Hello? Monsoons?
It feels as if it’s been weeks, months, years since it rained. But that may change, thankfully, very soon.
To be sure, the summer got off to a weird start. Remember that “backdoor monsoon pattern” or whatever in June, which is typically the driest month of the year? But then, the well went dry. The last reported rain event was nearly a month ago, and Stage 1 fire restrictions were enacted in all of Southwest Colorado.
However, according to OpenSnow.com, a pretty dang reliable weather forecasting service, the delayed start to the monsoon season is about to kick in this week.
“Monsoonal moisture has been building over Mexico for the past couple weeks and is beginning to spill into the Western U.S. with a gradual uptick in moisture levels,” OpenSnow.com reported.
First, the weather system will bring the chance of thunderstorms Thursday and Friday this week, with the chance for moisture this weekend. For your reading pleasure:
“Heading into the weekend and early next week, moisture will become more entrenched throughout the Four Corners region with a gradual uptick in thunderstorm coverage expected for ranges west of the Continental Divide in Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah.”
Oh thank god.
On a sour note, OpenSnow.com expects this year’s monsoon to not be as strong as the past two summers. But hey, after the past few weeks of blistering heat, we’ll take it.
And here might be a good time for a reminder on safety tips while recreating during monsoon season. Thunderstorms usually start to roll in around midday, so it’s a good idea to start early. If you’re above treeline and see clouds building, turn around.
Also, flash flooding – a particular risk in the slot canyons and washes of the Southwest – can be the result of storms miles away. Be sure to check the forecast before venturing out.
And, if you’re still lamenting the lack of moisture, one thing we like to do to cheer us up is check the weather in other places. Today’s high in Phoenix, for instance, is 115 degrees; Dallas, 105; and Las Vegas, 112.
In comparison, Durango topped out at a high of 99 degrees on Mon., July 17, according to the National Weather Service.
Not so bad now, is it?
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