Hot, Humidity and chances of Thunderstorms weather coming back for the Deserts and Mountains area starting Monday – Friday.
Peak action expected to be Tuesday and Wednesday.
Each day a Thunderstorms can bring Strong Winds, Flash Flooding, and a chance of a brush fire from lighting. Remember If you see smoke or fire call 911 asap before you posting on social media.
Monsoon/Thunderstorms CHECK LIST
Planning ahead:
Check your wiper blades make sure they work.
The best way to avoid lightning and flash floods is by not being in danger in the first place. Many ways are available to gain weather information including:
Watching/check current weather forecasts on TV, Apps, or the internet.
Subscribing to lightning and severe weather notification services (you can get this service on a good trusted weather app)
Turn Around Don’t Drown Safety Flash Flood Tips:
• Driving around barricades is illegal and dangerous.
• Avoid low-water crossings.
• Avoid hiking and camping in a wash or in the bottom of a canyon with steep side slopes.
• Be especially cautious at night. Flood dangers are much more difficult to see in the dark.
• Even a less serious urban flood can be dangerous. Driving too fast through standing water can cause a car to hydroplane. The best defense is to slow down or pull well off the road (with the lights off) for a few minutes to wait out heavy rains.
• Avoid areas already flooded, especially if the water is flowing fast.
• Do not attempt to cross flowing streams.
• Do not camp or park a vehicle along streams and washes, particularly during threatening conditions.
• If flooding occurs, get to higher ground. Get out of areas subject to flooding. This includes dips, low spots, canyons, washes, etc.
• Roadbeds may be washed out under floodwaters. Never drive through flooded roadways.
• If your vehicle is suddenly caught in rising water, leave it immediately and seek higher ground.
• If a traffic signal is out, treat the intersection as a 4-way stop.
• As little as ten inches of water can float average-sized cars, mini-vans, SUVs and trucks. Strength of the flow is the critical force.
• When in doubt, wait it out, or find a safer route.
Lightning Safety Tips:
When thunder roars, go indoors. If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning. There is no place outside that is safe from a lightning strike. Remaining indoors for 30 minutes after seeing the last lightning strike and hearing the last thunder will eliminate the risk at the end of storms.
If you are driving in a thunderstorm a fully-enclosed vehicle is the safest.
Dust Storms Tips:
This is a underrated killer in the desert! Straight lines winds in any thunderstorm can lift huge clouds of dust and reduce visibility to near zero in seconds, which can quickly result in deadly, multi-vehicle accidents on roadways.
Dust storms or haboobs, are more common during parts of the monsoon weather storms. Be prepared for blowing dust and reduced visibility any time with a thunderstorms is nearby.
Remember PULL ASIDE, STAY ALIVE! If you encounter a dust storm, and cannot avoid driving into it. Pull off the road as far as you can safely do so. Turn off your headlights and taillights. Put your vehicle in “PARK,” and/or engage your parking brake, and take your foot off the brake (so your brake lights are not illuminated.) Other motorists may tend to follow tail lights in an attempt to get through the dust storm, and may strike your vehicle from behind.
Dust storms usually last a few minutes, and up to an hour at most. Stay where you are until the dust storm passes.
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