The Beauty of the Desert
Southern Arizona tends to be dry most of the year, with very little rain(if any) and temperatures getting up to 120 degrees during the summers. Which is why the locals enjoy what is known as "Monsoon Season" from June 15th through September 30th. Within this time the weather patterns change creating some unpredictable storms. As a local myself I can tell you there are times when your phone will not stop alerting you of flood warnings and high winds. When this happens, it is smarter to stay indoors if you can help it. I have personally heard of many people getting stuck or washed away in a sudden flood that came through a "wash"(area in which large amounts of rain runoff from the mountains travels through heavily populated areas).
Saguaro National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov) is a great location to visit during this time of year if you are looking for a change with the scenery. The skies are changed to a much more dramatic and ominous piece of art and those lucky enough to witness it will never forget the unique views of the saguaro cactus.
Even more rare in the desert would be snow. I have been fortunate enough to witness snow falling in the desert only a couple times and it is a welcomed sight!
Of course, when something like snow falling in the desert happens I tend to get a little excited and will take many images of the landscape. Unfortunately, I never end up showing most of them to anyone. Which is why I have decided to share them with you here!
Then we move up into the mountains which have the most changes in weather throughout the year. Winter will get snow, summer will get lots of rain. Most of the cloud coverage is usually only found over the mountain ranges. There can be random fog and rain one day, the next day it's snowing. Either way, the rain is constantly rolling down the mountains into the valleys below. With no other source of water coming through the landscapes change from stagnant rock formations to flowing rivers and waterfalls almost instantly. It is both beautiful and terrifying at the same time.
I do hope my images are at least giving you an idea of how amazing and picturesque the various landscapes in Southern Arizona are during this unique time of year! Most of the country can't stand the moisture where they live. Southern Arizona loves every moment they can get with views like this!
-Billy
