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Monsoon storms leave 23,000 SRP customers without power

8/20/2026

32 2 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Monsoon storms knocked out power for thousands and triggered severe weather warnings in Phoenix.
National Weather Service issued a Dust Storm Warning for Maricopa and Pinal counties until 10:15 p.m. MST on Aug. 19.
National Weather Service issued Severe Thunderstorm Warnings for Maricopa, Pinal and Gila counties until 10:30 p.m. MST.
SRP reported over 23,000 customers without power at the storm’s peak, later dropping to about 16,000.

History

Historical Context

In June 1995 a dust storm knocked out power for about 1,000 customers and caused $2 million in damage, prompting the Salt River Project to send emergency crews. The National Weather Service only began issuing dust-storm warnings in 2018, and August 2024 monsoon thunderstorms again forced SRP to cut service to more than 23,000 customers. These repeats show Arizona’s growing need for grid upgrades and better dust-storm forecasting.

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Story summary

Monsoon storms knocked out power for thousands and triggered severe weather warnings in Phoenix.
National Weather Service issued a Dust Storm Warning for Maricopa and Pinal counties until 10:15 p.m. MST on Aug. 19.
National Weather Service issued Severe Thunderstorm Warnings for Maricopa, Pinal and Gila counties until 10:30 p.m. MST.
SRP reported over 23,000 customers without power at the storm’s peak, later dropping to about 16,000.

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