Driving through the Palm Desert area last night, our RV thermometer pegged a big number.
You’re probably asking yourself “Why Are You Listening To Lita Ford?” That’s a topic for another day.
Oh don’t worry, that 124 degree temperature wasn’t accurate … via an internet connect, my watch said the actual temperature was only 118 degrees.
Strong high pressure is anchored over (checks notes) California. We want high pressure anchored over the four corners region.
The orange arrow illustrates northly flow over Arizona. No monsoon. Yes heat.
Fortunately, the European model and the US-based GFS model show moisture moving into Arizona later this week. By next Saturday / Sunday, the jet stream moves north into Canada (good for us), and high pressure dominates the center of the country (good for us). There’s even a localized high pressure over the four corners region paired with a thermal low trying to develop near Yuma … all good for monsoon moisture in Arizona.
By July 15, high pressure is in control, with moist flow into Arizona.
Personally, I like looking at images of water vapor. You can play with the slider on this web page to watch forecasted moisture … https://ag-wx.com/GFS/GFS_PWAT_slider.html … look for purple colors to move over Arizona, that’s when conditions are nice and moist here. Also of note - look at the brown at the start of the period … bone dry air over the West.
Now look at the forecast for moisture (you want to see purple colors over Arizona) a week from now.
In our case, we have to wait a week, plus/minus. There are even signs that storm clouds return to the mountains by Wednesday / Thursday. Good things come to those who wait.