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Power poles bend to the will of the thunderstorm on St. Mary's Road just west of Grande Avenue. Twelve poles in Green Valley were felled by the violent weather.
James S. Wood / Arizona Daily Star
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Tucson Region

Storms knock out electric power to thousands

By Jamar Younger
ARIZONA DAILY STAR
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 07.09.2009
Thunderstorms Wednesday evening flooded streets and knocked down power lines, cutting electricity to thousands of Tucson Electric Power customers in Tucson and Green Valley.
The monsoon storms rambled through Green Valley late in the afternoon, knocking down 12 poles on West La Cañada Drive between Duval Mine Road and Desert Bell Drive, authorities said.
About 6,000 customers in Green Valley were without power when the storms passed through about 4 p.m., said Joseph Barrios, a TEP spokesman.
As of Wednesday night, 1,900 of those customers were still without power, Barrios said.
In Tucson, about 4,400 utility customers were without power when the storms passed through, mainly on the west and southeast sides, he said.
About 1,000 customers still were without service late Wednesday on the west side in the neighborhoods near West St. Mary's Road, he said.
The heaviest rain fell along Interstates 19 and 10 through the Tucson area.
The storms caused heavy flooding on St. Mary's Road and West Speedway, between I-10 and North Grande Avenue, said Officer Linda Galindo, a Tucson Police Department spokeswoman.
On the southeast side, 10 poles were damaged on West Irvington Road near Harrison Road, Barrios said.
About 1,900 customers initially lost power, but 390 customers were still without power later Wednesday, Barrios said.
Tucson International Airport received a trace of rain, according to the National Weather Service.
West Ina Road near the Santa Cruz River saw more than an inch of rain, and South Wilmot Road south of Interstate 10 had more than 2 inches, according to the weather service.
The forecast for today calls for highs in the Tucson area in the low 100s. Afternoon thunderstorms are possible.
That will repeat on Friday before a dramatic change this weekend due to a high-pressure system.
Temperatures are expected to rise to about 110 degrees on Saturday and Sunday, the weather service forecasts.
It is expected to remain above 100 through Wednesday, but the chance of rain will return to the forecast Monday.
Contact reporter Jamar Younger at 573-4115 or jyounger@azstarnet.com.
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