Arizona monsoon rainfall totals4/30/2023 ![]() Even more monsoon rainfall statistics for Flagstaff. Amounts vary widely from year to year at any particular location due to the scattered nature of the monsoonal showers and thunderstorms. Lightning, hail, dust storms, and strong winds are common during the monsoon season. Lets take a look at how much rain normally falls across northern Arizona during the monsoon season. The short-lived, intense monsoon thunderstorms can often cause flash flooding in areas with steep terrain, low-lying roads, or normally dry washes. The rain is a welcome sight in Phoenix after back-to-back underwhelming monsoon seasons. Monsoon thunderstorm activity accounts for roughly half of the annual precipitation in central and northern Arizona, and two-thirds to three-fourths of the annual precipitation in southern Arizona. The most rain Phoenix has got in a monsoon season is 9.56 inches in 1984. A monsoon is NOT a thunderstorm, but the monsoon season can help build thunderstorms. Terminology: The term “monsoon” refers to a seasonal time of year where thunderstorms are more likely to occur. The incoming moisture helps build thunderstorm activity across the state. The monsoon is a season where the dry, westerly winds (winds coming from the west) that typically persist through fall, winter and spring shift to moist, southerly winds (winds coming from the south). In mid- to late June, the thunderstorms move toward the International Border and into Arizona. The rain totals in most areas of the state stand in stark contrast to those of last year and the year before, when some areas like Phoenix received barely above half an inch of rain. The monsoon season typically begins in early June when active thunderstorms build in central and southern Mexico. ![]() For example, if the brown or below average category is greatest for any given day, then that indicates most of the state was observing below average precipitation.Arizona’s Monsoon Photo courtesy of Philip TarrantĪrizona resides within the North American Monsoon geographical arena. But the rainfall totals in a few places including Bellemont, the Heber Ranger Station, Prescott's Sundog Water Plant as well as Sunset Crater and Walnut Canyon national monuments recorded over. It is calculated by counting the number of grid cells in each anomaly category (e.g. below or above average) each day and then dividing it by the total number of grid cells for Arizona. Higher values indicate a longer time period or break since at least light rainfall was observed.ĭaily change in precipitation anomaly coverage: This figure depicts the daily change in the coverage of different categories of precipitation anomalies or differences from average. Maximum / Daily, monthly and annual precipitation totals for all rain gages, sorted by amount, ending at 5 a.m. A high value indicates that most of the total precipitation came in a small number of large or intense events.ĭays since 0.05" rain event: This map indicates the number of days since at least a precipitation amount of 0.05" was observed in each data grid cell. ![]() ( Seasonal Average Total Precipitation)ĭaily intensity index: This index is the simple ratio between the total precipitation over the time period and the number of days observing rain with units in ‘inches/day’. 100% is equal to average for the time period shown on the map. Percent of average precipitation: Percent of average is calculated by dividing the total accumulated precipitation by the long-term (1991-2020) mean and is an indication of how much totals have deviated from average precipitation for the June 15th to present period. The September 8 rainfall brought the annual precipitation since January 1 up to 5.51 inches, the National Weather Service reported. ![]()
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