Sonoran Sky

The Phoenix Fire Department responded to 199 mountain rescues last year. So far in 2024, they have responded to 14 in January, 20 in February, and more than 20 in March. In 2021 the City of Phoenix introduced a pilot program that shut down popular hiking trails like Camelback Mountain and Piestewa on excessive heat days from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. That program was put into full force in 2022, and just last year they extended the closure hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. year-round. Phoenix Fire Captain Bobby Dubnow talked about what goes into their training for these types of rescues, and has a look at the difference in mountain rescues calls during different times of the year. 

Arizona has amazing hiking trails from southern Arizona, to the Valley, all the way up to Flagstaff. During this time of the year, a lot of people may want to try out new hikes while the weather is still nice. Holly Bock spoke with a couple of avid hikers who have done it all. They have suggestions for the person who may just be starting out and doesn’t want anything too challenging, or for the person who may want to push themselves and try something new.  

It seems like allergy season is upon us once again, and our wetter and warmer-than-average weather so far this year has made everything come into full bloom. But did you realize you can create a mostly “allergy-free zone” inside your car with a few simple tricks? First Alert Meteorologist Sean Mclaughlin talks with auto-repair expert Glen Hayward, from Good Works Auto Repair in Tempe, on how to find and change your cabin air filter, what to set your air conditioner on, and why that free hand-wipe at your local car wash will become your new, best friend.

In 2008, the National Weather Service decided to start the Arizona Monsoon every summer on June 15 and end it on September 30. Before that, forecasters tracked dewpoints and looked for three consecutive days of dewpoints of 55-degrees or more to decide the “monsoon had arrived” for the year. Tony Haffer, who spearheaded the change, was the head of the National Weather Service office in Phoenix at the time and talked with Royal Norman on the latest installment of the First Alert Beyond the Green Screen Podcast.

Climate Central is a non-profit organization bridging the gap between climate science and communicators. On this episode, meteorologist Royal Norman talks with Climate Central’s Senior Research Associate Kaitlyn Trudeau about the importance of making climate information accessible.

SRP meteorologists are doing snowpack surveys to look at how much water will be in reservoirs. In a recent survey, they found the snowpack is looking strong across the state. They do these surveys to prepare for floods, and plan for droughts. Holly Bock spoke with SRP Meteorologist Bo Svoma about what they learned from their recent snowpack survey, and what this means for our reservoirs in years to come.

In this week’s Beyond the Green Screen, the First Alert Weather team is talking about growing vegetables in the deserts, from beginners to experts. Royal Norman talked with master gardener Angela Judd, who lives in Mesa, about what you should be planting right now before the heat sets in. Learn more about Angela's amazing work at Growinginthegarden.com

Royal Norman welcomes Tom Frieders to the studio. He's the Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the National Weather Service, and they discuss the process of how severe weather warnings are made across the state.

Phoenix has always had hot summers. In 1990, we recorded a high of 122. But we never had heat warnings until 2008. Find out why we didn’t have them and why we do now with veteran forecaster Paul Iñiguez.

We talk with Zach Brooks, the owner of the Arizona Worm Farm located in south Phoenix. He was surprised as anyone how valuable his worms have become.