Monsoon makes matinee debut at Luke Published July 27, 2007 By Master Sgt. Stephen Delgado 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- Billowing thunderheads, tropical storm winds, sheets of dust and horizontal rain -- no, these elements aren't part of a weather disaster movie, but part of a massive thunderstorm that blew into Luke Monday, marking the debut of the 2007 monsoon season here. The thunderstorm forced F-16s to be diverted to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Tucson, and Gila Bend, Ariz. The media buildup to the monsoon rivals that of a big budget Hollywood blockbuster. A key term in this hype is dew point. It is supposed to be at 55 degrees for three consecutive days to mark the official start of the monsoon. But, what is the dew point? There are two ways of measuring moisture in the air, humidity and the dew point. The most direct way is humidity, which measures the percentage of moisture in the atmosphere. The dew point is the temperature required to form a cloud. If the dew point is 65 degrees and the regular temperature is 65 degrees, then there will be fog or rain, explained Capt. Steve Lipinski, 56th Operations Support Squadron Weather Flight commander. More than that, there is confusion as to what a monsoon is and if Arizona really has a true monsoon. "The most famous monsoon occurs in southeast and south central Asia, particularly, India," Captain Lipinski said. "A monsoon is a seasonal shift in the upper atmospheric winds. There are dry and wet monsoons. "We are on the northwest edge of the Mexican monsoon," Captain Lipinski said. "Parts of southern and central Mexico receive most of their annual rainfall in the summer." Many places in Arizona receive a large percentage of their annual rainfall during the monsoon. Luke receives on average an annual rainfall of 7.35 inches, with one-third of it falling from early July to mid-September. Some cities in Arizona receive half their annual rainfall during the monsoon. The monsoon presents spectacular lightning displays, but these storms can be lethal if safety measures aren't followed, said Tech. Sgt. Wallace Greenwood, 56th FW ground safety NCO in charge. Severe dust storms usually precede the thunderstorm and rain. "Suddenly, visibility is reduced to a few feet and if you are driving, there are key things to do," Sergeant Greenwood said. Sergeant Greenwood added that during a downpour the same principles on the highway apply, but there are other vital things to remember. (See below.) Arizona has a Stupid Motorist Law that states if a motorist goes around a barricaded wash, gets stuck and has to be rescued, the motorist will be responsible for the cost of the rescue. The monsoon puts on a dramatic show of storms, including dust, electrical and wind. They can be inconvenient, cause damage and injury, but they can also be enjoyed if viewed from a safe vantage point. What to do during a storm: Dust storms -Pull off the road as far as possible -Turn off lights (The driver behind may think the car ahead is still moving) Flooded areas -Pull off the road as far as possible Electrical storms -Avoid using electronics or talking on a land line telephone -Avoid playing golf and water activities -Avoid open areas or get to lowest spot -Secure lawn furnature and umbrella -Avoid standing in ares where blown out windows could result in flying glass Outdoors at work -Secure items that can become After the storm -Remove trash and debris from outside areas -Remove FOD around base