Monsoon in the Desert by L. A. Keller

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I've lived in Arizona since 1994 and I never tire of the spectacular show nature puts on during monsoon season. Storms come on quickly and depart just as fast. Lightening crackles in the air and the explosion of thunder can be heard for miles. Winds, sometimes in excess of sixty miles per hour,  gust and make even walking outside difficult.

Despite its beauty a monsoon can be extremely dangerous.  Flash flooding, dust storms and high winds make driving hazardous, rip roofs off houses and uproot trees.  Arizona has a 'stupid motorist law' due to the many drivers who venture into a flooded wash only to require emergency services to rescue them. When a high volume of water is dumped from the sky onto the desert it cannot be absorbed and rapidly fills formerly dry washes and streets, consuming everything in its path.

It's not uncommon in the summer months to see warnings about a massive wall of dust overtaking the area.  The first image below was taken by Casa Grande police in July of 2018 and illustrates what meteorologists describe as a Haboob.



This photo was taken from my backyard just before sunset. I cannot think of words to convey the beauty of the Sonoran desert.  I hope if you haven't visited Phoenix it will be on your list of places to see - but maybe not in monsoon season when the temperature can reach 122 degrees!



Happy Trails,

Leslie


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