Phoenix-area thunderstorms knock out power for thousands
Stormy weather knocked out power for tens of thousands of Valley residents on Thursday evening according to the outage maps of Arizona Public Service and Salt River Project, the two major electricity utilities in the area.
Lightning from the storm also delayed the ASU vs. Southern Utah football game in Tempe.
Arizona State University football posted the following message: "To the fans in attendance, the weather in the area is temporarily delaying the start of the second half. We ask that you leave the stadium and seek shelter." ASU was leading the game at the half 21-7.
The game resumed about 11:30 p.m. Thursday.
Weather: Thousands still without power throughout Phoenix-area following overnight thunderstorms
The weather service also issued a flash flood warning for Maricopa County through 1 a.m. Friday. Radar and rain gauges indicated between 2 and 3 inches of rain fell across the warned area, the weather service said, adding that flash flooding was ongoing or expected to begin shortly.
A severe thunderstorm warning was in effect on Thursday for the Valley until 10:45 p.m. The weather service also issued a dust storm warning for Maricopa County in effect until 11:15 p.m. La Paz County was included in the dust storm warning. Both warnings included Pinal County.
The weather service reported that strong to severe thunderstorms were moving into the Phoenix area on Thursday night and said residents could expect wind gusts of up to 70 mph, heavy downpours and frequent lightning.
An APS map showed thousands of people were without power around downtown and midtown Phoenix, with some outages in Scottsdale and Tempe as well. APS had estimates of power being restored about 11:50 p.m.
SRP's map meanwhile showed major outages across the Valley, with Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa, Glendale and Avondale being impacted. Restorations times varied with some being as early as 10:55 p.m. to as late as 1:10 a.m.
For those in immediate need, Phoenix recommends:
Police and fire will continue to respond to those in need of help. The Fire Department's Community Assistance Program can also respond when appropriate.
The city is working to improve communication between the city's 3-1-1 helpline and the state's 2-1-1 helpline.
The outages come as Maricopa County registered at least 47 additional heat-associated deaths this week, bringing the total count for 2023 to 180, while 330 deaths remained under investigation.
Despite the significant loss of life in Maricopa County, the county does not receive any federal aid to prepare for heat or deal with its effects because the Federal Emergency Management Agency, better known by its acronym FEMA, does not classify heat as a major disaster.
Severe winds associated with the thunderstorms also were located along a line extending from Cave Creek to near Peoria, the weather service reported.
The weather service also issued a flash flood watch through Friday evening.
Affected areas include Aguila Valley, Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, Buckeye/Avondale, Cave Creek/New River, central La Paz County, central and north Phoenix, Deer Valley, Gila Bend; northwest Pinal County; Sonoran Desert National Monument; South Mountain, Ahwatukee Foothills; southeast Valley, Queen Creek; west Pinal County; Glendale; Scottsdale; Paradise Valley; Fountain Hills; northwest Valley.
Also included were Dripping Springs; Globe/Miami; Mazatzal Mountains; New River Mesa; Pinal, Superstition mountains; Rio Verde; Salt River; Superior; Tonto Basin; Gila River Valley; Kofa; Parker Valley; Tonopah Desert.
For the latest watches and warnings, see our weather alert page.
Tips for driving in the rain
The Arizona Department of Transportation provided the following safety tips for driving in the rain:
Inspect windshield wipers and replace them if necessary prior to expected rainfall.
Turn on the headlights.
Reduce speeds.
Avoid sudden breaking on wet pavement.
Create a "space cushion" between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you.
Avoid areas where water has pooled in travel lanes.
What to know: Are dry thunderstorms more frequent in Arizona than other regions?
How to protect yourself from lightning strikes
Here are lightning safety tips from the National Weather Service:
Pay attention to the weather. If you see big blue clouds, otherwise known as thunderheads, go inside. These types of clouds could mean a thunderstorm is coming.
Get in a building with plumbing and wiring. If lightning strikes the building, the lightning will be conducted around and into the ground.
Stay in your car. A vehicle will give you protection as electricity from lightning will pass through the vehicle's structure instead of hitting you.
Get off open water. A boat out on the water is likely to be the most prominent object and you could be struck.
Do not shower or bathe. If lightning hits your pipes, it could be conducted into the water in your bath or shower.
Do not use electric appliances with plugs or cords. Wireless cellphones are OK, as are laptops that are connected to Wi-Fi but not plugged in.
Follow the 30-30 rule. If you hear thunder within 30 seconds of a lightning bolt, that means the thunderstorm's distance is threatening. Wait at least 30 minutes after you hear the last thunder to go out. That gives the storm enough time to move away or dissipate.
You don’t have to be near a storm to get struck. Lightning strikes can easily travel 10 miles or more. A record lightning flash in Oklahoma in 2007 traveled nearly 200 miles. Seek shelter if you hear thunder.
Do not shelter under a tree. If lightning strikes the tree, the ground charge from the strike could travel into you.
Don't huddle in a group. If you are outdoors with friends or family during a thunderstorm, don't all clump together. Keeping separation could reduce the number of people injured if lightning strikes.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix-area thunderstorms knock out power for thousands
