“Record Dry Monsoon Continues…” proclaims a Facebook post by the National Weather Service in Flagstaff, Arizona on September 2nd. Prescott is shown as the having the 10th driest monsoon, while Heber, Payson, Flagstaff, and Winslow show even drier conditions for the period from June 15th through September 2nd.
Prescott Creeks volunteer Aaron Burrows compiled and posted the following information about the lackluster 2019 Monsoon.
With the conclusion of August and only four weeks left in the season, a majority of the 2019 Monsoon season has passed. Much like the months of June and July, August 2019 has turned out to be a disappointment in terms of precipitation recorded across the region. Outlined below are statistics relating to precipitation values recorded throughout the Prescott metropolitan area and Yavapai County for the month of August 2019.
Official National Weather Service Readings:
Prescott Love Field Airport: The 30-year rainfall average for the month of August is 2.55 inches. Only 0.30 inches (approximately 12% of the monthly average) of rain was recorded at this site during the month of August 2019.
City of Prescott (Sundog Ranch Road): The 30-year rainfall average for the month of August is 3.09 inches. Only 1.07 inches (approximately 35% of the monthly average) of rain was recorded at this site during the month of August 2019.
Chino Valley Road 1-North: The 30-year rainfall average for the month of August is 1.57 inches. Only 0.77 inches (approximately 49% of the monthly average) of rain was recorded at this site during the month of August 2019.
Town of Jerome: The 30-year rainfall average for the month of August is 3.18 inches. Only 1.91 inches (approximately 60% of the monthly average) of rain was recorded at this site during the month of August 2019.
Of the more than 50 monitored weather sites across Yavapai County, those with the five highest recorded rainfall amounts for August 2019 are as follows:
- Central Prescott Valley: 3.10 inches recorded between August 1st and August 31st
- Granite Mountain Observatory: 2.58 inches recorded between August 1st and August 31st
- Mingus Mountain: 2.32 inches recorded between August 1st and August 31st
- Horsethief Basin (Southern Yavapai County): 2.01 inches recorded between August 1st and August 31st
- Prescott Valley Police Department: 1.97 inches recorded between August 1st and August 31st
The five weather sites which have recorded the greatest rainfall amounts for the 2019 Monsoon Season so far (months of June, July, and August) are:
- Central Prescott Valley: 5.78 inches
- Community of Walker (South of Prescott): 4.39 inches
- Mingus Mountain: 4.09 inches
- Prescott Valley Police Department: 3.75 inches
- Prescott Country Club (Dewey, AZ): 3.62 inches
As we can see, the entire region is below average not only for the month of August 2019 but also for the Monsoon Season as a whole. If September turns out to be as lackluster as what the months of June, July, and August were, it is likely that the 2019 North American Monsoon Season will be record setting for the region. Unfortunately, these records will not be ones that we would like to set.
Below is a map displaying total rainfall recordings throughout the Prescott metropolitan area for the 2019 Monsoon season thus far (June 15th – August 31st). It’s chilling to see just how dry it has been across a region that is already prone to wildfires and suffers from a water crisis.
