While you wait for some summer weather action, check out these photos taken by Arizona Daily Star photographers in the last two decades that show just how powerful and beautiful monsoon season in Tucson can be.
Enjoy this magical time of year. Just remember to stay safe. Seek shelter if you see the big ones coming!
A localized downpour hits an area of Tucson north of downtown. Several small but intense cells dropped rain and brought high winds to the area during the first monsoon storm of the season Thursday.
Clouds from a series of storm cells surrounding the area hover over Benjamin Supply and its Agave Woman mural, downtown, Wednesday, August 3, 2016.
Lightning touches down with a rain cell northwest of town on July 31, 2017, west of Tucson, Ariz.
Lighting strikes straddle the ridge of the Rincon Mountains, part of a small monsoon storm cell rolling in from the east, Sunday, July 14, 2019, Tucson, Ariz.
The sun sets behind the Tucson Mountains after late afternoon monsoon storms opened up over the city on July 10, 2017, north of Tucson, Ariz.
A driver heads south Thornydale Rd crossing a small wash between Cortaro Farms Rd. and Hardy Rd following a monsoon storm that swept down the westside of Oro Valley and Tucson, AZ on July 10, 2018 .
A monsoon storm cell drops rain somewhere in Tucson as seen from near 36th St. and Kino Parkway on July 5, 2018.
An early morning cloud build up created an interesting scene over downtown Tucson, Tuesday September 12, 2006.
Rural Metro Fire Department personnel watch over the flooded Julian Wash at Irvington after being dispatched for a swift water rescue as monsoon finally delvers some rain, Tucson, Ariz., August 10, 2019. Rescue ended up being not needed as the subject safely walked out of the wash on their own just as the RMFD arrived.
A bolt of lightning lights up the desert at Linda Vista and Camino de Oesta Monday, July 18th, 2005 as a storm moves through the Northwest.
The Santa Cruz wash near West Congress Street is filled with flowing water after a monsoon storm dumped large amounts of rain over Tucson. Sunday July 15, 2012.
Nearly a dozen power poles broke off along E. Fair Street between Park Ave. and S. Fair Ave. during a monsoon storm on Friday, July 26, 2013.
A monsoon storm, the first significant one of the season, crashes a few bolts down just before the gates opened for the Annual Bloom Night at Tohono Chul Park, July 13, 2019, Tucson, Ariz.
A Tucson police officer leaves his flooded car at Drexel and Palo Verde, where a storm hit Tucson's southside. Photo taken July, 26, 1999.
Clouds reflect the sunset in downtown Tucson behind the towers of St. Augustine Cathedral.
A gust of wind turns a man's umbrella inside out as he fords the flooded gutters of Tyndall Ave. just south of University during a heavy monsoon rain, Thursday, August 14, 2014.
Clouds linger in the valleys between ridges of the Santa Catalina Mountains on Aug. 9, 2016.
Drivers make their way down a flooded Elm Street during an afternoon monsoon storm. Tuesday September 27, 2011.
In a monsoon haze, the sun sets behind a ridge just west of Greasewood near Starr Pass, Tucson, Ariz., August 8, 2019.
Cloud lightning dances in the sky over downtown, Friday, July 29, 2016.
Stone Ave. underpass at 6th St., gets another car, this time a Cadillac after a heavy storm soaked Tucson's central and southside Sunday around 6pm. The car's driver and his son are at right (they wouldn't give names). There were no injuries and no citation was issued. Photo taken August, 16, 1998.
The Palo Verde Bar and Grill has a sign that says 'When It Rains It Pours' during a storm on September 15, 2011.
Storm clouds boil up over the office building at 5151 E. Broadway, Saturday, July 30, 2016.
With the sign saying "Palm Harbor," Art Chase makes his way to his car as the parking lot of Prestige Homes near Drexel and Palo Verde. Photo taken July, 26, 1999.
Storm clouds loom over Santa Cruz Catholic Church and parts of Tucson near 22nd St on July, 22, 1999.
A segment of a rainbow shines over the northwest from a monsoon thunderstorm dropping heavy rain the Oro Valley area, Saturday August 8, 2015.
The remains of an afternoon monsoon storm cell produces a lightning strike in the mountains between Baboquivari and Kitt Peak at sun set, Saturday August 29, 2015.
Firefighters from the Tucson Fire Department reduce a family of four from a Toyota sedan that became trapped in flash flood waters on South Houghton Road, just north of Valencia on Friday, July 5, 2013.
Rain cells sweep over the Picture Rocks area and the Tucson Mountains on June 28, 2016.
The sunset is reflected in the rain slicked intersection of Ajo Way and Valencia Rd., during the first of two bands of monsoon storms to roll over the area, Tucson, Ariz., August 28, 2019.
Monsoon runoff collects in the wetlands at the Kino Environmental Restoration Project, near the intersection of South Country Club and East Ajo Way on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2014.
A bolt of lightning slams to earth near a stretch of power lines over El Camino Del Cerro as a series of storm cells dump rain over the Tucson Mountain area of town, Friday, June 10, 2016.
Monsoon clouds gather over the cactus forest in the Saguaro National Park West, Wednesday, August 10, 2016.
Once the pedestrian paths were reopened, the Lyles family walks underneath the West Speedway Boulevard bridge to observe the monsoon storm runoff in the Santa Cruz River on Monday, Sept. 8, 2014.
A monsoon storm cell moves toward South Tucson as viewed from Irvington Road and Benson Highway on June 29, 2016.
Mark Cross, in front, and Mario Medina take cover at a bus stop at the intersection of Euclid Avenue and Broadway Boulevard during a monsoon storm. Tuesday July 31, 2007.
A lightning bolt strikes in the western part of the city, part of the second of two bands of monsoon storms to roll over the area, Tucson, Ariz., August 28, 2019.
A storm cell drops heavy rain over parts of Tucson as viewed from Houghton Road and I-10 Thursday, July 21, 2005.
Monsoon sunset over the cactus forest of the Saguaro National Park West, Wednesday, August 10, 2016.
The Pantano Wash rages following a monsoon rain on July 24, 2007.
The Stone Ave. underpass flooded as a monsoon storm passed over Tucson on Tuesday August 9, 2016. Mamta Popat / Arizona Daily Star
An afternoon monsoon storm cell generates an intense lightning show with several ground strikes in the area around Gates Pass Rd. and Kinney Rd., Saturday August 29, 2015.
A man takes a picture of the torrents of monsoon storm runoff in the Rillito River near North Craycroft Road south of East River Road on Monday, Sept. 8, 2014.
Eric Johnson, jumps on a raft as friend George Martinez, runs behind him on Monte Vista Drive near Edith Blvd., after an afternoon monsoon flooded many area's in Tucson, Tuesday August 9, 2005.
