The long-awaited monsoon season arrived dramatically late Monday afternoon with powerful storms that caused widespread power outages and heavy rains in Tucson and other parts of Pima County.
Thousands of residents lost power as the storm knocked down power lines and uprooted trees.
Tucson Power reported that more than 13,500 customers were affected by the outage.
The hardest-hit areas included the La Encantada shopping center, 2905 East Skyline Drive and surrounding areas, and the Swan Road/Sunrise Drive area where residents were left in the dark.
The blackout extended from Fort Lowell and Swan to East Skyline Drive in the northern foothills. Other affected areas are between Kolb and Camino Seco, from his 22nd Street in the south to Speedway in the north.
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Power outages were also reported east of Pantano and south of Golf Links, Speedway and Cracroft.
TEP advises customers to report any outages and, for safety, stay away from downed power lines, especially in areas where workers are working to restore power. For more information on outage reporting and power restoration efforts, please contact TEP at (520) 623-7711. Here’s the power company’s blackout map: tep.com/stop.
The July 17th storm was a relief from the scorching heat Tucson and much of the state experienced in recent weeks.
High temperatures are expected to continue throughout the week, but the arrival of the storm suggests that storm activity may continue over the next few days.
Rainfall during the storm varied throughout Pima County, according to the National Weather Service.
Notable rainfall measurements include 1.89 inches at Empire Mountain, 1.72 inches at Sunrise Drive and Swan Road Foothills, 1.50 inches at Big Wash and Oro Valley at Rancho V recording stations, and 1.50 inches at Glen and Cracroft in Tucson. 1.48 inch included.
The Arizona Daily Star estimated, based on weather service reports, that the average rainfall across Pima County during the storm was about 0.47 inches.
The rainfall event marked the third-latest date for measurable rainfall during the monsoon season at Tucson International Airport, where the city’s official weather statistics are recorded.
As the monsoon season continues, residents are advised to remain vigilant and prepared. The Department of Meteorology encourages residents to monitor the latest weather information and take necessary precautions in the event of severe weather.
Earlier that day, the Bureau of Meteorology extended the excessive heat warnings for Cochise, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, Maricopa, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, and Yavapai counties through July 21, with Coconino, La Paz, Mojave, Yuma counties have been extended through July 21. July 22.
Strong winds, hail and rain hit the Tucson area Monday afternoon as the 2023 monsoon kicked off.
After weeks of extreme dry heat, by 6pm, the Lilith River was revitalized. This clip shows a river just west of North Campbell Avenue.
Eddie Zelaya is a breaking news reporter and host of “Here Weed Go!” podcast. He graduated from Pima Community College and the University of Arizona, and since May 2019 he has been with The Daily Star in Arizona.
