Do Monsoon Storms Start Later In The Day Than They Did Decades Ago? An Assessment Of Monsoon-Season Cloud Cover In Tucson From 1994-2023
Presenter: Jacob Natale P161
Co-Author(s): Eden Harper, Roz Roberts, and Natalie Yurek
Advisor(s): Dr. Martha Whitaker
1Hydrology & Atmospheric Sciences
Many long-time Tucson residents insist that monsoon storms start later (or much earlier) in the day than they did decades ago. In Fall 2023, students in HWRS 350 Principles of Hydrology engaged in a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) to address the question: “Do Tucson monsoon storms start later (or earlier) in the day than they did several decades ago?” The results showed no discernable trends; however, several factors may have influenced the results. The objective of the current study is to continue investigation into this question with the addition of new methods. We specifically analyzed cloud cover data obtained from the Tucson International Airport (KTUS), as cloud cover might be what Tucson residents remember as a monsoon storm, rather than solely the precipitation event. We wrote Python scripts that allow us to analyze the occurrence of cloud cover throughout every day of monsoon seasons from 1994-2023. These data will be analyzed to help determine whether monsoon storms are starting later in the day than they did decades ago. Research is currently ongoing; preliminary results will be presented.