WRRC Weekly Wave: Where is the Rain?

After another week of extreme heat and no rain, many in Tucson and around the state are asking, where are the monsoons? Recent articles in the Arizona Daily Star and other news outlets, a posting from the Arizona Department of Water Resources, and a KOLD interview with WRRC Director Sharon Megdal have all touched on this year’s “non-soon.” According to the ADWR posting, July was the hottest month on record in Phoenix and Tucson. Precipitation has also been exceptionally low; Tucson received only 0.46 inches of rain in July, far below the average of 2.25 inches. The WRRC checked in with UArizona climate scientist Mike Crimmins about this year’s monsoons, and he summed up the situation saying “this monsoon has been a bummer, no other way to say it. It is still a bit early to call it, but unless things turn around in the next couple of weeks, Tucson will have its driest and probably hottest monsoon on record.” While there is still a chance we may get some precipitation this season, “it is probably too late to fully turn things around and get back to normal precipitation levels” Crimmins added. To Arizonans, every cloud on the horizon is a hopeful sign at this time of year. Let’s hope for a little relief; our landscaping, wildlife, and electric bills could sure use it.  

Photo: Iris Chaparro