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Weather and Climate

An alfalfa field in Marana, AZ bordered by I-10. September 2023

Why is alfalfa one of Arizona's biggest crops?

Sep 6, 2023 Three of the 5 Cs that traditionally made up Arizona's economy have to do with agriculture. So how is that industry doing as water gets scarce?
A view from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, next to the Kolb Studio, September 2018.

Water conservation measures announced for Grand Canyon National Park

Sep 6, 2023 Park officials said the water saving measures were effective immediately as crews cannot pump water from Roaring Springs to the South Rim to replenish water stores.
Water Quality Specialist for the Town of Marana Water Department, Kaulana Breitenbach at the Marana Picture Rocks Water Treatment Campus on Thursday, August 10. The water treatment facility has about 18,000 service connections for a population of 50,000.

How water gets to (most of) us

Aug 30, 2023 Most of us get our water from a utility company, be it a large municipal one or a small private entity. This week, we look at the work that one small company does to keep the water flowing, and what happened when another utility had a big problem.
Monsoon rain over Tucson.

3 inches of rain leads to flooding, evacuations for a small community near the Grand Canyon

Aug 23, 2023 A flood advisory remained in effect Wednesday for Tusayan and the surrounding area.
The expected path of Hurricane Hillary on Friday, Aug. 18, 2023, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Hurricane Hillary will bring rain to Southern Arizona

Aug 18, 2023 Most of Pima County will see only moderate rainfall this weekend.
Saguaro National Park

Federal Funding Helps Restore Southwest Wetlands

Aug 17, 2023 $481,000 will go towards combating invasive species of bullfrogs.
Lake Mead and the rest of the Colorado River system are shrinking rapidly. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has called for new conservation measures, asking states to conserve a tremendously large amount of water, and giving them a 60-day timeline to formulate a plan for those reductions.

Western states will not lose as much Colorado River water in 2024, despite long-term challenges

Aug 15, 2023 Bountiful snowfall and rain last winter pulled much of the region out of drought this spring and raised water levels at key reservoirs.
White "bathtub rings" show dropping levels on Lake Mead. The reservoir's stores have been dipping steadily, setting records for new all-time lows.

Federal officials plan to announce 2024 cuts along the Colorado River. Here's what to expect

Aug 15, 2023 The river provides water for seven U.S. states, 29 Native American tribes and two states in Mexico.
A view of the mall at the University of Arizona taken from the Student Union.

UA project builds climate resilience through food

Aug 14, 2023 The project uses climate analog modeling to predict future climate conditions in a given region by comparing it to places that already have those qualities today.
Lightning flashes over the Tucson mountains as seen from Windy Point in the Santa Catalina mountains.

The Buzz: Lightning and Southern Arizona

Aug 11, 2023 As the monsoon hits our area, we look at why lightning is such a big part of those storms.

The extreme heat wave that blasted the Southwest is abating with late arriving monsoon rains

Jul 29, 2023 Forecasters expect that by Monday at the latest, people in metro Phoenix will begin seeing high temperatures under 110 degrees.
A close shot of wind turbines at a wind farm.

Arizona ranks among top 10 states for clean energy jobs & projects, report finds

Jul 27, 2023 Recent report finds Arizona stands out as one of the top 10 states for clean energy jobs and projects, benefiting from $8.3 billion in private investments since the implementation of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.
Hot weather shut-ins are susceptible to summer Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Historic heat wave can impact mental health

Jul 25, 2023 Summer Seasonal Affective Disorder grips shut-ins with symptoms including depression and insomnia.

Phoenix scorches at 110 for 19th straight day, breaking big US city records in global heat wave

Jul 18, 2023 The city's record streak of 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) or more stood out even amid sweltering temperatures across the globe.
Stacks of hay bales sit beside an irrigation canal in Imperial Valley on June 20, 2023. Critics have called for reductions to the amount of alfalfa grown with Colorado River water. The particularly thirsty crop is mostly used for cattle feed.

Freeing up Colorado River water from California farms will take more than just money, just ask the farmers

Jul 18, 2023 The Imperial Valley is the largest Colorado River water user.
Clear skies during the first weeks of the monsoon marked a disappointing start for the season.

This summer's monsoon off to a slow start

Jul 10, 2023 Early weeks indicate southern Arizona will not reach last year's rainfall total.

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