PHOENIX — Arizona summers can be nonstop.
From wildfires to monsoon storms, to unbearable heat - each one can create problems in its own way. Combine all three, and it can create a major weather issue.
Burns scars across the state created by wildfires have created easy highways for water to rush down. They could potentially be a hotspot for flooding as monsoon storms roll in.
The storms themselves can create a microburst. The short and sudden bursts can topple power lines and destroy homes.
On Saturday, the storms that rolled through the valley toppled over 14 power poles along 35th Avenue. It left 900 people momentarily without power.
However, APS was able to turn the lights back on by Monday for all the residents affected. Monday crews were at work replacing the broken-down poles with metal ones to try and strengthen the system.
“Sometimes we are no match for mother nature” Jill Hanks, a spokesperson with APS said. “So when that happens we quickly come in as safely as we can to fix the infrastructures and get things up and running”
Hanks said after analyzing the situation, APS focuses on getting power to hospitals, first responders, residents with medical issues, other residents and then businesses in that order.
If your power does go out, there are some simple steps to help yourself out.
- Have flashlights, chargers, and cables nearby. Know how to do basic things, like open up a garage door, if the power goes out.
“It's absolutely the little things that can protect you, keep you safe” Hanks said.
- Hanks also recommended getting alerts to outages on your smartphone and familiarize yourself with the APS outage map to get the latest information.
All of this comes as there are still weeks left in monsoon season, where a storm could spark up at almost anytime.
Arizona Weather
Arizona has seen its fair share of severe weather. Here is a compilation of videos from various storms across the Grand Canyon state.