Monsoon Storms Reach Southwest, Bringing Heat Relief and Flood Risks

A shifting weather pattern is bringing the first widespread monsoon storms of the summer to the Southwest. The storms are offering relief from weeks of triple-digit heat while introducing severe risks of flash flooding and lightning-sparked wildfires. A massive high-pressure system parked over the center of the U.S.

Is altering regional wind directions and drawing deep tropical moisture northward into the interior West, Newsweek reported. Thunderstorm activity is expected to intensify across Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and Texas. Major metro areas threatened include Phoenix, Tucson, Albuquerque, and Las Vegas.

"The North American Monsoon typically starts in most areas in the U.S. in early July but can start as early as the middle of June. This year the monsoon is starting close to on time for many areas," Alex DaSilva, lead hurricane expert and meteorologist with AccuWeather, told Newsweek.

"The monsoon is starting now due to a large area of high pressure that is parked over the center of the U.S. " Areas of greatest risk are across portions of Arizona and western New Mexico, where a few inches of rain can occur over the next week under locally heavy downpours.

Most of the Southwest is in at least a moderate or severe drought, and most of these areas average less than an inch of rain for the whole month of July.

Some of the winds in the strongest storms can reach 60 mph. Meteorologists are forecasting the monsoon itself to be near average overall, with potential enhancement by tropical moisture from tropical storms and hurricanes. "As a result, we do expect to see a wetter pattern overall in the Southwest this summer and into the fall months," DaSilva said.