Every year from the middle of June through the end of September, our trademark Arizona dry heat becomes a land of humidity and rainstorms as monsoon season begins. This weather pattern occurs when temperatures rise so high that the heat pulls water from the Gulf. This combination combines to create storms in a cycle of “bursts” (heavy rainfall) and “breaks” (reduced rainfall). Before the rain, the wind shifts can also trigger dust storms called haboobs.
Even though we know it’s coming every year, a large majority of AZ residents are spoiled by our lack of extreme weather and find themselves scrambling to find a flashlight when the power goes out or stressed in traffic trying to make their way through a haboob. This year, take the time to prepare for these monsoons with these 5 tips and reminders.
1. Prepare Plants and Trees
Heavy winds and flooding are common during monsoon season, so take the time to protect those plants and trees that you tend to all year. Trim any tree branches that can break off causing damage and secure any new plants or trees that may become uprooted with heavy winds.
2. Tidy and Secure your Yard
When it comes to the wind and rain, it’s also important to keep the things important to you safe. Remember to secure your yard furniture and clean up any clothing or toys you may have lying around. While you’re at it, if you have a pool, invest in a pool cover to prevent costly repairs of cleaning caused by rain and dust storms.
3. Prepare an Emergency Kit
One awesome perk of living in Arizona is we rarely have to deal with our power going down. However during monsoon season, the rain, lightning, and thunderstorms pose a higher threat of you losing electricity for a couple of hours. Be prepared for these kinds of situations by building your own emergency kit. Pack up some flashlights with extra batteries, candles and matches, and a radio (in case your phone runs out of juice). The Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs also recommends keeping a disaster relief kit on hand with some food, water, and other items. Also, check with your utility to see if they have a notification system to keep you up to date on outage notifications.
4. Don’t Drive Through Dust Storms or Standing Water
It’s a running joke that once a raindrop appears, Arizonans completely forget everything they know about driving, but all you need to remember is the age-old adage, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Don’t risk going through the flooded bridge because you “think you can make it” or drive during a dust storm when you can’t see two feet in front of you. Drive the long way around to avoid that flooding and pull off to the side of the road until the haboob passes. Nothing is that important that you can’t wait.
5. Get Your Roof Checked
When it comes to roofing, we always say that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. There’s nothing worse than coming home during a rainstorm only to find a leak creating a puddle in your home. Monsoon season is one of the busiest seasons for Arizona roofing companies, so rather than risk not being able to get someone out to your home right away, get a preventative roof inspection from a professional before monsoon season gets going. Click here to request a roof inspection from American Solar & Roofing.
