Good morning!
I’m Lacy McKay.
and it’s Water Wednesdays on KSJD’s Outdoor Report.
The North American Monsoon season has kicked off with a wet start in parts of the drought-stricken Southwest. Heavy rains arrived the week of June 23rd in sections of New Mexico and West Texas, bringing both much-needed moisture and some dangerous flooding. Other states—Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California—are still awaiting their first real push of monsoonal moisture.
While these summer rains only provide a small share of the West’s overall water supply, they can help ease drought impacts by replenishing soil moisture and groundwater, improving conditions for livestock and agriculture, and lowering wildfire risk.
Outlooks from the National Weather Service are calling for above-average rainfall across much of the Southwest through July. This could offer some drought relief, especially near the Arizona-New Mexico border, though longer-term drought conditions are likely to persist. Officials stress that early July rainfall, like the spotty afternoon showers we’ve been seeing lately, isn’t a sure sign of how the rest of the season will unfold, so it’ll be important to watch how conditions evolve through the rest of the summer.
That’s the KSJD Outdoor Report for today.
Stay safe out there. And, when recreating in the coming days - remember conditions can change very quickly here in the 4 Corners, especially in high elevation. Be prepared.
