Nonsoon? Phoenix had one of the driest monsoon seasons on record in 2024, per NWS

PHOENIX - It appears that 2024's monsoon season was a bit lacking when it comes to rain.

According to data released by the National Weather Service on Sept 30, Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix recorded 0.74 inches of rain for the monsoon season, making the 2024 season the seventh driest monsoon season on record.

"Some areas, even from the West Valley across to the East Valley, had rainfall amount of less than a half an inch, which is really well below normal," said Tom Frieders, Warning Coordination Meteorologist with the National Weather Service. 

NWS officials also noted that parts of Scottsdale and North Phoenix received between 1.5 to three inches of rain.

"Tucson and portions of the northeast of Arizona fare a little better, where we had more areas near normal and even some above normal conditions," said Frieders.

Phoenix’s average rainfall during a monsoon season is 2.43 inches. Per the NWS, Monsoon season lasts from June 15 to Sept. 30.

As for the winter, Frieders said there is "A trend toward above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation."

Arizona had drier 2023 as well

2024 was not the only dry year, in terms of monsoon, for Arizona, as 2023 also featured a drier monsoon season.

In fact, NWS officials said the 2023 monsoon season was the driest on record.

According to a review of the 2023 monsoon season that was put together by NOAA and the NWS office in Phoenix, a large portion of southwestern U.S. saw much drier than normal conditions after the monsoon seasons of 2021 and 2022, which were described as "fairly wet."

In addition, NWS officials said the 2023 monsoon season saw the third-fewest number of total lightning strikes across Arizona, with just over 200,000 stgrikes.

"Widespread thunderstorm activity is often associated with the North American monsoon," read a portion of the report.