Stunning photos to get you excited for Tucson's monsoon season
The monsoon season officially starts on June 15, and although we may not see acutal monsoon storms for a few more weeks, we're already preparing for the summer rains to bring much-needed moisture and cooler evenings
There are lots of reasons to look forward to the rain clouds rolling in, but be careful, as the storms also bring heavy rain, high winds, flash floods, hail and dangerous driving conditions.
Here are some photos to get you excited ahead of the first rain...
Monsoons
With the city lights glowing off the cloud cover, run-off in the Agua Caliente Wash splashes over Soldier Trail, the after effects from a weekend of active monsoon storms, Tuesday, August 1, 2017, Tucson, Ariz.
Monsoons
The monsoon season officially starts June 15 and ends Sept. 30. Rain outside these dates is not tallied with monsoon totals.
Monsoons
Kelly Presnell / La Estrella de Tucsón
Los rayos golpean al suroeste del centro de la ciudad en una tormenta el 12 de julio pasado.
Monsoon 2017
Lightning touches down with a rain cell northwest of town on July 31, 2017, west of Tucson, Ariz.
Monsoon 2017
Photo by Mel Martin who combined five photos to make this dynamic image of clouds over the Catalina Mountains.
Monsoon 2017
Look what you can see from "A" Mountain: A lightning bolt touches down in the Catalina Mountains as afternoon monsoon storm cells roll through the range as seen from Sentinel Peak on July 18 in Tucson, Ariz.
Monsoon 2017
Several bolts of lightning strike the northeastern Rincon Mountains, part of the tail end of a monsoon storm that just skirted the city, Friday, August 4, 2017, Tucson, Ariz.
Monsoon 2017
The last of the day's sunlight pokes through a monsoon storm building up over the northwest area of the valley, generating lightning strikes but little precipitation, Saturday, July 8, 2017, Tucson, Ariz.
Storm Clouds
Storm clouds roll over the north side of the Santa Catalina Mountains in Oro Valley, AZ. on their way to Tucson on August 3, 2017.
Monsoon 2017
A blot strikes just southeast of town, one of numerous lightning strikes that surrounded the valley but left behind no monsoon rain, Saturday, July 8, 2017, Tucson, Ariz.
Lightning
Lightning bolts from a monsoon slam into the Galiuro Mountains, northeast of Tucson.
Daily Star photographers captured the 2017 monsoon season around Tucson and Southern Arizona. July, 2017, was the second-wettest month on record.
Because it's here.
We asked Star readers to send us their weather photos of this year's monsoon season and got some truly spectacular images. Take a look at the …
The time has come to wrap up this year's monsoon season by voting for your favorite weather photo.
There's something special about seeing a glowing stream of color in the sky after a nice rain, monsoon season is no exception.
Today's high temperatures will be in the 80s.
Rain isn't expected to put a damper on this year's fireworks show.
It's probably best to stash an umbrella in your car today.