Maricopa storm history

A Maricopa County Flood Control District Stream Gauge along Waterman Wash at Rainbow Valley Road south of Buckeye reported water levels rising above the alarm stage level of 3.1 feet, with water levels peaking at 4.9 feet (1133 cfs). A couple of water rescues were performed near …

Multiple Maricopa County Flood Control District streamflow gauges along Indian Bend Wash through Scottsdale rose above action stages and flood stages, with all low-water crossings impassable. The streamflow gauge at Indian School Rd reached 3000 cfs. Multiple water rescues were p…

An adult male was found deceased due to drowning at Canyon Lake. The man was paddle boarding at the time the thunderstorm was approaching and fell off the paddleboard likely due to the strong winds and higher waves. A surface observing site located at Canyon Lake measured a peak …

Large warehouse facility located in the area of West Van Buren Street and North 47th Avenue in Phoenix collapsed with multiple walls and portion of roof missing. A person was trapped underneath the rubble and found deceased approximately 2.5 days later by a search and rescue oper…

Two men paddle boarding down the Salt River were caught in an undercurrent near 19th Avenue and Broadway on the 9th. They became stuck in the undercurrent around 1000MST and began yelling for help before disappearing under the water. The bodies of the two men were recovered about…

Maricopa County Sheriff's deputies received a call around 1145 MST on the 18th of a reported drowning after an 81-year-old man fell out of his kayak and didn't resurface. The incident occurred near the Pebble Beach area along the Salt River. Other kayakers on the river pulled the…

According to local media reports, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office found two people had perished inside an ATV that was buried in mud and debris downstream in Camp Creek. MCSO was notified and began searching for the missing people around 1600MST on the 18th but did not recov…

Following 2 to 4 inches of rain in 1 to 2 hours over the Sand Tank Wash watershed, catastrophic flooding occurred in the small town of Gila Bend with feet of water, mud, and debris moving through town. Storm surveys were completed by NWS Phoenix, Maricopa County Department of Eme…

A strong thunderstorm produced heavy rain over southern portions of the Bush Fire burn scar during the evening of the 22nd. Heavy rainfall associated with the thunderstorm led to an estimated 1-2 of rain within 20-30 minutes over the headwaters of the Alder Creek basin, resulting…

Isolated monsoon thunderstorms developed across the central deserts to the west of Phoenix during the early evening hours on September 4th. One of the more powerful storms produced a strong micro burst with wind speeds estimated to be as high as 70 mph. Local law enforcement repo…

Scattered thunderstorms associated with a powerful winter storm dropped locally heavy rainfall across portions of the greater Phoenix metropolitan area, including the community of Scottsdale, during the afternoon hours on March 8th. An Urban and Small Stream Flood Advisory was is…

Scattered thunderstorms developed across south central Arizona during the afternoon hours on Saturday July 14th, and they produced locally heavy rainfall which led to episodes of flash flooding in the Wickenburg area. A Flash Flood Warning was issued for Wickenburg at about 5 pm …

Heavy rains from widespread thunderstorms caused flash flood waters to over-flow washes from New River east to the Seven Springs area and Camp Creek. Rainfall runoff was higher than normal in the Cave Creek Complex area and contributed significantly to the rapid flooding. The fir…

Flash flood in Sols Wash swept the vehicle downstream from Vulture Mine Road

A microburst hit parts of Scottsdale and Tempe with very strong winds and heavy rain. Many homes and businesses sustained damage, with at least 19 power poles blown down. One pole landed on a vehicle near Scottsdale and Indian Bend roads, killing the driver. About 6,000 residents…

Lightning struck and killed a motorcyclist and injured another near Bartlett Dam.

Lightning struck the plywood roof of a home under construction. A worker was killed when the lightning bolt traveled down a wooden rafter and hit him in the head. Three other workers received minor injuries from this lightning.

Three members of a Boy Scout troop perished after their sport utility vehicle was swept out from under them. The scouts tried to cross a running wash near Sunflower. Occasionally heavy rain showers persisted in the area throughout the afternoon and early evening.

Strong thunderstorms with extremely heavy rain led to mutiple collisions on Interstate 10 in downtown Phoenix during the afternoon hours on August 28. A total of 69 vehicles were involved in a series of crashes; one collision alone involved 35 vehicles and spanned over 2 miles fr…

A micro burst struck a school building at the Littleton Elementary School in the community of Cashion, two miles SW of Tolleson. The roof was torn off about eight classrooms with one teacher and eight children being injured. A National Weather Service Storm Survey Team estimated …

Extreme and widespread wind damage from a supercell thunderstorm was observed in Tempe. The most severe damage was concentrated in a 2-2.5 mile north-south corridor just east of I-10, between Downtown Tempe and Warner Road. A damage assessment, based on 1086 total surveys conduct…

Numerous reports of considerable damage at Falcon Field Airport from a severe microburst. Around 25 airplanes, mostly Cessna small aircraft, were damaged or destroyed, with some flipped over. One aviation flight school lost one third of their fleet, but it is unknown how many air…

