PHOENIX– Monsoon season in the Southwest finally appears to be getting into full swing, with increasing moisture that’s bringing storms and possible flooding.
Since the official start of the monsoon season, the monsoon rains have been slow to start this year, thanks to El Niño.
Over the weekend, a shift in the upper-high eastward will help bring monsoon moisture back into the Great Basin, Rockies and High Plains. This will help to increase the amount and coverage of daytime thunderstorms across the region.
Stronger storms could produce localized flash flooding and wind gusts up to 60 mph. Winds could stir up dust in dry areas creating visibility concerns.
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FOX Weather Meteorologist Craig Herrera said storms will begin bubbling up in Southern California and Southern Arizona before moving throughout the Southwest.
On Sunday, Southern California could see some afternoon showers and thunderstorms.
By 5 p.m. local time, the FOX Forecast Center is tracking this rain to move into higher elevations in New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado.
Storms will be more widespread, and rain chances increase each afternoon through the week.
With the return of monsoon moisture brings the threat of flash flooding.
Some slow-moving storms will bring a possible threat of flooding across Arizona, southern Nevada, Colorado and Wyoming early in the week.
The flash flood threat increases for the Denver area on Tuesday and will move north into Cheyenne by mid-week.
The monsoonal rains will be welcome in parts of the Southwest experiencing a lengthy dry streak. The Southwest Monsoon Season is essential for those states which receive the most rain from June through September.
March 22 was the last day of measurable rain in Phoenix. That 129-day dry streak could end this week as monsoon season gets going after a late start.
Phoenix averages about 7 inches per year and, from July through September, gets about 1 inch in July and August.
Meanwhile, Tucson sees an average of 10.61 inches of rain yearly and sees the most rain in July and August, with about 2 inches of rain on average.