Waiting for monsoon to arrive in Valley? Better late than never

Monsoon season is off to a late start for the Phoenix area, but this is not the first summer the monsoon weather has started later than normal, according to the National Weather Service in Phoenix.

Measurable rain in Phoenix typically makes its appearance by now. But so far, this summer, Phoenix has been stuck in a pattern that has not allowed a lot of moisture to get into the Phoenix area, which has resulted in less thunderstorm activity, said meteorologist Mark O’Malley of the National Weather Service in Phoenix.

These conditions are not a first in Phoenix, O’Malley said.

The past couple of years, thunderstorms have been fairly active around the area. However, in 2003, measurable rain was not seen until July 29. The Phoenix record was set Aug. 14, 1995, as the latest day of the summer that measurable rain was recorded, O’Malley said.

According to the National Weather Service in Phoenix, measurable rain has occurred in 22 monsoons starting after July 17 since 1896.

Usually the week of July 22 is the latest the first 0.01-plus inch of rain is seen. There have been five years of first rainfall dates recorded after July 28 and two after July 30, Phoenix National Weather Service tweeted.

Rainfall chances for this weekend remain low, with a chance of “storms starting to get close to Phoenix” on Sunday.

According to O’Malley, chances of rain will really start to increase as early as Monday.

Temperatures will remain between about 105 to 110 degrees, which is fairly typical for this time of year, with the normal average being about 106 degrees, O’Malley said.

When the moist air arrives in the area, it will become much more difficult to reach extreme hot temperatures, O’Malley said.