Weather Insider: Monsoon Awareness Week
The North American Monsoon is a seasonal shift of the winds and weather pattern in the desert Southwest. Monsoon Awareness Week is this week and runs from June 9th - June 15th, 2024. Monsoon season officially begins on June 15th and lasts through September 30th.
As temperatures warm on land throughout the summer, a persistent ridge of high pressure forms over the four corners region. Keep in mind that air flows clockwise around areas of high pressure.
As the sun heats up the land, it also heats up water in the Gulf of California. This allows for more water to evaporate and eventually get pulled into the high pressure system. Thanks to the warm air over land, the air can become unstable. These factors can combine to cause thunderstorms and rain all across the desert southwest.
