KJZZ's Arizona Monsoon Stories KJZZ 91.5FM Phoenix

Monsoon 2021 has been a wild ride -- with record-breaking rainfall that  both brought devastating flooding and awakened lush greenery across much of the state. We heard from so many about what this season means to you, we’re bringing you one more bonus episode. From childhood memories to predictions for the future … you said it all.

Like snow falling in winter or leaves falling in Autumn, the monsoon season in Arizona is often a marker in our memories. And, it’s a common tie we all have in this sprawling desert metropolis. So, as climate change pushes it to extremes, what does it mean for our identity as Arizonans? State Poet Laureate Alberto Rios has some ideas -- and a poem for us.

The Nalwoodi Denzhone Community Garden grows thousands of pounds of food each year. But, it’s real goal is to heal the San Carlos Apache community — one seed at a time. This year, as monsoon rains have poured down, their garden is lush and green — and evidence of how climate change is shifting traditional cycles of harvesting the land.

The city of Phoenix has been called the least sustainable city in the country. A sprawling, fast-growing metropolis in the middle of a desert — one that climate change is making hotter and drier. Our future growth and development are intricately tied to one thing: water. And a year of heavy monsoon rains — or one without — can make a big difference.

Monsoon 2021 hasn’t disappointed — much of the state has seen record rainfall so far this summer. But, there is such a thing as too much rain in the desert. We’re seeing historic flooding at the same time the desert — and its wildlife — are blossoming in the wealth of rain.

The summer monsoon season in Arizona means a lot to a lot of people. For some, it’s a chance to refresh and reset. For others, it’s a reminder of the fury our climate can unleash. In the first episode of Monsoon Stories, we look at how climate change is changing our monsoons — and what it could mean for our future in a hotter and drier Southwest.