Monsoon storms bring rain, lightning to downtown Phoenix
Watch lightning strike in downtown Phoenix after monsoon storms brought rain on Aug. 13, 2025.
Monsoon storms put on a show around metro Phoenix with booming thunder and lightning streaks shooting across the sky.
While there was not much rain on Aug. 13, there was enough lightning to set a palm tree ablaze in one Phoenix neighborhood.
A palm tree adjacent to a home near Third Avenue and Encanto Boulevard in Phoenix caught fire after being struck by lightning, Capt. Rob McDade, a Phoenix Fire Department spokesperson, said.
Firefighters extinguished the burning palm tree while another crew was sent to check the roof of the home, McDade said.
The damage to the roof was minimal, affecting only a few shingles, he added.
The homeowner told fire officials they heard a loud bang and went outside to see the palm tree on fire. They safely evacuated their home before firefighters arrived and will not be displaced, McDade said.
No injuries were reported, McDade said.
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Will metro Phoenix see more rain?
A few isolated thunderstorms made their way through the metro area on the evening of Aug. 13, meteorologist Mark O’Malley at the National Weather Service in Phoenix said.
The Laveen community, about 8 miles southwest of Phoenix, received the most rain Aug. 13 at about 0.94 of an inch, O’Malley added.
The majority of metro Phoenix did not see any recordable rainfall on Aug. 13. Forecasts show a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms late in the day and into the evening on Aug. 14, O’Malley said.
Doppler radar tracked a strong thunderstorm near Paradise Valley and Scottsdale Airport just before 8:30 p.m. Aug. 14, according to an alert from the weather service. Wind gusts were expected to be up to 40 mph.
“Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects,” the weather service said.
Other impacted locations included Camelback Mountain, Desert Ridge Marketplace, downtown Scottsale, Fountain Hills, North Mountain Park, Papago Park, Paradise Valley and Piestewa Peak Park, according to the weather service.
About 8:40 p.m., radar tracked a strong thunderstorm over Surprise Stadium and near Waddell, the weather service said.
Wind gusts of up to 50 mph were expected.
Other places that could see storms included Beardsley, El Mirage, Litchfield Park, Luke Air Force Base, Sun City, Sun City West, Surprise, Waddell and Youngtown, according to the weather service.
At 8:56 p.m., radar tracked a strong thunderstorm 7 miles south of Pipeline Canyon Trailhead, or 7 miles northwest of Peoria. This thunderstorm was nearly stationary. Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph and pea size hail were expected. Affected locations included Surprise, Lake Pleasant, Pipeline Canyon Trailhead, Cottonwood Day Use Area and Vistancia.
A special weather statement was issued for Maricopa County until 9:45 p.m. Residents were urged to be on the lookout for winds up to 55 mph and possible hail, according to the weather service.
Still, there were even better odds of stormy weather on Aug. 15 with a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms starting after 11 a.m., O’Malley added.
(This story has been updated to add more information and the weather radar.)
