Weather

A group hangs out at a Civilian Conservation Corps stone building as sunlight breaks through scattered clouds in Tucson Mountain Park. The National Weather Service forecasts up to a 65% chance of showers or thunderstorms Saturday night and Sunday.

Sunday morning’s storm helped bring Tucson closer to becoming the second-wettest monsoon on record.

As of Sunday afternoon, the Tucson International Airport had recorded a total of 0.27 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service.

The rainy weekend brought the total amount of rainfall for the 2021 monsoon to 12.78 inches, NWS said. Despite the increase, Tucson remains the third-wettest monsoon on record. To become the second-wettest monsoon, Tucson would need to receive 0.31 inches of rain by Sept. 30. The second spot was made in 1955 with 13.08 inches of rain.

To take the No. 1 spot, Tucson would need 1.07 inches of rain. The wettest monsoon was in 1964 with 13.84 inches of rain.

Tucson saw less monsoon activity in September compared to last month’s activity. The NWS said the total amount of rainfall for September 2021 is a half-inch less than average.

With the 2021 monsoon ending Thursday, Tucson still has a chance to break records. NWS predicts a 20% chance of storms Monday and Wednesday and a 50% chance Thursday.


Become a #ThisIsTucson member! Your contribution helps our team bring you stories that keep you connected to the community. Become a member today.