Damaging Winds in Arizona, August 28, 1998

Two distinct lines of severe thunderstorms swept through much of southeast arizona from the northeast during the mid-afternoon to early evening hours. A high school student from Rincon High School in Tucson was injured from flying debris and taken to a local hospital. Numerous reports of trees blow down were received, some up to 2 feet in diameter. Eighteen power poles on the southwest side of Tucson were blown down leaving more than 20,000 customers without power and causing the evacuation of about 200 people from homes and businesses along West Ajo Way due to downed power lines. One of the downed power poles sparked a roof fire at Moreliana Fruit Bars causing an estimated $85000 of damage. A roof was blown off a trailer and a 20 foot tree blown onto a truck near Fort Thomas. Several reports of roof damage in tucson were received. Winds blew a shed away and a 15 foot tree down in Benson. A wind gust to 64 mph was recorded at the University of Arizona. Power outages were reported in Rio Rico.