The monsoon is here: Phoenix metro area sees rain, dust, lightning and damage
PHOENIX - After weeks of brutal heat, the monsoon is providing some much needed relief all over the Valley - but it left behind major damage in some areas.
The storm blew in through Pinal County and quickly sped north and westward through areas like Apache Junction, Mesa, Phoenix and Surprise.
The Scottsdale and Deer Valley airports reported gusts in excess of 60 miles an hour at times.
It brought lightning, gusty winds and brief but sometimes intense rain.
Rain totals
The following areas received this much rain overnight:
- Uptown Phoenix - .79"
- Paradise Valley - 1.02"
- Glendale - .75"
- Mesa - .51"
- Apache Junction - .67"
Power outages
More than 100 homes in Mesa and Phoenix remain without power Thursday morning.
SRP and APS are reporting numerous small outages across the metro area, with clusters of homes being affected.
Power should be restored to most of these neighborhoods within the next few hours, according to estimates from the utility companies.
APS Outage Map | SRP Outage Map
Here are some parts of the Phoenix metro area that were hit by the storm:
Mesa
The storm ripped through a Mesa home.
The storm ripped through parts of Mesa, with one neighborhood near Center Street and McKellips reporting severe damage.
Palm Harbor Mobile Home Park was hit the hardest. The National Weather Service says that initial reports indicate a downburst hit the area with wind speeds of up to 60 miles per hour.
"This is the worst I’ve ever seen in my entire time living here," said Kristen Kunkel, a resident. "It’s just devastating everywhere you look. Every home in the park is destroyed."
Mobile homes in the area saw fallen awnings, damaged walls and more.
"It was almost like a tornado hit us," said Kunkel. "I've never seen anything this bad here."
Reggie Lacefield lives just down the street and says the storm lasted about 20 minutes.
"Nothing like this, nothing like this," Lacefield said. "We had some big storms where it would pull your chairs…some plants, nothing like this where [it] ripped off roofs of houses."
Residents were running for cover with some trying to save their property, but the damage was widespread.
Another resident reported that her neighbor's carport ended up in her backyard. Roof damage, downed trees and debris have been scattered across the area.
Workers are busy fixing power lines Thursday morning.
Central Phoenix
I-10 and 7th Avenue
A dust storm engulfed the downtown area Wednesday night. It blew through the area at wind speeds of 40 to 50 miles per hour with low visibility.
While the rain didn't last long in this part of town, there were some windy and rainy conditions.
Future rain
Phoenix will have a break from the monsoon storms Thursday, but more precipitation is possible north, east and south of the Valley.
Heading into Friday, storm chances will increase. There's a 30% chance for rain heading into Saturday and a 50% chance on Sunday.
You can check the latest weather conditions by visiting the FOX 10 Phoenix weather page, or download the Free FOX 10 Weather app, which is available on Apple iOS and Android.
Preparing for a severe thunderstorm
The American Red Cross' tips for preparing for a severe thunderstorm:
- Put together an emergency kit.
- Know your community’s evacuation plan.
- Create a household disaster plan and practice it.
- Purchase a battery-powered or hand-crank radio
- Discuss thunderstorm safety with members of your household. Be aware that a thunderstorm could produce flooding.
- Pick a safe place in your home for household members to gather during a thunderstorm. This should be a place where there are no windows, skylights, or glass doors, which could be broken by strong winds or hail and cause damage or injury.