Welcome to Monsoon
Welcome to the 2016 monsoon season. It runs from June 15 to September 30th. This is the time of year that we start to see thunderstorms and rain. It’s all caused by the winds turning more to the south and southeast.
This is significant because the change in our wind direction causes moisture from the Gulf of California and the Gulf of Mexico to invade southern New Mexico and Far West Texas. You’ll start to notice more humidity in the air and consequently it begins to feel a bit more uncomfortable. You will also notice that swamp coolers or evaporative coolers do not work all that well. That extra humidity results in less efficiency when it comes to cooling your home.
Because of the monsoon, most of our annual rainfall falls during this time of year. The next several months are the wettest – July, August and September – with August being our wettest month of the year. Unfortunately, this is also the time of year that we can see flooding and severe weather.
Did you know that flooding is the number one thunderstorm related killer? Most flash flooding deaths occur in vehicles. It only takes about 2 feet of fast moving water to move a vehicle. It only takes about 6 inches of fast moving water to knock over a person! It’s best to avoid any water if you do not know the depth. Turn around, don’t drown!
In the coming articles, I will discuss different weather aspects that we typically experience this time of year such as downburst winds, lightning, microbursts, supercells and hail to name a few.
