Damaging Winds in Arizona, July 30, 2018

Strong thunderstorms developed over the higher terrain of eastern Arizona during the afternoon hours on July 30th and some of the stronger storms produced gusty damaging microburst winds that impacted the community of Florence. According to aerial survey footage taken by local broadcast media, multiple mobile homes were destroyed about 1 mile northeast of the town of Florence. The damaged homes were just southeast of the intersection of Butte Avenue and the Pinal Parkway. The damage occurred at roughly 1830MST. According to radar imagery, a downburst wind pattern affected the homes, with peak wind gusts estimated to be at least 75 mph in strength. At about the same time the Pinal County Office of Emergency Management reported that strong wind gusts downed a Mesquite tree in Florence, near the Highway 79 and Butte Avenue intersection. The diameter of the downed tree was 21 inches. The tree was blown over and landed on a car; the car was destroyed in the process. No injuries were reported due to the strong wind damage.

Thunderstorms developed across the higher terrain east of Phoenix during the afternoon and early evening hours on July 30th; the stronger storms generated strong and gusty outflow winds estimated to be in excess of 60 mph. According to a report from the public, at 1835MST a wind gust estimated at 66 mph occurred at Bartlett Lake or about 10 miles southwest of Sunflower. A Severe Thunderstorm Warning had been issued earlier for the area and was in effect at the time of the wind gust. No damage was reported.

Thunderstorms with strong gusty outflow winds developed over the high terrain of eastern Arizona during the afternoon hours on July 30th, and they spread west into the east portion of the Phoenix area during the early evening hours. According to a trained spotter in San Tan Valley, about 7 miles southeast of Queen Creek, gusty winds estimated as high as 65 mph downed numerous power lines along the Hunt Highway between Bella Vista Road and Gary Road. The damage occurred at approximately 1900MST.

Thunderstorms with strong gusty outflow winds developed across the northern portions of the greater Phoenix area during the early evening hours on July 30th and some of them affected the area around the town of Deer Valley. At 1913MST the official ASOS weather station at the Deer Valley airport measured a wind gust to 74 mph.

Thunderstorms with very strong and gusty outflow winds developed across the northern portion of the greater Phoenix area during the evening hours on July 30th; one of the stronger storms affected the community of Deer Valley. At 1915MST, a trained weather spotter located 6 miles northwest of Deer Valley measured wind gusts as high as 70 mph at his home. The spotter was a former NWS employee located at the intersection of 67th Avenue and Happy Valley Road. The strong microburst winds damaged his roof as well as the solar panel system on top of the roof.

Thunderstorms with strong gusty and damaging outflow winds moved through the northern portions of the greater Phoenix area, including the community of Deer Valley, during the evening hours on July 30th. Some of the stronger storms generated gusty outflow winds in excess of 60 mph. According to a report from the public, strong outflow winds estimated at 70 mph blew the chimney off of a home located about 4 miles east of Deer Valley. The home was near the intersection of Beardsley Road and 16th Street, just north of the Loop 101. No additional damage to the home was reported.

Thunderstorms with very strong and gusty outflow winds developed across the north portion of the greater Phoenix area during the evening hours on July 30th; One of the stronger storms affected the community of Scottsdale. At 1921MST the official ASOS weather station at the Scottsdale Airport measured a wind gust of 63 mph.

Strong thunderstorms moved through the central portion of the greater Phoenix area during the evening hours on July 30th; some of the stronger storms affected communities such as Glendale. Isolated storms generated gusty and damaging outflow winds estimated to be at least 60 mph in strength. According to a public report, outflow winds up to 60 mph blew down the awning on a mobile home located about 1 mile northwest of Glendale. The home was near the intersection of Highway 60 and Northern Avenue. No injuries were reported.

Thunderstorms with strong and gusty outflow winds moved through the northern portion of the greater Phoenix area, including the community of Scottsdale, during the evening hours on July 30th. The stronger storms generated gusty outflow wind in excess of 60 mph which resulted in tree damage. According to a trained weather spotter in Scottsdale, at 1930MST gusty winds estimated to be 65 mph downed numerous larger tree branches near the intersection of Shea Boulevard and Scottsdale Road. The large branches were blocking multiple lanes on Shea Boulevard. The downed trees resulted in hazardous driving conditions into surrounding areas such as north Paradise Valley.

