All About Monsoons – What They Are, When They Happen and How to Protect Yourself

If you’ve recently moved to an area where monsoon season is a thing, now is a good time to get educated about it. You need to know how to be prepared. Consider some facts about monsoons and learn more about this kind of crazy weather phenomenon.  

What is a Monsoon?

You might associate a monsoon with a storm but that’s not accurate. Instead, a monsoon is defined as a large-scale weather pattern that occurs when the seasonal winds shift. That might sound a little bit like a tornado but it’s not the same thing. A tornado is a rotating column of air while a monsoon is a weather pattern that occurs in specific areas during specific time frames. During that time frame, the jet stream pushes farther north and in the central region of the US, an area of high pressure develops. These two things push moisture into the atmosphere in the southwest bringing with it lots of rain and intense thunderstorms that can cause property damage.  

What Areas Experience Monsoon Season?

The states in the Southwest regions of the U.S. are known for their monsoon seasons including:

• Arizona
• New Mexico
• Nevada
• Utah
• Coloration
• West Texas
• California

It also occurs in areas of Mexico, Asia, Australia and Europe, as well. Of course, most of these countries experience their monsoon seasons at different times then the U.S. In the southwestern states the season runs from late June until September. Monsoon season is not something midwestern or central states experience, though. When the Southwestern states are going through their monsoon season, the other states have an increased risk of tornados and hurricanes. While it is all linked to a global weather pattern, each region experiences something different.  

What to Expect During Monsoon Season

Monsoon season brings with it some impressive thunderstorms that include lots of rain and damaging wind gusts. Torrential rains can bring with them flash flooding. There can be wind without the rain, too, which causes dust storms to blow through cities like Phoenix. A dust storm lowers visibility and changes the terrain over time. Often areas that go through monsoon season see some wildfire before it starts. The burn damage to the land from fires can lead to mudslides once the heavy rains begin.  

Easy Ways to Protect Your Home During Monsoon Season

Monsoon season is a dangerous time but there are things you can do around the house to protect it from damage. Here are some tips:

• Start with cleaning up the clutter. Those things sitting around the garage or in the tool shed become projectiles during a windstorm. If possible, clean out the garage so you can park your car in it for protection. Bring lose items like plants and outdoor furniture inside during a dust or thunderstorm to keep them from flying around.
• Double check the gutters to make sure they are clear. Their job is to pull rain during a flash flood away from your roof but they do the opposite if they are clogged.
• Unplug anything not plugged into a surge protector. Sudden power outages and restarts can damage appliances and computers. Better yet, get surge protector or have a small suppressor hard-wired into your electrical service panel.

  Monsoon season can be scary but knowing what to expect and how to fight back makes all the difference. If the monsoon season gets the best of you, though, let Zona Restoration put their years of experience into helping fix the damage.