July 2021 Is Among The Rainiest Months On Record In Arizona… And Monsoon Season Isn’t Over Yet

This summer started off with record-breaking heat, and now, monsoon season has really kicked into high gear. July 2021 was officially among the wettest months in Arizona history, with over 1.5 inches of rain causing devastating flash floods across parts of the state - and we still have until the end of September to go.

Author's note: the photo in this article depicting downed trees is a stock photo and not representative of the damage caused by the July flooding in Arizona.

Monsoon season officially began on June 15, and it definitely kicked into high gear in late July.

At least 14 cities in central Arizona were under a flash flood warning on the weekend of July 23, and about 60% of metro Phoenix received significant rainfall.

Friday was the worst by far, kicking off with intense rain across parts of the East Valley, North Phoenix, Scottsdale, and higher terrain areas of Maricopa and Gila counties.

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport saw 0.8 inches of rain, a new record for a single day.

As the day wore on, things continued on a downward trajectory.

Serious flash flooding occurred in New River, and a four-year-old was tragically swept away near the Cottonwood Wash.

The rest of the weekend brought hail, high winds, and numerous water rescues and downed trees.

Conditions finally began to improve on Sunday evening, as the storms moved west and allowed the Valley to dry out.

With these weekend storms, July 2021 has become the 19th-wettest July in Phoenix history.

The all-time record is 6.47 inches, with this year clocking in at just over 1.5 inches.

Hotter, drier air moved in on Monday, starting the summer storm cycle all over again.

Let's hope we get a little break before the next round of severe weather hits!

All in all, this monsoon season is on track to be the wettest on record.

A total of 1.54 inches of rain has fallen so far, which, according to the National Weather Service, is more than twice the average for this time of year.

Visit the Phoenix NWS website or Facebook page for the latest weather updates.

Did you experience any flash flooding in July? If so, tell us what you saw in the comments and check out our previous article for a photo montage showcasing the devastatingly awesome power of monsoon season.