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Glendale’s dry July closing with no rain in sight
West Valley among Arizona’s ‘bone dry’ monsoon
Posted
On July 23, the monitor at Buckeye Airport, 3000 S. Palo Verde Road, reported 0.11 inches, the same day that Luke Air Force Base, 14185 Falcon St., measured 0.03 inches.
The West Valley monsoon season has been as dry as residents are feeling like it has, and the near future doesn’t look much wetter.
The month of July has brought only one day of slight measurable rain to parts of the West Valley, and this week in particular the National Weather Service has issued an Excessive Heat Warning through Saturday, Aug. 1.
There isn’t much good news ahead for rain fans either.
“Unfortunately the prospects are looking pretty grim for that right now,” National Weather Service meteorologist Marvin Percha said July 29 from his office in Tempe.
He adds that “very strong” high pressure over the region is pushing the Valley’s usual monsoon moisture elsewhere. The only parts of Arizona with rain in the forecast are the extreme southeast portion of the state and the White Mountains in eastern Arizona.
“Because of that our prospects for rain really do not look good,” Mr. Percha said. “The rest of the state looks really bone dry.”
Since Jan. 1, the monitor at Sky Harbor Airport has measured 3.65 inches of rain, which is below the normal amount of 4.16 the area would usually receive by July 29, according to the NWS. Mr. Percha adds that the Valley has “been pretty much dry since April.”
The West Valley has seen a scant amount of measurable rain in July.
On July 23, the monitor at Buckeye Airport, 3000 S. Palo Verde Road, reported 0.11 inches, the same day that Luke Air Force Base, 14185 Falcon St., measured 0.03 inches.
And that’s it.
Mr. Percha said Wednesday that the area could possibly see a chance for rain the middle of next week at the earliest as the calendar turns the page into August.
“It’s a bit unusual,” he added of the current dry spell. Arizona’s monsoon season annually begins in June and continues through September.
“We do get breaks from the monsoon every year but this one’s been unusual due to the length of it and also the intensity of the heat that it’s bringing us.”
Steve Stockmar has been with the Independent Newsmedia team since 2017. An NAU alum and Peoria resident, Steve’s community journalism pursuits focus mostly on arts & culture, education, and profiles of neighbors making a difference. In his spare time Steve plays in a vintage baseball league using uniforms and rules from the 1860s, and also acts (badly) in community theater. In addition, he has an unhealthy obsession with baseball and the Chicago Cubs.
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