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PHOENIX<\/strong> \u2014 After several scorching days<\/strong> marked by the season\u2019s first heat alerts<\/strong>, the monsoon made a dramatic return<\/strong> across the Phoenix area<\/strong> and much of Arizona<\/strong> on Wednesday<\/strong>, bringing with it lightning, blowing dust<\/strong>, and isolated downpours<\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A lightning strike<\/strong> in the West Valley<\/strong> sparked a house fire in Tolleson<\/strong>, near 121st Avenue<\/strong> and Southern Avenue<\/strong>. Fire crews confirmed<\/strong> that everyone in the home was safe, but the intensity of the storm<\/strong> was unmistakable.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Blowing dust<\/strong> blanketed parts of the East Valley<\/strong>, significantly reducing visibility<\/strong> for drivers. As a result, a dust storm warning<\/strong> was issued, highlighting the hazardous travel conditions<\/strong> throughout the evening.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n While some neighborhoods like Goodyear<\/strong>, located in the West Valley<\/strong>, were drenched with evening downpours<\/strong>, much of Mesa<\/strong>, Gilbert<\/strong>, and Scottsdale<\/strong> remained largely dry. Meanwhile, Central and East Phoenix<\/strong> picked up 0.04 inches (1 mm)<\/strong> of rainfall \u2014 a modest but noticeable amount for the season.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Even for areas that didn\u2019t see rain, the storm\u2019s presence<\/strong> was undeniable. Wind gusts<\/strong> in Buckeye<\/strong> reached 52 miles per hour (84 km\/h)<\/strong>, while Phoenix Sky Harbor<\/strong> clocked gusts up to 39 miles per hour (63 km\/h)<\/strong>, stirring up debris and rattling windows across the Valley<\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Wednesday<\/strong> was officially labeled a First Alert Weather Day<\/strong>, due to the combination of strong winds<\/strong>, low visibility<\/strong>, and the threat of isolated to scattered thunderstorms<\/strong> after sunset.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The day also started on an unusually warm note<\/strong>, with morning lows<\/strong> hitting 92\u00b0F (33\u00b0C)<\/strong> \u2014 9 degrees above normal<\/strong>, tying the record for the warmest low<\/strong> ever recorded on this date.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Highs will remain near seasonal averages<\/strong>, staying below 110\u00b0F (43\u00b0C)<\/strong> through Saturday<\/strong>, but Thursday morning<\/strong> may still bring lingering showers<\/strong>, especially early in the day. By Thursday night<\/strong>, drier air<\/strong> is expected to sweep into the region, effectively ending any further rain chances<\/strong> in the Valley<\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Looking ahead, a new ridge of high pressure<\/strong> is forecast to build early next week. From Monday through Wednesday<\/strong>, temperatures are expected to surge back above 110\u00b0F (43\u00b0C)<\/strong>. Meteorologists are monitoring the situation closely, with the potential for another First Alert Weather Day<\/strong> if an excessive heat warning<\/strong> becomes necessary.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" PHOENIX \u2014 After several scorching days marked by the season\u2019s first heat alerts, the monsoon made a dramatic return across the Phoenix area and much of Arizona on Wednesday, bringing with it lightning, blowing dust, and isolated downpours. A lightning strike in the West Valley sparked a house fire in Tolleson, near 121st Avenue […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":5284,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5283","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n