PHOENIX, AZ -
A lightning strike apparently resulted in the death of an 89-year-old woman who was removed from her burning home by firefighters when strong storms lashed the Phoenix area, authorities said Tuesday.
The storms Monday night caused power outages, downing trees and damaging roofs. Traffic signals at many Phoenix intersections remained dark during the Tuesday morning commute, clogging traffic.
Maricopa County sheriff's Sgt. Joaquin Enriquez said firefighters performed CPR after finding the woman unconscious and unresponsive in a bedroom of her Sun City home but that she was pronounced dead at a hospital.
Her identity and cause of death weren't released, and Enriquez said the investigation was ongoing.
The National Weather Service reported that Glendale Municipal Airport and Phoenix Deer Valley Airport recorded winds of 74 mph (119 kph) while Luke Air Force Base in Glendale had winds up to 69 mph (111 kph).
Winds downed power lines, uprooted trees across the metro area and blew off part of a roof of a building at an apartment complex in Glendale as blowing dust cut visibility for drivers in some areas.
Electric utilities reported that a total of more than 120,000 customers lost power Monday night but that the vast majority saw power restored by Tuesday morning.
A senior housing facility operated by the city of Phoenix near downtown remained without power Tuesday, and firefighters helped staff move residents to the ground floor.
Portable generators and air conditioners were brought in to cool residents, including those who choose to stay at the facility and those preparing to be temporarily located to another facility, Fire Capt. Jake Van Hook said.
Power for some of the lights went out in Chase Field in downtown Phoenix, delaying the game between Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers for 21 minutes during the sixth inning.
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What started as blowing dust Monday night turned into the most severe monsoon storm to hit the Valley so far this summer.
Bursts of rain and damaging winds struck the Phoenix area around 6 p.m. Monday night, resulting in uprooted trees and felled power lines that left thousands of residents in the dark.
Fewer than 5,000 utility customers still remained without power early Tuesday afternoon. At the height of last night’s storm, about 100,000 customers were without power, reports from the Arizona Public Service Electric Co. and the Salt River Project show.
Winds speeds exceeded 70 mph in Glendale and Deer Valley, the National Weather Service said. Meanwhile, winds at Luke Air Force Base reached 69 miles per hour, and Scottsdale and east Mesa had winds over 50 mph.
More than 4,000 lightning strikes and 35,000 flashes sparked within the clouds at the storm's peak, the National Weather Service said.
National Weather Service meteorologist Mark O'Malley said that amount of lightning isn't a record breaker, but it is more than what is seen during a typical monsoon storm.
Measurable rain fell over most of the Valley, data from the Maricopa Flood Control District show; outlying areas received the most precipitation. Nearly an inch of rain fell in Fountain Hills and north Scottsdale; about a quarter inch of rain fell in downtown Phoenix.
Crews from the Phoenix Fire Department on Tuesday continued to assist residents of a senior housing facility after it lost power Monday night.
The Washington Manor, near 11th and Monroe streets in downtown Phoenix, typically houses about 120 residents.
Captain Jake Van Hook of the Phoenix Fire Department said fire crews had taken three residents to hospitals: a 73-year-old woman with heat-related issues, a 74-year-old man with abdominal pain and a 64-year-old woman with difficulty breathing.
Firefighters began helping to relocate residents at about 11 a.m. Tuesday, Van Hook said. Crews carried people, some in wheelchairs, down flights of stairs to help get them to the ground floor.
Staff members at the facility have coordinated with the McDowell Place Senior Service Center near McDowell Road and State Route 51 to temporarily move residents there so they have access to food and air conditioning, Van Hook said.
As of 1 p.m. Tuesday, Van Hook said 30 people were at the McDowell facility, 25 people were still at the Washington facility waiting to be transported, and 20 people were refusing to leave their homes.
Van Hook said fire officials are continuing to monitor those refusing to leave. Some other residents have also left on their own or have been picked up by family or friends, Van Hook said.
Phoenix Fire officials set up two portable generators and portable air conditioners to cool down those who are awaiting transportation to the McDowell senior center, Van Hook said. The equipment is part of the Phoenix Fire Department Community Emergency Response Team cache and CERT team members are on the scene.
Phoenix Fire Department crews assist residents of a senior housing facility that lost power during a monsoon storm July 30, 2018, and was still without electricity 18 hours later. (Photo: Phoenix Fire Department)
Storm chances for the days ahead
O'Malley said it's unlikely that another destructive storm will hit the Valley later this week.
There is less than a 10 percent chance of rain Tuesday in metropolitan Phoenix, with any potential storms staying north and east, O'Malley said.
The storm chances increase to 20 percent on Wednesday and Thursday.
The forecast high temperature is 108 degrees this week, with lows forecast to reach 81 degrees, the National Weather Service said. For an extended forecast, visit weather.azcentral.com.