Albuquerque sits in a high desert valley along the Rio Grande and receives only around 230 mm (about 9 inches) of rain a year, with the summer North American Monsoon from July through September responsible for the large majority of it. Monsoon thunderstorms here can build quickly over the nearby Sandia Mountains in the afternoon and produce intense, localized downpours capable of flash flooding the city’s many normally-dry arroyos within minutes, a well-known seasonal hazard for hikers and residents in low-lying areas. Because a typical week outside monsoon season involves essentially no rain, radar becomes especially critical during the concentrated summer storm window. NWS Doppler radar KABX (Albuquerque) covers the region.
Learn more: How Does Rain Radar Work? · Open the full Rain Map