After an extremely dry June that carried with it an increased risk of wildfire in Southwest Colorado, the monsoon season is on its way.
According to Megan Stackhouse, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Grand Junction, a total of 0.01 of inch of precipitation was recorded during the entire month of June at the Durango-La Plata County Airport, and it was recorded on the first day of the month.
That's 0.63 of an inch below normal, she said.
"It was a super dry June," she said.
This week, a weather system brought rainfall throughout the region, though it's difficult to pinpoint how much, Stackhouse said, as the storms were scattered and isolated. Rain did arrive early Tuesday morning in the Bayfield area, bringing some welcome moisture.
Stackhouse said there's a 30 to 40 percent chance of showers from Thursday until Sunday, with storms likely to develop in the afternoon to evening hours.
But next week, weather models suggest the "classic monsoon" pattern will arrive Monday and last at least until Wednesday, bringing an "abundance of moisture," Stackhouse said.
A monsoon is caused by a shift in wind patterns, which brings more moisture from the Gulf of California and the Pacific Ocean to Southwest Colorado and usually lasts from mid-July to the end of August.
Those same models suggest that the weather pattern will remain in the region until the end of next week, she said.
Temperatures should remain in the mid- to upper 80s throughout the day and drop to a low in the mid-50s overnight during that time.
"We're really excited to be getting this moisture again," Stackhouse said. "And it's really helping with wildfire across the West."
jromeo@durangoherald.com
