Arizona storms knock out power to 52,000, trigger flash flood warnings near Phoenix

A monsoon storm tore through the Phoenix area Sunday, toppling trees, crushing cars, and cutting electricity to tens of thousands of customers.

On Monday, parts of the West Valley were dealing with major damage as forecasters warned that chances for more storms remained.

What happened?

Across Glendale, Avondale, and other parts of the Valley, winds reached 80 mph, collapsing carports, damaging mobile homes, and sending huge metal drainage culvert pipes from a construction site into a neighborhood, according to Arizona's Family.

Several mobile homes lost their roofs. Fallen trees were reported at Apollo High School. A condo complex had at least 10 vehicles trapped under a collapsed carport, and a large uprooted tree crashed through another carport. Eight large metal culvert pipes rolled from a construction area into a neighborhood.

Service was still being restored across the area at about 9:30 a.m. Monday. Around 6,000 Salt River Project and Arizona Public Service customers remained without electricity, down from roughly 52,000 customers at 10:30 p.m. Sunday.

Why does it matter?

Reports also included downed utility poles and power lines along with hail and blowing dust.

Power outages during an Arizona heat wave can mean losing air conditioning and other essentials, which can be especially dangerous for older adults, young children, and people with medical conditions. Road closures can disrupt work schedules, important deliveries, and emergency response. 

What's being done?

Crews continued working to restore power Monday. In the meantime, neighborhoods were left with fallen trees, torn roofs, and crushed vehicles.

Forecasters said the monsoon pattern was still active. Arizona's Family reported that "first alert" days remained in effect through Thursday, with more storm activity possible and each day's conditions being influenced by the storms that came before it.

"It's more than likely a total loss. But then again, you can't help Mother Nature," Glendale resident Santiago Soliz told Arizona's Family after a tree fell on a carport and crushed his car.

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