Good news is on its way to Arizona, where the monsoon season this year is expected to deliver normal to above-normal precipitation.

Weather.gov explains that the monsoon season officially runs from June 15 to September 30, although in northern Arizona, monsoonal moisture typically does not reach the region until the first week of July. The large-scale weather pattern causes thunderstorms, delivering 40-50% of the area’s annual precipitation. During the monsoon season, rainfall comes in the afternoons. There are thunderstorms at night.

Healthy monsoon seasons help to replenish reservoirs and, of course, help farmers and ranchers.

Arizona’s Fox 10 News reports that last year’s monsoon season – while it delivered a lot of moisture – came too late, forcing some ranchers to have to sell their herds. Arizona’s ranchers generate about $700 million for the state.