North American Monsoon Season Comes to a Close in the Southwest

The end of the monsoon season will usher in drier and warmer conditions to the Desert Southwest. While the break in the rain may be welcomed by some, the increasingly drier pattern will also raise the threat of wildfire danger.

Soggy Period in the Southwest Coming to an End

The southwestern U.S. experienced a generally weak North American Monsoon season this year. This was not the case over the last few days when a surge of heavy rain triggered deadly flooding across Arizona. The influx of tropical moisture coming up from Mexico resulted in the highest amount of rain in one day so far this year for Phoenix.

The heavy rain hit the desert region late Friday and into Saturday, triggering a catastrophic flooding situation. Three people are confirmed dead in Globe, Arizona, while another person was found dead early Saturday in Scottsdale.