Storms hit Arizona on Monday afternoon with severe weather already working through the state, and the Valley was next in line for wind, hail and blowing dust. By 5:30 PM, severe thunderstorms were moving through the Florence and Kearny areas with 60 mph wind gusts, small hail, heavy rain and lightning.
The timing is what made the day feel unsettled. Monday temperatures were near normal across Arizona, but storms were still developing in the mountains and more were possible in the Valley through the evening, with some blowing dust or even a dust storm taking shape before the system was expected to ease by around 10 PM.
Ashley Losch of the Glendale Fire Department said Valley residents know how fast storms can move in and out, bringing strong winds, dust, rain and flash flooding. She also warned that those conditions can interrupt water, power and gas service, which is why a storm that lasts only a short time can still leave a long tail of problems behind it.
Heavy storms in northern Arizona had already triggered several flash flood warnings earlier in the day, and more rain remained possible in parts of the state through the week. Tuesday was expected to start with sunny skies and temperatures in the upper 80s in the Valley, but storms were forecast to build over the mountains by 2 PM and then track southwest through the afternoon and evening, with more flash flooding likely in the mountains.
That pattern was expected to repeat each day through the weekend, with the most widespread storm activity likely on Thursday and Friday. Temperatures in the Valley were expected to edge down by the end of the week, though they would still climb only into the low 100s, with overnight lows in the 80s. For people watching the Phoenix weather dust storm threat, the main question is not whether storms return, but how quickly they turn from a forecast into a service-disrupting event.
