Lighting strikes the ground as the clouds open up with rain southwest of Tucson on July 29, 2021.

 Kelly Presnell, Arizona Daily Star

Tucson’s 2021 monsoon ended as the third-wettest monsoon on record as the season came to a close Thursday.

The total amount of rain received during this monsoon, which runs from June 15 through Sept. 30, was 12.79 inches, said John Glueck, a senior meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Tucson. The wettest monsoon on record was in 1964 with 13.84 inches of rain.

This year was an above average monsoon for Tucson. The average rainfall for a Tucson monsoon is 5.55 inches, according to the weather service. Last year, Tucson only received 1.62 inches of rain, making it the second driest monsoon on record.

Tucson saw the most monsoon activity in July and August. July received 8.06 inches of rain, making it the wettest month in Tucson. The top sport formerly belonged to August 1955 with 7.93 inches of rain.

It was also the wettest July on record. July 2017, now the second wettest July, received 6.80 inches of rain.

For August, the Tucson airport received 3.85 inches of rainfall, exceeding the monthly average of 1.98 inches.

Despite the action seen in July and August, storms fizzled out in September, which is normal for that month, Glueck said.

Monsoon rains also helped improve drought conditions in Pima County.

On June 15, most of Pima County was classified as being in an “exceptional” drought. By Sept. 28, the county was considered in a “moderate” drought status, the weather service reported.

The 2021 monsoon also brought plant growth to Tucson and more insects were buzzing around the city. Due to the wet monsoon, Tucson saw an increase in Calosoma beetles, flies, mosquitoes, moths and Monarch butterflies.

Monsoon rains have kicked the local vegetation into high gear, including thousands of poppies blooming on the shoulders along Valencia just east of Houghton Road.

As Tucson transitions into fall, the weather service is predicting a drop in storms. Glueck said fall weather is looking like below normal rainfall and above normal temperatures, which will continue into winter.

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