Easterners

[Aslkahuna]

may not understand how it is that we Arizonans can get so worked up about our monsoon. Just think of it as our version of the Winter Weather Junky's Nor'easter or the hurricane watcher's hurricane. Although we get varied weather around here other times of the year, the monsoon is unique to us-there's nothing quite like it and it's for the desert dwellers alone (both the low and high deserts). It's been cussed and discussed for over 100 years and for a long time, it wasn't even called a monsoon and as late as the 1970's many monsoon experts doubted that it was. It brings humidity but it also tempers the heat and most of all it brings RAIN (usually). An active monsoon can be a storm chaser's paradise while an inactive one can bring tears of frustration. We can curse it, hate it or love it-but we can never do without it.

Steve

[ColdFront77]

I am sure I would really enjoy when the monsoon season hits in Arizona and New Mexico. I have been a weather enthusiast since I was a child and the weather that occurs in different parts of the country. It would be a lot of fun to watch weather system move in and out of other regions of the country.

[Aslkahuna]

of what it's like, The SE corner of AZ (including SV) and SW corner of NM average 65 days per year with thunder on average. Ninety percent of those days occur between July 3-7 and September 7th. We average 84 thunderstorms at the house during those 65 days with 70 or more during the days of the monsoon. Few other places in the US can boast such an intense period of thunderstorms over a short period of time (which is the raison d'etere for my signature) and we can get them forming at anytime of the day or night. When it's active storm chasers in AZ go crazy as at times it can seem like we're in TX or OK (especially late in the 'soon).

Steve

[M2]

One nice thing about Arizona weather systems is that since the sky and
viewing conditions are normally so clear with visibilities up to 10, 20 miles -
you can "see" storms forming and moving around in relation to each other,
and even merge sometimes. Our skies are blue, not white (from humidity)so
the contrast between clouds/storms and 'clear' is very pronounced - and
great for chasing and studying cloud & storm structures.

[breeze]

I do recall watching storms develop from many
miles away while in Arizona. I found it quite
amazing to look to the left and see clear skies,
then, look to the right and see a big thunderstorm
in progress. Having grown up surrounded by
hills that limit your view of approaching or departing
storms, it was quite the spectacle!

[Stephanie]

I've learned so much about the SW and Four-Corners area ever since I've been a member at TWC and here. Also, with my father living in Colorado I've developed a vested interest in it too.

When I visit out there, because of the clarity of the air not only can you see mountain ranges from 60 miles away, but also storms that develop. You can get some pretty cool views of anvils building and expanding.

I think that when alot of people think of the Southwest, they think of desert, cactus, no greenery, wide-open spaces, etc. I would've never thought that there would be mountain ranges like the White Mountains in AZ or the Sangre di Cristos that cut into the northern part of New Mexico.
I've been exposed to a whole new appreciation of that area!

[Arizwx]

Being a Native Westerner is for me...a blessing.I have travelled and even lived for a short time back East of the 'Mighty Miss' ..and lovely as Fall in Central Park or a Spring Day in near Mackinaw Island,MI(the closest sea scape I have seen to the Cent Oregon Coast aside from Maine)...nothing really compares.
The West is so huge..so full of so much it would take a lifetime and then some to catch just a fraction of the intense beauty and raw energy.
I lived in my home of SF for many yrs and have yet to understand how the Fog creeps over the Coastal Range..'Like Little Cats' Feet' as the Poem goes.It's why SF is so cool in June and July..as Mark Twain commented:'The Coldest Winter I ever spent was a Summer in San Francisco!'Meantime..80mi NE..Sacramento is 104!Hehe!Keep going another 1.3 hrs East on I-80,Pass Donner Summit and at 8,000ft on the N side of Lake Tahoe,you look down at the Ponderosa Ranch of Virginia City,NV..YUP ..'BONANZA'.The Sierra Nevada.John Muir Country.Yosemite.Half Dome..'El Capitan'!Sequoia 4,000 yrs old.
Or Coastal Big Sur.The Mighty Pacific.Cold,beautiful..suductive and utterly unforgiving.
Actually John,a Scottsman owned his Fruit Ranch in suburban SF in a town called 'Martinez'..also home of Joe DiMaggio.
Johns' Pup,'Stickeen' was the only traveler as ususal..Ditto for Ansel Adams and his incredible Art.Jack London used the Embarcadero Waterfront of Oakland to muse his prose.Sally Stanford's House of Ill repute in Swanky Sausalito...'serviced' many Notable Cads from San Francisco.
Nearby 'Angel Isand' in the middle of N SF Bay..was our version of 'Ellis Island' during the Oriental Migration for jobs: the '49er GoldRush and Leland Stanford's Railroads.So much of Marin County is named for 'Sir Francis Drake' as he tried to beat the Spaniards before him...Balboa.
Drakes'16th Century Ship..the 'Golden Hinde' was oft Moored off the Coast of SF near
Half Moon Bay'..which he named.At the time..SF was actually called 'Yerba Buena'...and named later for St Francis of Asisi...friend to all animals.
This is where I was raised.This is my home..the West.I love it so.