Overnight storms hammer parts of metro Phoenix, bring humid conditions

PHOENIX – Overnight storms that swept from west to east across metro Phoenix dumped over 2 inches of rain in some places in an hour early Tuesday, and left behind humid conditions and standing water.

The Anthem area of Phoenix was pummeled by 2.3 inches of rain and Luke Air Force Base 1.5 in a drenching that began around midnight, the National Weather Service said.

A gauge in Sun City showed 1.54 inches, another in north Phoenix 1.69 and one in Cave Creek at 0.87.

The worst of the pounding lasted about an hour.

“This has been a pretty good soaking rain and sometimes that rain has come down at 2-inch per hour clip,” Jared Heil, a meteorologist with the Phoenix bureau told KTAR News 92.3 FM Tuesday.

Several areas along Interstate 17 in the Valley took in a half inch to an inch of rain.

The storm was the last of three that landed on the area within hours of each other.

The first storm fell around 6 p.m. in north Phoenix, followed by an East Valley storm an hour or so later.

Overnight rainfall totals, through 3:30am MST. Heaviest amounts range from 1.5" to 2.3" from near Luke AFB up to just west of Anthem. #AZwx pic.twitter.com/2pGgjtVjny

— NWS Phoenix (@NWSPhoenix) July 26, 2022

Check out the 1-day rainfall totals (including gauge corrected radar estimates) from around Maricopa County. Most of the western half of the County was very wet overnight w/localized spots picking up 1.00"-2.00"+! #azwx How much rain fell near your house? https://t.co/yNJEM14Yye pic.twitter.com/zMlfhV3q5k

— The Flood Control District of Maricopa County (@FCDFloodInfo) July 26, 2022

The moisture hanging around is creating humidity, Heil said.

By 6 a.m. humidity was 85%.

“It feels like you may be on a tropical vacation with all of the humidity in the air. A little bit unusual for us, but if we’re going to get that type of weather, this is the time of year when that’s going to happen.

“There is a 20%-40% chance of rain pretty much every day [this week],” he said.

A flood watch is in effect across the Phoenix area and beyond through Wednesday at 5 a.m.

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Jim Cross contributed to this report.

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