Tucson's Summer Monsoon Humid Air Flow

            Repost of a screenshot in August, 2010. 
This entry, including the first comment, explains the summer monsoon season in Tucson. 
In this chart, the humid air flow has moved north over Tucson. 
See 1st comment below. 

The edge of these wet air/dry air fronts moving through leads to spectacular effects. Rain and unusual storm clouds.

___________________________________________
"Monsoon Need To Know" By Chuck George of Station KOLD in Tucson, AZ

The Monsoon officially begins for Arizona on June 15 each year. 

In southern Arizona, the big downpours usually don't begin until early July when the Dew Point reaches a 24 hour average of 54° for three consecutive days.

As the Monsoon nears, there are a few basic things we should all know.  These include how the Monsoon develops, why it's called a Monsoon, and general terminology.

1.  How the Monsoon Forms:

1-a. The deserts of southwest Arizona and southeast California get super hot  during the summer.  Hot air rises.  Rising air creates an area of low pressure with counter-clockwise flow around it.  

1-b. At the same time, the air over the 4-Corners region is relatively cool, because the elevation is higher.  Cool air sinks and creates an area of high pressure with clockwise flow.  

The low near Yuma and the high near the 4-Corners act like a conveyor belt, pulling moist air from the tropics northward into Arizona.

Monsoon conveyor belt. The typical high and low pressure regions in these locations act like a conveyor belt to bring wet air up from the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez) The wet air when heated rises and forms high thunder clouds. Water condenses in the cool atmosphere and we get summer rains.
See chart in Comment 1 below.

2.  The term "Monsoon" is Arabic.  It means a "seasonal change in wind pattern."  During the winter and most of the year, the general flow is out of the west.  During the Monsoon, because of the factors mentioned in #1 above, the wind shifts.  It comes from the south and southeast.

3.  HERE'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING:  Terminology.

The Monsoon is NOT called the Monsoon Season.  It's redundant that way.  From the definition in #2 above, if we say "Monsoon Season" we are saying "Seasonal Change in Wind Pattern Season."  See?  Redundant.  So, it's the Monsoon.  Not the Monsoon Season.  The MONSOON!  :-)

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Taken on: August 5, 2010

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Sets appears in: • Ducky Monsoon Day at Tucson's Fort Lowell Park • 2016 Summer Monsoon more » • Seen Around Tucson • 2015 Summer Monsoon • Summer Monsoon Season 2015 • Summer Monsoon 2014 • 2014 Summer Monsoon • 2013 Summer Monsoon • 2012 Summer Monsoon • 2011 Summer Monsoon Thunderhead Clouds • 2011 Summer Monsoon In Tucson • Weather • 2010 Summer Monsoon Sunsets « less

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