'Absolutely striking:' Understanding our monsoon during special time of year

Monsoon season brings more than a few summer storms to Southern Arizona. The rain can cool the region, awaken the desert and help recharge groundwater. The season can also quickly change the appearance of the landscape.

Keith Christiansen, a Tucson native who now lives in Sierra Vista, has studied the monsoon for years through his Instagram account, Keith’s Trails & Treasures. He also created a field guide, Understanding the Monsoon, for people who want to learn about the season without an academic approach.

Christiansen says the monsoon is not simply one storm. It is a seasonal change in wind patterns, usually beginning in late June or early July. Extreme heat, rising dew points and moisture moving north from Mexico help create the conditions for storms, while mountain ranges can help trigger their development.

Forecasting remains difficult because storms can form in separate locations, much like popcorn popping. The season provides more than half of the average annual rainfall for many Southern Arizona communities, but it can also bring dust storms and flash flooding. Even with those dangers, Christiansen and KGUN 9 weathercaster Cuyler Diggs describe the monsoon as a striking and meaningful part of life in the desert.