Monsoonal Storms Lighting
Monsoonal Storms Lighting
Following days of extremely warm temperatures and dry weather, thunderstorm activity has increased across a larger section of the parched Southwest this week.
While more rain would be welcome in any part of the drought-stricken Southwest, additional hazards might leave inhabitants with a sour taste in their mouths.
“A stalled out frontal feature crossing the southern Plains this week will give monsoon activity a boost,” Meteorologist stated. “This will help to draw moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and the Gulf of California and concentrate it across New Mexico and Arizona.”
While thunderstorms have been able to form in a few spots since last week, this week’s increase in moisture will encourage the formation of more widespread thunderstorms. To begin the week, most of the moisture will be concentrated in the Four Corners states of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah.
“Afternoon showers and thunderstorms will be able to stretch northward across the Rocky Mountains into Wednesday,” Buckingham predicted.
Rainfall of any form is necessary for the Southwest’s severely dry climate.
Rain showers erupted and shifted across parts of Southern California on Tuesday. Downtown Los Angeles received 0.10 inch of rain during the morning hours, which was not only a record for the date but also the greatest rainfall on a single calendar day since the middle of March. In Utah, 65 percent of the state is experiencing exceptional drought, the most severe designation offered by the US Drought Monitor. The remaining 35% of the state is experiencing varying degrees of drought, ranging from moderate to severe.
A similar situation exists in Arizona, where approximately 58 percent of the state is experiencing severe drought. Only 1% of the state is regarded to be free of any type of drought. Thunderstorms might offer welcome rain when the earth is that dry, but they can also bring a slew of severe consequences.
“In recent days, both the Phoenix and Tucson urban regions have seen all the North American monsoon has to offer,” Buckingham said. “In both locations, severe thunderstorms eventually produced huge dust storms known as haboobs.”
According to Buckingham, these thunderstorms and ensuing dust storms can cause a variety of hazards as they pass through, including a rapid loss in visibility and air quality, severe lightning strikes, and even a risk of flash flooding. While rain is appreciated in the Southwest at any time, too much of a good thing, too soon can be problematic.
Rainwater is unable to seep into the ground quickly enough when rainfall rates reach high levels, resulting in flash floods. During a severe downpour, flash flooding may swiftly transform a busy crossroads into a dangerously moving body of water.
Travelers in the Four Corners states’ metropolitan centers should keep an eye on the sky for any swiftly forming storms. It is never a good idea for drivers to attempt to forge a flooded road because one incorrect decision can suddenly turn fatal.
An extra concern may develop in mountainous locations where rounds of heavier rain can fall. When the soil along a slope becomes oversaturated and unstable, mudslides can occur. A mudslide’s debris can cause harm to anything in its path, including buildings and streets.
Throughout much of the week, and possibly into the weekend, daily rounds of monsoonal thunderstorms will develop across the Southwest.
reference – Accuweather
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