides fuel for thunderstorm activity, residents and visitors across the Southwest should remain on alert for rapidly changing weather conditions.
A photo of the destructive flash flooding in Zion National Park on June 29, 2021. (Photo/National Park Service).
A noticeably different feel to the air can be felt in places like Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona, as a moisture-laden air mass has settled in. Rather than the typical "dry heat" that is experienced throughout a majority of the year, an influx of moisture from both the eastern Pacific Ocean and Gulf of Mexico has many desert locales feeling more like Florida.
This hot and, in some places, sticky air will continue to provide fuel for daily shower and thunderstorm activity across the Southwest and portions of the Rocky Mountains into the middle of the week.
As a result, some drought-stricken areas across the western United States may finally begin to experience some relief. While a majority of the rainfall activity will be centered around the Four Corners states, occasional thunderstorm activity will spread into the central and northern Rockies this week as well.
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Although the rainfall will be beneficial across the region, hazardous and potentially life-threatening weather will also be possible.
The combination of the extremely parched ground across the Southwest and thunderstorms capable of producing gusty winds and dust storms, known as haboobs may form.
While they can produce picturesque scenes from a distance, visibility can rapidly drop to near zero and practically turn day into night if you were to end up caught inside a passing haboob. Motorists traveling along interstates 8, 10, 17, 19 and others across the Southwest must be cautious for these events when traveling.
"Haboobs can force dust and other particles in greater concentration through the air as well. In these dust storms, air quality can drastically decrease in a matter of moments," AccuWeather Meteorologist Mary Gilbert said.
Dust storms have been known to distribute the spores that cause valley fever by making them airborne. (Photo/mdesigner125/Getty Images)
In addition to the threats for haboobs, any intense downpour from a thunderstorm could cause streams or dry creek beds, known as arroyos, to rapidly fill with dangerously fast-flowing water.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
While the rainfall will be extremely beneficial across the Southwest, there will still be a risk of dry lightning strikes.
"Dry lightning strikes may start additional wildfires, as the ground is tinder-dry for many locations. Dry lightning is a term to describe a thunderstorm that produces little to no rainfall," Gilbert said.
Often times during the monsoon season across the Southwest, thunderstorm activity typically fires up across the higher terrain initially before slowly drifting into the lower valleys. Into midweek, this will likely be the case in many places.
A majority of the tropical air will surge into portions of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado. Unfortunately for drought-stricken locales of Nevada, California and a majority of the Northwest, little if any drought relief is expected.
On top of dry conditions, the heat will persist across the Northwest as a dome of high pressure remains anchored over the region.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo