What to Wear for Monsoon Season...in Idaho?
To my surprise, southern Idaho (and even central Idaho) got the monsoon last weekend. I wrote in July 2018 how exciting it was to have experienced the monsoon in Utah when I was there for grad school because it had never reached Idaho in the past; Idaho was too far north. Even when the monsoon hit northern Utah, it felt exciting because normally southern Utah got all of the fun!
So yes, I was shocked when I heard we were getting the monsoon up here in Idaho…and, the storm was well-modeled about a week ahead of time, which is incredible in weather model world. I was thrilled! Not only did we get torrential downpours (by Idaho standards), we got some lightning and thunder, and it was a nice break from the constant heat/smoke situation that has been the majority of our summer so far.
The atmospheric conditions were perfect for us to get the monsoon: the upper level ridge that’s normally parked over us on the west coast had shifted east and tilted slightly, so the upper level flow was directed from Arizona and New Mexico (the states that regularly get the monsoon) up into Idaho. It basically felt like the tropics here with the high humidity we got—my hair frizzed up, the air looked thick and hazy with moisture, and we tied our record dew point of 70°F!
What is the Monsoon?
The monsoon is a weather pattern that generally occurs in the mid to late summer and early fall in the continental U.S. (as well as elsewhere around the world, but I’m not 100% sure on the timing in other areas). In the summer months, the desert southwest becomes very hot as upper level high pressure sits overhead, and as the air immediately above the ground heats up, it rises and forms low pressure. Air comes in to “fill” where the air rises (it moves from high pressure to low pressure), and this air that fills the space comes from the tropics (usually the Gulf of Mexico).
This tropical air brings with it moisture, which combined with the heat results in the wet summer thunderstorms the southwest experiences every year (and the heavy rains result in flash floods). Some years, it seems like there’s no monsoon, and other years, like this year, the monsoon feels like it won’t ever end. It’s all dependent on the upper level circulation. And somehow, Idaho lucked out and got the monsoon!!! That means tropical moisture made it all the way through Arizona and Utah up to Idaho. It had to travel quite a long distance over land to make it here.
How to Dress for Monsoon Season
Summer thunderstorms are one thing, but monsoon storms are a whole other beast. (Or maybe not, if you live anywhere other than the desert, LOL.) In areas like Idaho that has incredibly dry summers, the monsoon feels downright uncomfortable with the humidity. I felt like I was back in Florida or even the midwest. We just don’t get humidity like that here!
This outfit is an example of what I wear when we have these humid summer thunderstorms:
A lightweight sweater (linen blend)*
Shorts
Sandals that can get wet
Light rain jacket
*I thought the sweater was a great idea, but it was still warmer out than I was anticipating. A linen tee probably would have been more comfortable in my case. But, sometimes the rain brings a chill in the air so having some sort of long-sleeve situation keeps the chill away if you’re not wearing a jacket. I’m also a sucker for outfits featuring a sweater with shorts sooo that’s my excuse haha!
I don’t wear rain boots unless I think I might get caught in a deluge (remember to avoid wading or driving through a flash flood; they are incredibly dangerous). I like my Salt Water sandals because they can handle getting wet, and my feet stay cool.
Finally, top it all off with a fun, lightweight rain jacket! I love mine from One/Third; it’s a great three-season rain jacket. I didn’t carry an umbrella with me because I wasn’t out during the worst of the rain, which happened overnight, but that’s always a necessity, too.
What are your best tips to staying cool and dry during monsoon season (or summer thunderstorms in general)? Have you ever experienced monsoon season?
OUTFIT DETAILS
One/Third jacket / exact or similar by Banana Republic (review here)
Everlane sweater / exact style or similar (splurge) by Jenni Kayne (review here)
Madewell shorts / exact from Nordstrom
Salt Water sandals / exact from Zappos
Le Specs sunglasses / exact via Shopbop or Nordstrom
Dior Lip Glow in rosewood / exact