The Pima County Department of Transportation will set up sandbag stations on Saturday, the official start date for Tucson’s monsoon.
There’ll be no rain.
This year’s monsoons are predicted to have a slow start, says John Glueck, a forecaster at the National Weather Service in Tucson. In Tucson, monsoons usually start around the Fourth of July, however this year it looks like they’ll come some time after the holiday, he said.
“For the entire season, it’s trending to be dryer than normal,” Glueck said. “I can’t quantify how much drier but there are indications that we’ll be having a less than optimal monsoon.”
The monsoon period here runs from June 15 to Sept. 30.
This week, Glueck says, most of southern Arizona will be under an excessive heat warning. Tuesday’s high temperature in Tucson reached 108 degrees.
“We’re looking at 110 degrees (Wednesday) and Thursday we’re going to be 108,” Glueck said.
According to the National Weather Service’s seven day forecast, Friday’s high will be 106 degrees followed by 107 degrees Saturday and 108 degrees on Sunday.
Despite the hot, dry weather sand bags to help prevent flooding during monsoon rain showers will be available at 12 locations across the city beginning Saturday. They are:
16091 W. Universal Ranch Rd, Arivaca Volunteer Fire Department
East Snyder Road and North Lason Lane
Carter Canyon Road and North Sabino Canyon Parkway, Mt. Lemmon
3835 E. Golder Ranch Dr., Golder Ranch Fire Station
North Pima Canyon Drive and East Ina Road
East Dawson Road and South County Club Road
1313 S. Mission Rd, Mission Yard
5030 S. Camino Verde, Drexel Heights Fire Station
15790 W. Silverbell Rd., Avra Valley Fire Station
7341 N. Sandario Rd, Picture Rocks Fire Station
La Canada Drive and Paseo Del Chino, Green Valley
1131 N. Ajo Well Rd., maintenance yard
Katrina Noble, the community engagement coordinator for the Pima County Department of Transportation, says that she recommends residents place the bags around the perimeter of their home or wherever they have the most problems with water coming in.
“I know in my yard, I put them around my patio so they won’t come up to my back door,” Noble said.
