Tropical Moisture, Risk of Wildfires, and More for the Western U.S.

The monsoon season is coming to an end for the southwestern U.S., however, there is still more moisture on the way. Here is a look at what is happening in the Wild, Wild West for weather.

Tropical Storm Ileana Could Influence Weather in the Southwest This Weekend

The southwestern corner of the country will experience a variety of weather conditions in the coming days, ushering in flooding rainfall, snow, and a heightened risk of wildfire danger. The vast range of weather elements will be the result of the combination of a tropical storm, movement in the jet stream, and the North American monsoon pattern.

The first area of concern is a tropical weather maker that is forecast to make landfall in northwestern Mexico by the end of the week. The system is now designated as Tropical Storm Ileana as it continues to pick up steam in the Pacific. While the storm will not make a direct strike on the U.S, some of its associated moisture will move into the Southwest over the weekend.

Ileana is forecast to lose its wind speed when it moves onshore, devolving into a tropical rainstorm. It is important to remember that just because a system loses its defined tropical characteristics, it can still unleash severe impacts. All you have to do is go back one year to remember what was once Category 4 Hurricane Hilary. This storm triggered massive flooding across California and the interior Southwest for several days despite being only a tropical rainstorm at the time.

The tropical moisture that will accompany this system will merge with the typical impacts of the North American monsoon, amplifying the rain amounts and intensity at times. The North American monsoon moisture is the result of the yearly movement of stubborn breezes in the southwestern U.S. to bring up moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and the eastern Pacific Ocean.