August Southwest Climate Outlook Now Available

The latest edition of the Southwest Climate Outlook, published by the University of Arizona's Climate Assessment for the Southwest, is now available.  The newest outlook discusses several aspects of Southwest climate, including the recent upswing in monsoon rainfall during the last 30 days. According to the report, the increase in rain has brought some drought relief to Arizona and New Mexico, but the southwest corner of Arizona remains parched, having received less than 5% of average summer rainfall as of mid-August.

The fall and winter are projected to be warm and dry. La Niña conditions in the tropical Pacific are forecasted to persist for the next six months, so winter precipitation across the Southwest will likely be lower than average as the jet stream remains north.  La Niña conditions also reduce the number of eastern Pacific storms, which often contribute to early fall precipitation in the Southwest.