Monsoon Season Off To Slow Start In Tucson Area

By Sara Hammond
Published: Thursday, July 23, 2015 - 8:24am
Updated: Thursday, July 23, 2015 - 8:28am
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The monsoon season is off to a slow start in metro Tucson, but weather forecasters expect the rains to pick up.

Depending on where you live or work, this monsoon season may seem like a “non soon” so far.

Glenn Lader, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Tucson, said rain totals in and around the city are lagging in the first third of the summer rainy season.

"The Tucson area specifically is a little bit below where we should be, but much of the rest of southeast Arizona is actually doing fairly good," Lader said.

Lader said other Southern Arizona cities are ahead of normal. So why is Tucson behind?

"Part of that is just the fickleness of the monsoon," said Lader.

Tucson’s official rainfall total is 0.8 inches.

Martha Retallick, a University-area resident and gardener, has seen just 0.1 inches of rain at her property. She is being creative to keep her plants from fading, including using what's leftover after showering and doing the dishes.

"I’ve got to keep it going somehow," said Retallick.

Lader said we can expect rain clouds to be building up soon. Mid-July to mid-August is the meat of the monsoon.

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