Showers Expected This Week Amid an Unusually Dry Monsoon Season

Lake Havasu City has experienced a notably dry monsoon season, but there is potential for a shift in the coming days. According to John Adair of the National Weather Service (NWS), thunderstorms may soon be part of the city’s forecast. Starting Thursday afternoon, there is about a 20% chance of storms, with higher chances later that night.

Adair noted that central Arizona, including Phoenix and Tucson, will see more significant monsoon activity. He explained, “Most of the monsoon activity is still remaining further east over Arizona, in central Arizona, the Phoenix area down toward Tucson. They’re going to see more storms, and Havasu is going to be right on the edge of that activity.”

Earlier in June, the NWS had predicted a dry monsoon season for the region, which has so far held true. Lake Havasu City recorded no rain in June and only 0.02 inches on July 16 at the city airport. The south side of the city saw minimal rain and lightning on July 22.

Doyle Wilson, a former water resources coordinator for Lake Havasu City, confirmed that July’s lack of rain is irregular. However, he remains cautiously optimistic. “We still have August and the first part of September to see what’s going to happen,” Wilson said. “During many years, the rain activity is sparse in July, especially the first part, and then it picks up a little bit later in the month.”

Wilson highlighted a new weather phenomenon contributing to the dry conditions. “The new term lately has been a ‘heat dome’ over us, a high-pressure system that has been extremely persistent,” he mentioned. “When you have high pressure, it keeps the clouds away, it keeps the storms away.”

The outlook for August does hint at increased storm activity. Yet Wilson remains circumspect. “There should be, but no one has a crystal ball,” he remarked. “The weather service and climate specialists have kind of said this would be a down year.”

Seasonal forecasts from August through October anticipate below-normal precipitation and above-normal temperatures. In the short term, temperatures in Lake Havasu City will remain high, with expected highs reaching up to 115°F through Monday.