The Triple Threat: Weather Extremes versus Maricopa County Agriculture

Extreme Heat, Haboobs, and Monsoon Thunderstorms

"It's a dry heat so it can't be that bad" or "you have lived there for your whole life you have to be used to it by now". Most people living in Arizona have heard many versions of those two statements from those living elsewhere in the United States. It does not make living, working, and cultivating commodities in the heat any better. Keeping electrolytes and water nearby, creating shade structures, advanced cooling systems and more have allowed for farm workers, their crops, and livestock to prosper in times of extreme heat. With these scorching temperatures comes lack of water, another harsh condition those in Arizona are used to. So, when a monsoon thunderstorm comes a long surely those in Arizona, especially in Arizona agriculture should be jumping for joy, right? Wrong.

On August 25th, Maricopa County was engulfed by a massive haboob followed by a monsoon thunderstorm. Leading up to that day highs of 114, 112, 110, and 111 were felt across the valley. Maricopa county was thirsty for the water from the thunderstorms, but it also creates many problems for farmers and ranchers. With the high temperatures the very next day, not much water from the thunderstorm is stored for use anyway. Most of the water from the thunderstorm evaporates or quickly infiltrates. This is not without first causing some damage.

Effect on Agriculture

The trifecta of disaster normally starts with a massive dust storm propelled by a thunderstorm and starts and finishes with extreme heat. The haboob (dust storm) picks up dirt from agricultural fields which takes away from its fertile topsoil. Thus, eroding the soil and hurting crop health. The heavy winds can also uproot plants whose root systems are dry and weak. The amount of dust circling the air is hard on livestock and people alike. Specifically, Maricopa County taking the most dust on in the air quality analysis. In one of the dust storms Phoenix started at an air quality analysis of 50 at 3am in the morning and peaked during the haboob of an air quality analysis of 687. This is a 1,270 percent increase (Shakshi, 2025). In a dust storm PubMed Central (2025) did an analysis and also found "high densities of microorganisms (fungi and bacteria)". These organisms can pose a threat to local agriculture. Following the dust storm comes a monsoon thunderstorm. A lot of rain, thunder, and lightning in a short amount of time and a dry climate causes chaos. An article by Climate-Woodlands (2019) found "precipitation and high relative humidity values create wet conditions that are favorable for the development of insect pests and plant diseases". Additionally, high humidity values can cause heat stress in crops lowering their ability to transpire and cool themselves in times of high heat. Soil erosion, crop damage, diseases, negative effects on the health of livestock, and more are all products of extreme weather in Maricopa County.

Ways to Combat Extreme Weather

Fortunately, farmers, scientists, and others have found ways to lessen the damage to crops and livestock in these times of mayhem. Knowing the bulk of the monsoons happen around July and August farmers can decide when they should plant their crops to get the most out of monsoon season. This can allow them to get the most out of the rain from the storm but have plants that have aged long enough to have better root systems and be less susceptible to disease. It is not always possible to do this though. In the case they cannot plant at a different time or continue to deal with the problems the extreme weather creates after moving planting season, there are a few techniques to aid the soil. Cornell University conducted a few studies finding possible solutions for these dry environments. Superhydrophobic sand mulch was an incredible finding. The biodegradability of the finding was a huge hit, and it keeps the water from evaporating in the scorching summers (ArXiv, 2021). This mulch increased yields of crops ranging from "53%-208%"(ArXiv, 2021). In a region such as Maricopa County where the cost of water is not cheap, the mulch has the ability to offset the water costs as less water will be used. In a monsoon this mulch can still blow away. Luckily, whether it is fertile topsoil or mulch that keeps water in the root zone, Cornell university found another solution to a desert problem. A curved porous fence allows for the wind to pass through but filters it in a way it is less harmful to the crops. The fence is "optimized to prevent the onset of the erosion process under severe wind conditions"(ArXiv, 2023). Small amounts of water directly before the storm to bind soil is another great way to help keep the fertile soil where it is meant to be. Cover crops are a great way to create a stronger, healthier soil. Michigan State University (2025) saw this come true in southwest Michigan where the ground is coarse and dry. A farmer posted a cover crop on a field, and they found "vegetative covers can provide in reducing wind erosion soil losses"(MacKellar, 2025).

Photo examples of this:

No cover crop, much soil erosion, can see the dirt leaving the ground

With cover crop, little soil erosion, but can see dust in the headland where no cover crop was planted

The best remedy for reducing soil erosion and protecting crops is to do a bit of all three ideas. Adding mulch, water, a wind cover, and planting a cover crop can help sustain healthy soil. The topsoil will keep it's fertile, nutritional value and be less likely to get swept up in a haboob. In terms of air quality and livestock health the best thing to do is create windbreaks for them, like done for crops, through fences and trees. A shelter of any sort will help protect from the strong dust in the haboobs and keep as much as possible from being inhaled. If aware of the windstorm coming it is good to put water down, so the ground beneath the animals does not get picked up. Directly following the storm, the livestock may be stressed, and it is recommended not to transport them immediately. Continue to keep an eye on the livestock in case of possible diseases and stress related responses.

Doing a myriad of any of these techniques can help lessen the damage associated with extreme weather in Maricopa County. Try one of these methods and let us know how it worked for your farm and/or ranch! At the end of the day, it is about finding and creating new ways to keep our crops and livestock sustainable and safe.

Works Cited

Ardon-Dryer, K., & Aziz, T. (2025, March 4). Times matter, the impact of convective dust events on air quality in the Greater Phoenix area, Arizona. GeoHealth. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11880626/

Climavision. (2024, July 22). The North American Monsoon and its impacts. https://climavision.com/blog/the-north-american-monsoon-and-its-impacts/

Gallo Jr., A., Odokonyero, K., Mousa, M. A. A., Reihmer, J., Al-Mashharawi, S., Marasco, R., Manalastas, E., Morton, M. J. L., Daffonchio, D., McCabe, M. F., Tester, M., & Mishra, H. (2021, April 20). Superhydrophobic sand mulches increase agricultural productivity in arid regions. arXiv.org. https://arxiv.org/abs/2102.00495

How does the monsoon affect Arizona?. Climate Forests and Woodlands. (2019, May 16). https://climate-woodlands.extension.org/how-does-the-monsoon-affect-arizona/

Kurumus, A. T., Nasyrlayev, N., & Demirel, E. (2023, April 30). Design and optimization of a porous fence for the reduction of wind erosion. arXiv.org. https://arxiv.org/abs/2301.10562

MacKellar, B. (2025, April 21). Cover crops are effective at reducing impacts of wind erosion in high wind events. MSU Extension. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/cover_crops_are_effective_at_reducing_impacts_of_wind_erosion

Shakshi. (2025, July 2). Arizona dust storm 2025: How AQI increased to hazardous levels. AQI.IN Blog. https://www.aqi.in/blog/arizona-dust-storm-2025/

Tempe, Az Monthly Weather. AccuWeather. (n.d.). https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/tempe/85281/august-weather/336877