Strong thunderstorms moved through the central portion of the greater Phoenix metropolitan area during the evening hours on July 30th and some of storms generated gusty and damaging outflow winds in excess of 60 mph. At 1937MST a trained spotter 2 miles north of Glendale reported that a least 2 trees with a trunk diameter of 12 to 14 inches were knocked over by strong outflow winds estimated to be as high as 65 mph. The downed trees were located at the intersection of 59th Avenue and Olive Avenue. At 1942MST another spotter a few miles to the west, about 1 mile southeast of Peoria, indicated that a large tree was downed near 77th Avenue and Mountain View Road. The downed tree had an 18 inch diametere and was partially blocking Mountain View Road. No accidents were reported as a result of the downed trees.

Thunderstorms with strong gusty outflow winds moved through the north portions of the greater Phoenix area, including north Scottsdale, during the evening hours on July 30th. The stronger storms generated gusty outflow winds in excess of 60 mph that resulted in damage to trees. According to a trained spotter about 4 miles northwest of North Scottsdale, outflow winds estimated to be as high as 65 mph downed trees in the vicinity of Bell Road and 56th Street. One of the larger trees had a diameter of 18 inches. No injuries were reported due to the fallen trees.

Thunderstorms with very strong and gusty outflow winds developed across the western portion of the greater Phoenix area during the evening hours on July 30th; some of the stronger storms affected areas around the town of Glendale. At 1938MST, the official ASOS weather station at the Glendale Municipal Airport measured a wind gust to 74 mph. A nearby trained weather spotter also reported a wind gust to 74 mph at 1946MST. The spotter was located about 4 miles east of Litchfield Park, near the intersection of Camelback Road and 99th Avenue.

Thunderstorms with strong, gusty and damaging outflow winds moved through the northern portion of the greater Phoenix area during the evening hours on July 30th. Some of the stronger storms generated outflow winds in excess of 60 mph which produced damage along Highway 51 from the Loop 101 south through Greenway Road. At 1938MST a trained spotter 6 miles west of North Scottsdale, near Greenway Road and Highway 51, reported 4 inch diameter trees blown down along with some street signs. Power was out at 36th Street and Greenway Road. At about the same time, another spotter to the north, along Highway 51, reported trees blown down at 36th Street and Union Hills Drive. Another spotter reported a large tree down near Bell Road and Highway 51 at 1950MST. Wind gusts were estimated to be as between 60 and 70 mph when the damage occurred.

Thunderstorms with gusty and damaging outflow winds moved across the northwest portion of the greater Phoenix metropolitan area during the evening hours on July 30th and some of the stronger storms affected the community of Sun City. According to a trained weather spotter, at 1940MST outflow winds estimated to be as high as 70 mph downed a large tree with a diameter of between 3 and 4 feet. The tree was knocked down at the northeast corner of 108th Drive and Thunderbird Road in Sun City. At the same time, another spotter reported a large tree downed 1 mile south of Sun City, at the intersection of 103rd Avenue and Thunderbird Road. This tree had a diameter between 2 and 3 feet. No injuries were reported.

Thunderstorms with strong, gusty and damaging outflow winds moved across the central portion of the greater Phoenix area during the evening hours on July 30th; some of the stronger storms affected the area north of Camelback Road just east of Interstate 17. At 1940MST multiple public reports were received indicating trees downed in the corridor between Bethany Home Road and Missouri Avenue. One report indicated a large tree downed on 12th Street between Missouri Avenue and Bethany Home Road. A second report indicated that a massive tree was uprooted and downed and when it fell it landed on a home near Bethany Home Road and 12th Avenue. Peak wind gusts in the area were estimated to be as high as 70 mph. No injuries were reported.

Thunderstorms with gusty outflow winds moved across the western portions of the greater Phoenix area during the evening hours on July 30th. Some of the stronger storms generated gusty outflow winds at least as high as 60 mph. The strong and gusty winds resulted in a power outage near and to the east of Luke Air Forecast Base, according to a trained weather spotter. The spotter indicated that power was out near the intersection of Glendale Avenue and Litchfield Road. No mention was made with regard to power lines or poles down in the area however.

