Farewell, monsoon season: Photos of the 2020 season in Tucson
Wednesday, September 30 is the official last day of this year's monsoon season, per the National Weather Service.
Although a much drier monsoon than normal, here are some photos from the 2020 Monsoon Season in Tucson and Pima County taken by Arizona Daily Star photographers, law enforcement, readers and others.
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The sun is caught between a monsoon storm cloud and the ridge of Roskruge Mountains west of Tucson, Ariz., September 1, 2020.
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A pair of pedestrian dodge traffic, puddles and raindrops as rush across Euclid at 2nd Street during a monsoon rain which finally soaked the majority of the valley, Tucson, Ariz., August 29, 2020.
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Passing traffic throws up a wake in the flooded intersection of Euclid and 2nd Street as monsoon finally lets loose some rain over the majority of the valley, Tucson, Ariz., August 29, 2020.
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Traffic and a street car pass through the wet and shinny intersection of Congress and Granda as monsoon finally lets loose some rain over the majority of the valley, Tucson, Ariz., August 29, 2020.
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A woman walks along Grande Ave with her umbrella as sprinkles of rain drop after a monsoon storm rolled over Tucson on August 27, 2020.
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Lightning strikes southeast of downtown as a monsoon storm puts on a light-show but misses with the rain again, Tucson, Ariz., August 22, 2020.
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Scattered monsoon thunderstorms move around the valley dropping localized rain, winds and lightning but largely missing Tucson, Ariz., August 20, 2020.
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Cloud lightning arcs over the valley as monsoon thunderstorms skirt the majority of Tucson, Ariz., August 20, 2020.
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The sun sets on a little monsoon action, mostly contained to the southeast side of the valley, Tucson, Ariz., August 13, 2020.
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A monsoon storm confined mostly to the east and southern parts of the valley, gets caught in the dying rays of the day's light, Tucson, Ariz., August 13, 2020.
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Lightning strikes as a monsoon cell skirts the ranges to the west of the city shortly after sunset on Aug. 7, 2020. Tucson received 1.62 inches of rain during last year’s monsoon.
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A highly localized monsoon cell skirts just to the west of the city with some rain and lightning just after the sun goes down, Tucson, Ariz., August 7, 2020.
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A small patch of rain drops on Sombrero Peak northwest of the city as monsoon again flirts with Tucson, Ariz., August 7, 2020.
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A rain column from a monsoon storms travels north, just west of the city, Tucson, Ariz., August 7, 2020.
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A sundown monsoon storm skirts west of the city, just missing Tucson, Ariz., August 7, 2020.
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No rain, just a few scattered monsoon clouds reflected in the windows of the former Hotel Arizona, 181 W. Broadway, before sun set over downtown, Tucson, Ariz., August 6, 2020.
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Smoky skies from the Apple Fire in California make for a red tint over the sun, as seen from E. Speedway Blvd., in Tucson, Ariz. on August 2, 2020.
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Lightning strikes the Santa Rita Mountains as traffic flows on Houghton Road after a monsoon storm picked up steam after passing through the east side just a bit of rain, Tucson, Ariz., July 31, 2020.
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A monsoon storm drives some lighting into the Santa Rita Mountains and beyond just south of Tucson, Ariz., July 31, 2020.
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A monsoon storm hits earth with several lighting bolts southwest of the Santa Rita Mountains and Elephant Head after largely by-passing Tucson, Ariz., July 31, 2020.
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Several lighting bolts hit ground to the southwest of the Santa Rita Mountains and Elephant Head after a monsoon storm largely by-passed Tucson, Ariz., July 31, 2020.
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A highly localized cell of monsoon dumps rain, with a hint of lightning, onto the Rincon Mountains as it sweeps through a small band of the eastern valley, Tucson, Ariz., July 28, 2020.
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Monsoon clouds stripe the western just after a highly localized cell dropped rain on parts of Saguaro National Park East, Tucson, Ariz., July 28, 2020.
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A half rainbow arcs over Saguaro National Park East as a highly localized cell of monsoon rain sweeps through a small band of the eastern valley, Tucson, Ariz., July 28, 2020.
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A highly localized monsoon cell drops rain and rainbows on Saguaro National Park East as it sweeps over a small section of the Rincon Mountains and foothills, Tucson, Ariz., July 28, 2020.
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Nighthawks weave through the sunset over the Rillito River, just barely running with the first significant monsoon rainfall of the season, Tucson, Ariz., July 23, 2020.
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A mating pair of Couch's spadefoot toads deal with an interloper in the flowing Alamo Wash near the Rillito River with the first significant rainfall from monsoon, Tucson, Ariz., July 23, 2020.
