Sonoran Desert:

• Spans parts of Southwestern United States (Arizona and California) and Northwestern Mexico (Sonora, Baja California, and Baja California Sur).
• Hottest desert in Mexico.
• Covers an area of 260,000 square kilometers (100,000 sq. mi).
• The U.S.-Mexico border passes through it.
• tropics location - 23 to 30 N - from the tropic of cancer
• prevailing winds - overland - south east

Climate:

• Summer temperatures routinely exceed 40°C (104°F) and can reach 48°C (118°F).
• Summer monsoons produce violent thunderstorms.
• Winter temperatures are mild, with little frost in valleys.
• Diurnal temperature swings of 15°C (59°F) are common.
• Annual precipitation varies from 76 to 500 mm (3–20 in).

Soils and Vegetation:

• Soils promote or hinder plant growth.
• Rich vegetation in the Gila and Salt River valleys.
• Desert basin soils may be gravelly, sandy, or clayey.
• Bimodal rainfall supports legume trees and columnar cacti.

Plant Adaptations:

• Desert plants adapt to low water availability.