Thunderstorms with strong gusty outflow winds affected the central portion of the greater Phoenix area during the evening hours on July 30th. Some of the stronger storms produced winds in excess of 50 mph. According to a report from the public, at 1941MST winds gusts estimated as high as 60 mph occurred northeast of the intersection of Baseline Road and 51st Avenue. This was roughly 5 miles southwest of central Phoenix and near the Salt River channel. No damage was reported.

Thunderstorms with strong and gusty outflow winds moved through the northwest portion of the greater Phoenix area during the evening hours on July 30th. Some of the stronger storms generated gusty damaging outflow winds that affected areas around the community of El Mirage. According to a trained weather spotter located about 2 miles northwest of El Mirage, two cars were damaged when tree limbs about 4 to 6 inches across were downed and fell upon the cars. The gusty winds were estimated to be as high as 65 mph. The cars were located in the parking lot of a Walmart store at Dysart Road and Thunderbird Road. The wind damage also resulted in telephones being out in the area. No injuries were reported.

Thunderstorms with gusty and damaging outflow winds affected the central portion of the greater Phoenix area, including the areas around downtown Phoenix, during the evening hours on July 30th. Some of the stronger storms generated outflow winds in excess of 60 mph. According to a trained weather spotter located about 3 miles southwest of downtown Phoenix, gusty winds to 65 mph downed a large 12 inch diameter Mesquite tree. The downed tree was located near the intersection of Durango Street and 27th Avenue.

Thunderstorms with strong, gusty and damaging outflow winds moved through the northern portions of the greater Phoenix metropolitan area during the evening hours on July 30th. Some of the stronger wind gusts were in excess of 60 mph, and affected communities such as Peoria. According to a report from the public, microburst winds estimated at 75 mph blew off the portion of a roof from a home located near the intersection of Thunderbird Road and 75th Avenue, about 2 miles northeast of Peoria. Fortunately there were no reports of injuries as a result of the damage to the home.

Thunderstorms with strong, gusty and damaging outflow winds moved through the north and central portions of the greater Phoenix area during the evening hours on July 30th. Some of the stronger storms affected the area around Deer Valley. According to a trained weather spotter located 5 miles southeast of Deer Valley, shortly before 2000MST thunderstorm outflow winds estimated to be as high as 70 mph downed a number of trees along Greenway Parkway from 32nd Street west to near Cave Creek. Many sections of street lights were out as well as some of the traffic lights. The trees were very large and some of them blocked at least one westbound traffic lane. Fortunately no accidents or injuries were reported due to the downed trees.

Thunderstorms with strong, gusty outflow winds moved across the northern portions of the greater Phoenix metropolitan area during the evening hours on July 30th; some of the stronger storms generated gusty outflow winds estimated to be in excess of 60 mph. Some of the storms impacted the area around the town of Youngtown. According to a report from the public, at 1950MST the American Legion post 2 miles east of Youngtown lost 3 trees; the trees were blown over by outflow winds estimated to be at least 65 mph in strength. The trees fell onto and damaged 2 cars. The post was located near the intersection of Peoria Avenue and 99th Avenue, just west of the New River bank.

Thunderstorms with strong gusty outflow winds moved across the western portion of the greater Phoenix metropolitan area during the evening hours on July 30th; some of the stronger storms affected the community of Goodyear. According to a trained weather spotter 1 mile southeast of Goodyear, gusty winds estimated to be nearly 65 mph in strength blew down a number of tree limbs in a one block radius west of the Goodyear Airport. The diameter of the trees was approximately 6 to 8 inches.

Thunderstorms with strong gusty outflow winds moved through the western portion of the greater Phoenix area during the evening hours on July 30th. Some storms affected the area around Surprise and Waddell. At 2004MST, a trained spotter 2 miles north of Waddell and near the intersection of the Loop 303 and Bell road reported that gusty winds to 60 mph had blown the limbs off of some trees in the area. The damaged tree limbs were about 3 to 4 inches in diameter. The trees were not actually downed themselves according to the spotter.

Thunderstorms with gusty outflow winds moved through the western portion of the greater Phoenix area during the evening hours on July 30th; some of the stronger storms generated gusty outflow winds that affected areas around Goodyear and Avondale. According to a report from the public located 2 miles northeast of Goodyear, at 2106MST gusty outflow winds up to 60 mph downed a tree and the tree fell down on a road. The downed tree was just southeast of the intersection of the Estrella Parkway and Interstate 10. No damage occurred when the tree fell into the road.