Thunderbird Mesa
Thunderbird Mesa is a  summit in Navajo County, Arizona, United States.

Description
Thunderbird Mesa is situated  southeast of the Monument Valley visitor center on Navajo Nation land. Precipitation runoff from this mesa's slopes drains to Gypsum Creek which is a tributary of the San Juan River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises  above the surrounding terrain in 0.1 mile (0.16 km). The nearest higher neighbor is Rain God Mesa,  to the north. The landform's toponym has been officially adopted by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. The name refers to an outline that is shaped like a thunderbird on the east side of the mesa.Monument Valley, City of Aztec, aztecnm.com, Retrieved 2024-08-29.

Geology
Thunderbird Mesa is composed of three principal strata. The bottom layer is slope-forming Organ Rock Shale, the next stratum is cliff-forming De Chelly Sandstone, and the upper layer is Moenkopi Formation. The rock ranges in age from Permian at the bottom to Triassic at the top, with a major unconformity between the sandstone and Moenkopi. The buttes and mesas of Monument Valley are the result of the Organ Rock Shale being more easily eroded than the overlaying sandstone.Monument Valley, Arizona, Arizona Geological Survey, Retrieved 2024-08-24.

Climate
Spring and fall are the most favorable seasons to visit Thunderbird Mesa. According to the Köppen climate classification system, it is located in a semi-arid climate zone with cold winters and hot summers. Summers average 54 days above  annually, and highs rarely exceed . Summer nights are comfortably cool, and temperatures drop quickly after sunset. Winters are cold, but daytime highs are usually above freezing. Winter temperatures below  are uncommon, though possible. This desert climate receives less than  of annual rainfall, and snowfall is generally light during the winter.Climate Summary for Kayenta, Arizona

See also
 List of appearances of Monument Valley in the media

References

External links
 Weather forecast: Thunderbird Mesa
 Thunderbird Mesa (photo): Flickr

Category:Colorado Plateau
Category:Landforms of Navajo County, Arizona
Category:North American 1000 m summits
Category:Geography of the Navajo Nation
Category:Sandstone formations of the United States