Phoenix visitor - monsoons? (Tucson: homes, live, dangerous)

[Hare2Day]

I am visiting Arizona for the first time with my 6-year-old. We will be there Friday through Sunday next week. I just read it's the start of monsoon season. Would we know by now if there will be a monsoon? I don't have much experience with monsoon except the one time I got caught in one in the Philippines, which turned into a nightmare.

[Bondurant]

It's nothing to be concerned about. Anywhere else in America it's just a plain ol' storm.

[Minntoaz]

Originally Posted by Bondurant

It's nothing to be concerned about. Anywhere else in America it's just a plain ol' storm.

This. Not even close to a thunderstorm you'd experience in the Midwest. It's like a hard rain for a few minutes and then done. No biggie.

[Hare2Day]

Wow thanks for setting my mind at ease! I lived in the Midwest for a year so I know what to expect now.

[dvxhd]

First, the start of monsoon season seems to just be a formality, because those storms typically don't actually hit (if at all) for weeks after. Second, I lived in Asia and experienced real monsoons as you did, and what happens in Arizona doesn't really compare. Over there it was literally nonstop rain for several weeks (I didn't see the sun for over a month and rain never stopped), and I had to walk to work barefoot and with rolled up pants once because the water level was so high. Officials were concerned the subway would get flooded and that a nearby dam was capping and may result in even more flooding. In Phoenix, it would most likely be a hot, sunny day and, at worst, a heavy storm in the evening. Typically though, the "storm" will just bring wind and increased dust. I lived in Oklahoma, and I would say the storms in Phoenix are very, very tame (almost cute) in comparison. Next week though, I'd bet my last dollar you won't experience anything but unrelenting heat in terms of weather, and will pretty much guarantee you won't see a monsoon.

[adventuregurl]

Yes, I'd be more concerned about the heat wave

[locolife]

You all do realize a monsoon is not a storm right? You can't really see a monsoon, you can kind of feel it as damper air moves in. Is it a "real" monsoon season? Absolutely. Is it as strong as the one in Asia? No, thank god!

What it is? A seasonal shift in air flow patterns caused by the land heating that occurs in the summer months.

Who does it affect? Literally the entire southwestern United States including CA, AZ, NV, UT, CO, NM and Northern Mexico.

How do they track it? the monsoon can weaken and strengthen throughout the year, the news will show a monsoon meter that varies across the state and the entire region. This tracking is done by dew points and helps predict the likelihood of damaging storms but exactly where a storm hits can be very difficult to predict.

Are the storms dangerous? They can be, power poles can be ripped down or broken in half, massive dust storms can occur and reduce visibility to near zero, storms can drop several inches within a few minutes flooding a homes, roads and washes. There is also lightning which can be a concern especially if you're stuck outside when a storm rolls through.

Be safe and heed warnings if you're traveling around the state during a period thy were expecting storms. You may have seen worse in the Midwest but the fact is people do die every year by not following some simple safety rules during our monsoon season.

It's unlikely that you'll be affected during this trip, it's very early in the season and we've seen no signs of the seasonal wind shift yet.

[PhureeKeeper]

Not to worry. There is no rain in sight any time soon.

[LittleMama65]

Flash floods after a heavy cloudburst are a concern. The rain / wind and dust storms usually start in July.

[LagunaMom]

As someone said, "the monsoon" is a shift in air flow. Moist air comes up from Mexico rather than over from California. Even though the National Weather Service has an "official" start of the monsoon season (June 15), that's not really when the action is. That still takes 3 days of dew points of 55 degrees or above to herald when it's really starting. These uber-high temperatures coming this week are just the beginning of the monsoon-making machine. They're a necessary component to heat up the atmosphere.

The real monsoon comes in early-mid July. Some parts of the Valley see absolutely no rain during a monsoon storm. Other parts have a few drops. However, a few times a year, some if not all of the Valley gets hit, typically when a couple of fronts collide over the Phoenix area. That's what you typically see on TV. It's not just the huge dust storms. It's what comes afterwards. Pouring rain, flooding, and sometimes straight winds or microbursts. We are nowhere near that now.

Tucson has it worse because they're obviously closer to Mexico, and also because many of our potential storms don't make it into the Valley because they "burn out" due to our heat island (concrete from all the building). When the monsoons are really coming, we'll see large cloud formations, typically from the south and in the afternoons. Many storms will skirt the Phoenix area, but you'll see the clouds over the mountains up north.

When the monsoon comes, you'll know it. You'll walk out the door, and it'll be like walking into a sauna. The temps won't get anywhere near as high as they're going to be this week. Come back in a month.