The National Weather Service issued a warning just before 6 p.m. Thursday that parts of Maricopa and Pinal counties could experience strong thunderstorms until 7:30 p.m.
The station said Doppler radar detected the storm along a line from near Paradise Valley to downtown Mesa, Apache Junction and Boyce Thompson Arboretum, traveling at about 35 mph.
Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Matt Salerno said the storm brought light rain (no more than a tenth of an inch) along with gusty winds. Salerno expected the storm to continue for another hour as it continued to move southwest.
Salerno said the region had a 20-30% chance of a similar storm around the same time on Friday night.
Areas affected include:
- apache junction
- gold canyon
- buckeye
- Avondale
- cave creek
- new river
- phoenix
- deer valley
- east valley
- west valley
- Fountain Hills
- Northwest Pinal County
- superstitious mountains
- Rio Verde
- salt river
- south mountain
- Awatukey Foothills
- Southeast Valley
- Queen Creek
- Superior
