Tucson, Arizona

Tucson, Arizona

Geography

Tucson is located at {{coor dms|32|12|52|N|110|55|5|W|region:GR}} (32.214476, -110.918192){{GR|1}}.

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According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 505.3 km² (195.1 mi²). 504.2 km² (194.7 mi²) of it is land and 1.1 km² (0.4 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.22% water.

Related Topics:
United States Census Bureau - Km² - Mi²

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Its elevation is 2,389 ft (728 m) above sea level. Tucson is bounded by four sets of mountains: the Santa Catalina Mountains to the North, the Santa Rita Mountains to the South, the Rincon Mountains to the East, and the Tucson Mountains to the West. The city is located on the Santa Cruz River, although for most of the year it is a dry river bed that floods when the rains come.

Related Topics:
Santa Catalina Mountains - Santa Rita Mountains - Rincon Mountains - Tucson Mountains - Santa Cruz River

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Tucson is located along I-10, which runs to Phoenix and Los Angeles in the northwest, and through El Paso, Texas to Jacksonville, Florida in the east. I-19 also runs to the south towards Nogales and the U.S.-Mexico border including Huasabas.

Related Topics:
I-10 - Phoenix - Los Angeles - Northwest - El Paso, Texas - Jacksonville, Florida - East - I-19 - South - Nogales

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Climate

Tucson has four seasons: summer (subdivided by "monsoon season"), winter, fall, and spring. Summer in Tucson is typically from May to September or early October; it is characterized by low humidity and daytime high temperatures that exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Tucsonans jokingly describe the first day of 100-degree weather as when "the ice cracks on the Santa Cruz River," a riverbed that is dry most of the year.

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The period of late summer known locally as "monsoon season" (with a few Tucsonans calling the storms "chubascos") typically begins in July, but can begin anytime from June to August. During monsoon season the temperatures are a few degrees lower than during the drier summer, but the humidity is much higher than the rest of the year. This period begins with clouds building up over the Santa Catalina Mountains in the early afternoon followed by intense thunderstorms and rainfall, which rapidly flood normally dry washes. Large areas of the city do not have storm sewers, so monsoon rains flood the main thoroughfares (often constructed in a "vee" shape to conduct water), but usually only for a few hours. At this time of year, motorists are warned to avoid normally dry creekbeds as cars can be swamped or washed away. The evening sky at this time of year is often pierced with dramatic lightning strikes, especially nearby Kitt Peak observatory. Summer rainstorms in the Sonoran desert are indeed spectacular and the smell of the desert creosote after a hard rain is unforgettable.

Related Topics:
Humidity - Santa Catalina Mountains - Storm sewer - Kitt Peak - Sonoran - Creosote

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Fall typically lasts from mid-September to November or December. It is much like summer, and similarly dry, but temperatures tend to be marginally lower, with 100-degree days remaining the norm as late as October.

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Tucson experiences mild winters relative to other parts of the United States, but the city's winter storms are, along with monsoon season, when the city gets most of its precipitation. Daytime highs in the winter usually are in the mid to upper 60's while dropping into the 40's overnight. The city's economy benefits from a large influx of "snowbird" visitors during the winter months, due to its mild climate. At this time of year, Tucson resembles an Airstream convention and cars with out-of-state license plates are commonplace, making the driving even worse than the rest of the year.

Related Topics:
United States - Precipitation - Snowbird - Airstream

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Spring usually begins in late February or March, and is characterized by rising temperatures and, if there has been sufficient rainfall, several weeks of vivid wildflower blooms, and attendant pollen affecting many Tucsonans who come to the desert because of respiratory problems. When dried by the scorching summer heat, the heavy spring growth provides abundant fuel for wildfires, often set by lightning or lost hikers.

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