[PHX-Skywarn] Monsoon 2008

[Allen Sklar]

Hello All

I suggest you use the link.....
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/117815
This story has some great graphics with it....
I got one wrong on the quiz ????


Allen Sklar, W7AS
MAA 224
Tempe AZ USA
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Monsoon expected to pack more punch this year
Mike Branom, Tribune
The coming monsoon will pack stronger, more frequent thunderstorms in
the state, according to the forecast of a University of Arizona climate
expert.

INTERACTIVE: See how monsoons work

Also, the pre-monsoon weather is expected to be warmer than normal with
more lightning strikes than usual, Chris Castro said Wednesday.

This "dry lightning" is a concern because these storms produce gusty
winds that help spread lightning-sparked flames.

It is not yet known when the moisture will arrive, said Castro, an
assistant professor in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences. Also
undetermined is which areas will receive the most rain.

The monsoon is the summer phenomenon of humid air flowing northward into
the Southwest. When the monsoon is in full force, muggy days can lead to
stormy afternoons.

Those storms, in an average year, drop about 2 3/4 inches of rain in
Phoenix. That's about a third of the annual total.

But if Castro's predictions hold true, the 2008 monsoon's rainfall will
surpass the average - and it will do so sooner rather than later.

Castro explained that weather across the globe currently is being
affected by a La Niña pattern, in which the waters of the tropical
Pacific Ocean are colder than usual. Arizona, during a La Niña,
typically has a dry winter, and that pattern has held up. But the La
Niña also brings about an active monsoon, especially in late June into
July, Castro said.

June 15 through Sept. 30 has been designated statewide as "Arizona
Monsoon Season." The National Weather Service has eliminated the strict
determination of the monsoon's beginning, as marked by three straight
days with dew points of at least 55 degrees.