SR-87 was closed between Loop-202 and Shea Blvd due to widespread wind damage. One mobile home and one modular home were destroyed resulting in one injury, requiring the person to be transported to the hospital and be placed in the Intensive Care Unit. Numerous power poles were b…

Thunderstorms developed over the western portion of the greater Phoenix area, including the community of Glendale, during late afternoon hours on July 11th. Some of the stronger storms produced intense rainfall as well as gusty damaging outflow winds. According to a report from t…

Widespread showers and embedded thunderstorms produced very heavy rainfall in Mesa during the morning hours on September 8th; peak rain rates were well in excess of 2 inches per hour and many locations received between 3 and 5 inches of rain with this event. The heavy rain led to…

Widespread showers and thunderstorms developed across the northern portion of the greater Phoenix metropolitan area during the morning hours on August 19th, and they continued to intensify and move to the northeast into the early afternoon hours. The storms produced periods of he…

Scattered to numerous thunderstorms produced locally heavy rain across the south central portions of the greater Phoenix metropolitan area during the afternoon and evening hours on August 12th. Peak rainfall rates were well in excess of one inch per hour at times, and storm total…

Isolated strong thunderstorms developed across the northern portions of the greater Phoenix area during the afternoon hours on July 31st. During the late afternoon the storms congealed and intensified in the Anthem area, and they produced excessive rainfall which led to episodes …

Hailstorm moved from southwest to northeast across the central Phoenix area. Hail up to 1.5 diameter fell in this swath. The hail broke hundreds of skylights and damaged roofs and cars from southwest Phoenix, to north central Phoenix, to Carefree.

This storm moved from Firebird Lake, south of Chandler to the north Glendale/south Peoria area. This storm produced widespread golf ball to baseball sized hail along its path. Thousands of roofs and vehicles were damaged by the hail. Locations in northwest Phoenix and Glendale we…

This storm moved from south of Chandler to far north Scottsdale. As the storm moved through Scottsdale, the storm dropped up to tennis ball sized hail. The hail damaged hundreds of roofs and vehicles. Dozens of aircraft at Scottsdale airport were damaged by the hail.

Three large trees blown over at Bell Road and 16th Street. A large tent at the Russo Steele Auction in Scottsdale near Mayo Blvd and Scottsdale Rd was destroyed and blown into nearby State Highway Loop 101 when winds collapsed the tent onto many classic cars. Small damage at a ne…

Streets were closed near the Salt River as well as many creeks and washes after the third major storm system moved through the area. Rainfall prior to and during the day on Friday amounted to between 5 and 7 inches. The swollen creeks and washes left many low-lying areas flooded …

Easterly winds gusted up to 65 knots at Sky Harbor airport. Several aircraft and at least one terminal building was damaged, with debris blown onto the runways and adjacent areas. About 500 people were stranded in the terminals overnight due to flight delays and power outages.

A trained spotter reported a wind gust of 85 mph at 16th St and Thomas. Widespread damage occurred to homes, businesses and windows knocked out in at least one high-rise. Numerous power poles were taken down, and many trees uprooted. Some damage also occurred at the Arizona State…

In Tempe, an 18 year-old man was injured by a falling tree. Winds on the ASU campus were measured at 69 mph and severely damaged the indoor football practice facility.

Roads closed in north Scottsdale. At least 6 water rescues. Several automatic gauges reported between 1.5 and 2.0 inch per hour rainfall rates. Floodwaters caused $2 million of damage at Desert Sun Elementary School in North Scottsdale.

Several cities throughout the central portion of Maricopa County had major wind damage as a series of thunderstorms and microbursts moved across the area. According to the Salt River Project, an estimated 65 power poles were blown down, in parts of Scottsdale, Tempe and Mesa. At …

Very heavy rainfall, about 2 inches per hour, caused flooding of low spots and washes. The peak flow in Hartman Wash, was reported as 1200 cfs. Major damage occurred at Bear Cat Manufacturing where a large robotic welding building was destroyed by the flood.

The second of two microburst events struck on the airport at the Postal facility and the West economy parking lot. A large thunderstorm complex, with strong microburst winds estimated at 100 mph struck Sky Harbor International Airport. Southerly winds and dense blowing dust initi…

The first of two microburst events occurred on the airport at 1300 Airlane Blvd.

Microburst winds heavily damaged the Arizona Public Service power sub-station at 7th Ave and Thomas. Widespread damage was reported across the greater Phoenix metropolitan area caused by the storm's high winds and heavy rainfall with up to 2 inches in 90 minutes. Utility companie…

The second major storm in a week left considerable flooding in both rural and urban areas. A trailer park in Aguila and another in Buckeye had to be evacuated. Homes in Peoria, Youngtown, Surprise and surrounding areas reported flooding. The hardest hit was the Ventana Lakes subd…

A spotter in Wickenburg reported that route 93 was closed north of Wickenburg due to high water. Sols wash was out of its banks and flooded Coffinger Park as well as nearby homes. The Vulture Mine road was closed and motorists had to be rescued. Flood waters produced considerable…