Tempe sets up temporary emergency shelter after microburst causes severe storm damage

PHOENIX — The city of Tempe is recovering from severe storm damage caused by devastating storms on Monday.

Over 130 people were displaced after the storm severely damaged several apartments, according to a city announcement.

The city and the American Red Cross set up a temporary emergency shelter at Escalante Multi-Generational Center.

How bad was the storm damage Tempe endured?

While cities across the Valley were battered by heavy rain and storms, Tempe was hit especially hard due to a microburst, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

Homes, vehicles and businesses were severely damaged, according to Gabriel Lojero, a meteorologist with NWS.

Here is a GIF of the microburst that moved through Tempe earlier this afternoon and produced a lot of straight-line wind damage in that area. Radar estimated wind speeds were 60-70 mph. #azwx pic.twitter.com/Bo5aNA3PAG

— NWS Phoenix (@NWSPhoenix) October 13, 2025

“Winds with this microburst were anywhere between 65 and 70 miles per hour,” Lojero told KTAR News 92.3 FM. “Another reporting site near Arizona State University reported a 71-mile-per-hour wind gust.”

“Microburst winds, which is something we see typically during normal monsoon thunderstorms, can cause the same level of damage as a tornado does,” Lojero added.

Around 10,000 people in Tempe were also hit with power outages, according to the city. Residents in the city weren’t alone. At one point on Monday, over 27,000 people across the Valley faced power outages.

The microburst caused problems at the Arizona Cardinals practice facility in Tempe, damaging radio equipment used by KTAR News 92.3 FM’s sister station, Arizona Sports 98.7 FM.

A significant microburst and thunderstorm hit Tempe at 1 p.m. today. It caused significant damage to some parts of Tempe, especially the area from Guadalupe to Elliott roads from Kyrene to Rural roads. If you do not need to travel, please stay off the roads. Tempe Police are… pic.twitter.com/M4zI0buduj

— City of Tempe, AZ (@Tempegov) October 13, 2025

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Balin Overstolz McNair contributed to this report.

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