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A mating pair of Couch's spadefoot toads are among the hundreds out and active in the flowing Alamo Wash near the Rillito River following the first significant rainfall from monsoon, Tucson, Ariz., July 23, 2020.
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A male Couch's spadefoot toad puffs up making a mating call as the first significant monsoon rainfall has the Alamo Wash flowing for a few hours, Tucson, Ariz., July 23, 2020.
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A male Couch's spadefoot toad puffs up making a mating call as the first significant monsoon rainfall gets the wildlife out and active in the Alamo Wash, Tucson, Ariz., July 23, 2020.
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A Couch's spadefoot toad lurks in the waters where the Alamo Wash feeds into the Rillito River with the first significant rainfall from monsoon, Tucson, Ariz., July 23, 2020.
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The Santa Catalinas are reflected in the last yards of the flooded Alamo Wash just before it dumps into the Rillito River during the first significant monsoon rainfall, Tucson, Ariz., July 23, 2020.
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The last trickles of the Alamo Wash dump into the Rillito River with the first significant rainfall from this year's monsoon, Tucson, Ariz., July 23, 2020.
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A Couch's spadefoot toad plies the waters of the Alamo Wash just above the Riillito River following the first significant rainfall from monsoon this year, Tucson, Ariz., July 23, 2020.
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Dennis Ray helps a motorist whose car stalled at Ft. Lowell Road and Oracle Road after a monsoon storm passed over the Tucson area bringing heavy rain and flooding on July 23, 2020.
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A woman walks north along Oracle Road as a monsoon storm brings heavy rain and flooding on July 23, 2020. Tucson Police Department officers shut down Oracle Road north of Miracle Mile due to flooding at Oracle Road and Ft. Lowell Road.
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A man crosses the street at Ft. Lowell Road and Oracle Road after a monsoon storm passed over the Tucson area bringing heavy rain and flooding on July 23, 2020.
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The morning light breaks through rain clouds over the Rincon Mountains seen from Tumamoc Hill, on July 23, 2020.
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The shines through rain clouds over Tucson as seen from Tumamoc Hill, on July 23, 2020.
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A person carries an umbrella on their way up Tumamoc Hill, on July 23, 2020.
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Rain falls on the Santa Catalina Mountains as seen from Tumamoc Hill, on July 23, 2020.
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The morning light breaks through rain clouds over the Rincon Mountains seen from Tumamoc Hill, on July 23, 2020.
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Walkers shelter underneath their umbrellas as they make their way up Tumamoc Hill, on July 23, 2020.
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A truck driving south on Tucson Boulevard near Mitchell Street kicks up water following a monsoon, on July 23, 2020.
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Vehicles driving along Tucson Boulevard near Mitchell Street kick up water following a monsoon, on July 23, 2020.
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Water flows from a small wash into the Santa Cruz riverbed following monsoon rains near the Starr Pass Boulevard overpass, on July 23, 2020.
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People carry umbrellas as they walk along Dodge Boulevard near the intersection of Grant Street, on July 23, 2020.
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A double rainbow shows over a neighborhood street in Tucson, Ariz on July 15, 2020.
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Tucson sunset behind at Saguaro cactus on July 15, 2020.
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An uprooted tree rests against one of the units in Mission Palms Apartments, 951 W. Orange Grove, victim of the first major monsoon storm of the season that rolled through the valley, Tucson, Ariz., July 11, 2020.
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Looking for the perfect angle for a photo, Corey McCuin straddles the upper trunk of a tree uprooted the Mission Palms Apartments, 951 W. Orange Grove, in the first major monsoon storm of the season that hit, Tucson, Ariz., July 11, 2020. The tree was one of two that fell in the complex, this one uprooted a couple of steps to a second floor unit and landed in a mostly empty drive.
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A rainbow shines in the last of the day's light over Saguaro National Park East first major monsoon storm of the season as it rolls west to wreak a bit of havoc in the valley, Tucson, Ariz., July 11, 2020.
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A rainbow glows in the evening light over Saguaro National Park East, the first major monsoon storm of the season, Tucson, Ariz., July 11, 2020. The storm downed trees, power lines and brief heavy rain in the city.
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Rainbows pop up over Saguaro National Park East, as the first major monsoon storm of the season begins to roll into the valley, Tucson, Ariz., July 11, 2020.\
Kelly Presnell
Photojournalist
Mamta Popat
Photojournalist
Josh Galemore
Photojournalist
Rebecca Sasnett
Photojournalist
As featured on
Disobeying flood-area warnings while driving not only puts drivers and their passengers at risk, it does the same to rescuers and can strain resources, officials say.
Both May and July 2020 set records as the hottest in Tucson. Not only that, but this summer's AWOL monsoon season is the fourth-driest on record at this point.
An excessive heat watch has been issued for Thursday morning through Sunday evening in the region.
