• Dust Storm in Ahwatukee

    Dust Storm in Ahwatukee

  • How a NASA mission is learning to predict monsoons

    How a NASA mission is learning to predict monsoons

  • Phoenix Zoo cleans up after monsoon damage hits

    Phoenix Zoo cleans up after monsoon damage hits

  • APS hurries to repair downed power poles on Shea Boulevard

    APS hurries to repair downed power poles on Shea Boulevard

  • Power lines down on Shea Boulevard from massive storm

    Power lines down on Shea Boulevard from massive storm

  • Storm downs power lines in Phoenix

    Storm downs power lines in Phoenix

  • Rains blow manhole covers at Sky Harbor

    Rains blow manhole covers at Sky Harbor

  • Monsoon storm in north Phoenix

    Monsoon storm in north Phoenix

  • Storm damage outside Phoenix library branch

    Storm damage outside Phoenix library branch

  • Storm drops rain on Chandler

    Storm drops rain on Chandler

  • Rain falls in Tempe

    Rain falls in Tempe

  • Rain pours at Desert Botanical Garden

    Rain pours at Desert Botanical Garden

  • Storm damage in east Phoenix

    Storm damage in east Phoenix

  • Toppled tree after monsoon storm

    Toppled tree after monsoon storm

  • Heavy rain in downtown Phoenix

    Heavy rain in downtown Phoenix

  • Double rainbow after storm moves through

    Double rainbow after storm moves through

  • Driving in rainstorm in north Phoenix

    Driving in rainstorm in north Phoenix

  • Light rain in Chandler

    Light rain in Chandler

  • Manhole cover blown at Phoenix airport

    Manhole cover blown at Phoenix airport

  • Driver gets stuck on flooded street

    Driver gets stuck on flooded street

  • Mesa Fire and Medical rescue in Apache Junction

    Mesa Fire and Medical rescue in Apache Junction

  • Apache Junction flooding

    Apache Junction flooding

  • Monsoon weather in downtown phoenix

    Monsoon weather in downtown phoenix

  • Rain in Phoenix

    Rain in Phoenix

  • Flooded street in Apache Junction

    Flooded street in Apache Junction

  • San Tan Heights flooding

    San Tan Heights flooding

  • Wash floods in San Tan Valley

    Wash floods in San Tan Valley

  • Water rescue Mesa

    Water rescue Mesa

  • Rain and rushing water in east Mesa

    Rain and rushing water in east Mesa

  • Ensenada Park in east Mesa

    Ensenada Park in east Mesa

  • Rain soaks Mesa neighborhood

    Rain soaks Mesa neighborhood

  • Dust storm moves toward the Phoenix area

    Dust storm moves toward the Phoenix area

  • Monsoon storm in Phoenix

    Monsoon storm in Phoenix

  • Pouring rain at Power and Brown roads in east Mesa July 20, 2017

    Pouring rain at Power and Brown roads in east Mesa July 20, 2017

  • Riding out a monsoon windstorm in Phoenix

    Riding out a monsoon windstorm in Phoenix

  • Images from Friday's Phoenix-area storm

    Images from Friday’s Phoenix-area storm

  • Monsoon storm approaches in far West Valley

    Monsoon storm approaches in far West Valley

  • Time-lapse of monsoon storm thunderhead building over Carefree

    Time-lapse of monsoon storm thunderhead building over Carefree

  • Time-lapse view of monsoon storm from Broadway curve in Phoenix

    Time-lapse view of monsoon storm from Broadway curve in Phoenix

  • Storm downs tree in Gold Canyon

    Storm downs tree in Gold Canyon

  • Watch a dust storm move across the East Valley

    Watch a dust storm move across the East Valley

  • Monsoon rains hit far West Valley

    Monsoon rains hit far West Valley

  • Clouds form over Mount Lemmon

    Clouds form over Mount Lemmon

  • Downtown Phoenix, July 15, 2017

    Downtown Phoenix, July 15, 2017

  • Surprise/Waddell monsoon storm

    Surprise/Waddell monsoon storm

Monsoon storms building east of Phoenix were beginning to move into the far East Valley on Friday evening and could move through much of the metro area as the night progresses, bringing heavy rain, gusty winds, blowing dust and lots of lightning.

The National Weather Service in Phoenix tweeted out satellite images just before 7 p.m. showing a broad band of storms east of the Valley, moving in a west and northwest direction.

A flash flood warning was issued for Apache Junction and Gold Canyon until 11 p.m. Friday, as heavy rains were reported in those areas and east Mesa.

Streets already were flooding in some areas., the Apache Junction police tweeted:

 

The weather service earlier had predicted increasing chances of storms into the evening.

Also, flash-flood watches have been extended in other areas of the state. 

A flash-flood watch issued late Thursday has been extended through Saturday at 5 p.m. for western Yavapai and western Coconino counties. This warning includes Supai Village and the Grand Canyon. 

Increasing moisture will bring to these areas northward-moving showers and thunderstorms that are capable of producing 2 inches of rain an hour, according to the National Weather Service. 

Justin Johndrow, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Flagstaff, said a watch is issued when there is a possibility of flash flooding but covers a much larger and less-specific area than a flash-flood warning does.

“It doesn’t mean that flooding has developed or is imminent; in those situations, we will issue a flash-flood warning,” Johndrow said. 

National Weather Service meteorologist Mark O’Malley said that while not every area will see rain Friday evening, most areas were expected to see wind, dust and lightning.

MORE: Monsoon storms return as rain, blowing dust move into Phoenix area

There is a slight chance of showers Saturday morning in Phoenix, but O’Malley said the majority of the weather should hit Friday night.

He said some sun will peek through Friday and temperatures will likely still be in the 90s, but they are expected to cool down a bit Saturday.

“Tomorrow should be a nice, cloudy, cooler day for the beginning of September,” O’Malley said.

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

READ MORE:

Could hurricane-like flooding happen in Phoenix?

Arizona monsoon: Which parts of the Phoenix area get the most rain?

Yes, Phoenix monsoon storms ARE worse than they used to be

Storm-damaged Burton Barr library in Phoenix won’t reopen until June 2018

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

Read or Share this story: http://azc.cc/2vT38Xt