Watering After Monsoon Rain in Glendale: Reset Timers
After monsoon rain in Glendale, pause the timer, check soil depth before watering again, and walk the yard for storm damage to heads, drip lines and valves.
Irrigation Guides5 min read
After a monsoon storm, pause the irrigation and check how deep the rain actually soaked before watering again. Then walk the yard for storm damage: tilted heads, washed-out drip tubing and silted valve boxes. The National Weather Service counts the monsoon from June 15 to September 30, when about half the region's yearly rain falls.
Monsoon storms in Glendale can drop a lot of rain in a short time, often unevenly across a yard. A sprinkler system left on its summer schedule waters soaked ground the next morning, and a system shut off too long leaves plants dry once the clouds clear. This guide covers the reset, the damage check, and what to do with the controller when the season ends.
Should I water after monsoon rain?
Not right away. Check the soil first. A heavy storm may soak the ground several inches deep, but a short burst often wets only the surface, and covered beds, slopes and areas under eaves can stay dry. Water again when the soil at root depth is drying, not on a fixed number of days.
The Arizona Municipal Water Users Association says each irrigation should wet the root ball plus one to two inches of surrounding soil. Use that same target after rain: push a soil probe or long screwdriver in near a few plants. Where it slides deep, wait. Where it stops near the surface, resume.
How much rain does the monsoon bring?
Enough to matter. The National Weather Service Phoenix counts the monsoon from June 15 to September 30 and says roughly half of the region's annual precipitation falls from June through September. Storms are hit and miss, so one street can get a soaking while the next stays dry.
The NWS Phoenix monsoon review explains the season. Because rainfall is so uneven, a rain gauge in your own yard is more useful than a forecast. A rain sensor on the controller does the same job automatically.
Using a rain sensor or rain hold
A rain sensor stops scheduled cycles after a set amount of rain and lets them resume as it dries. A rain hold is a manual pause on the controller. Both help during the monsoon. Both cause problems if they stick: a sensor that stays wet, or a hold nobody clears, can keep the system off for a week while plants dry out.
The City of Glendale's rebate list for single-family city water customers includes rain sensors, and smart controllers that skip watering from weather data. Both require a system in good working order and old equipment that is not already WaterSense listed. Check the city's current terms first.
Walk the yard for storm damage
Monsoon wind, runoff and debris are hard on irrigation. After a big storm, run each zone and look for:
- Tilted or buried heads. Runoff and debris push heads off line or bury them in silt.
- Grit in nozzles. Weak or uneven spray after a storm often means a clogged nozzle or screen.
- Washed-out drip tubing. Tubing on the surface can move, kink or end up under silt.
- Silted valve boxes. Mud in a valve box makes the valve hard to service and can push grit into it.
- Broken risers. Falling branches and wind-blown items snap exposed risers.
- Water on pavement. A head knocked sideways now sprays the sidewalk.
That last one matters in Glendale. The city's Drought Management Plan counts city water running onto a street or sidewalk as water waste once it travels 250 feet or pools over 200 square feet. Our drip emitter troubleshooting guide covers drip damage.
Monsoon and flood-irrigated lots downtown
Downtown Glendale lots that take the city's urban flood irrigation get deliveries on a two-week cycle from April to late October. A storm close to a delivery day can leave basins already full. The city asks owners to keep the irrigation valve reachable and the yard ready before each delivery, so check basins and berms after a storm too. Any sprinkler zones on those lots can be paused around both the storm and the delivery.
When the monsoon ends
The monsoon season ends September 30. That is the natural point for the first big schedule change of the cool season. AMWUA recommends adjusting schedules at least four times a year and says far less water is needed in the cooler months. Fall is when Glendale yards cut watering days, check the controller's season setting, and plan any fall planting on its own short schedule.
Our guide to seasonal run times has the full calendar.
When to get help
If several heads are broken, valve boxes are full of mud, or a zone will not shut off after a storm, a seasonal irrigation tune-up in Glendale can reset the system. For a single broken or tilted zone, see sprinkler repair in Glendale. The general seasonal irrigation tune-up page explains what a visit covers.
FAQ
How long should I wait to water after monsoon rain?
- Wait until the soil at root depth is drying. Push a soil probe or screwdriver in near a few plants. If it slides in deep, the rain soaked well and you can wait longer. If it stops near the surface, the rain was too light and normal watering can resume.
Do I need a rain sensor in Glendale?
- It helps during the monsoon, when about half the region's yearly rain falls in a few months. A rain sensor skips cycles after real rain. The City of Glendale's rebate list includes rain sensors for single-family city water customers whose systems are in good working order.
What should I check on my sprinklers after a monsoon storm?
- Run each zone and look for tilted or buried heads, clogged nozzles, broken risers, washed-out drip tubing, silted valve boxes and spray hitting pavement. Fix heads aimed at the sidewalk quickly, because Glendale counts significant runoff onto streets and sidewalks as water waste.
When does monsoon season end in Arizona?
- The National Weather Service counts the monsoon from June 15 to September 30. In Glendale, the end of September is a good time to make the first cool-season schedule change, cutting watering days as nights cool and plants need less water.
Can monsoon rain damage drip irrigation?
- Yes. Runoff can wash surface tubing out of place, kink it or bury it under silt, and grit can enter open line ends. After a storm, run the drip zone, check that each plant's emitters still drip, and flush the line ends to clear debris.
Sources
- Arizona Municipal Water Users Association amwua.org
- NWS Phoenix monsoon review weather.gov
- Drought Management Plan glendaleaz.gov