Powerful storms cause widespread damage, power outages across Glendale, Avondale

Severe storms battered parts of the West Valley late Sunday, Aug. 9, knocking out power to heat-stricken residents, littering Apollo High School with debris on its first day of class, and hurling heavy construction pipes into an Avondale neighborhood.

Glendale storm was ‘like a tornado’

Glendale faced powerful winds that knocked down trees and cut off power, leaving many residents outside sweating in the heat while waiting for electricity to return.

The damage stretched for miles along Northern Avenue. Steve Washington, of Glendale, experienced the storm firsthand. “Something I’ve never seen before. The storm came through and trees down power out,” Washington said.

Washington was inside at 33rd Avenue when a massive tree in front of his location snapped and knocked out power lines. “The tree that came down, it was a tall big, big trunk. I didn’t think it would ever fall. I thought the others would be first, but the big one fell,” Washington said.

Crews worked hard cutting and trimming the fallen timber. Washington waited outside, hoping power and his air conditioning would come back online soon. “Waiting for it to be turned back on. It’s getting hot in here,” Washington said. When asked if he was trying to stay in the shade, he replied, “Yes.”

Down along 47th Avenue, trees smashed cars, lifted off roof materials, and destroyed carports. One resident recalled the moment the storm struck, saying, “Big gust of wind. I heard it on the patio. It just got real loud for a minute like a tornado. I’ve never been in a tornado, but that’s what it seemed like.”

Along Northern Avenue, taking any turn revealed fallen trees, including a massive branch that snapped a saguaro cactus when it fell.

The storm scene made for an unexpected first day of school for students at Apollo High School. Gabriel Gamiño, with the Glendale Union High School District, reflected on the situation. “100%,” Gamiño said. “You plan for everything and Mother Nature throws you a wrench, but you know we’re really excited to have today as planned.”

The school drop-off line had to be cleared of metal panels from a destroyed carport across the street after sheet metal was tossed that far by the high winds.

The campus had to be cleared of downed trees as well. When asked how many trees were down on campus, Gamiño replied, “Not exactly. You would lose count walking around campus to be completely honest. But we’re excited we were able to proceed with our school day as usual and welcome all our students.”

Storm in Avondale was ‘really horrible’

Avondale storm causes chaos

Sunday night storms blew giant construction pipes into an Avondale neighborhood, smashing walls and cars. FOX 10’s Taylor Wirtz reports.

Sunday night’s storms left their mark on people living near Indian School and El Mirage roads in Avondale.

“Chaos. It was really horrible,” Oswaldo Rodriguez Jr. said.

Strong winds swept giant culvert pipes from a nearby construction site into a neighborhood, smashing through cinder block walls and damaging roofs and cars. One landed just feet from Emmanuel Armenta’s younger sister’s bedroom.

“Sounded like more than like a car crash. Like you could just hear a ‘boom’ and hear the walls falling apart,” Armenta said.

Many homeowners called off work Monday to sort out the mess and talk with their insurance companies.

“We’re trying to process what’s gonna happen, what’s the next step,” Rodriguez Jr. said.

While they’re impatient to get the culverts removed and the damage repaired, neighbors are just glad no one was hurt.

“It could have killed someone,” Rodriguez Jr. added.

Across the street, Valley Golf Center had to shut down part of its driving range after the storm came through.

“Haven’t seen anything this bad in years,” said Mike Verhagen, general manager of the golf center.

Staff found many of the range’s nets in tatters.

“Most of the nets there are damaged to the extent where golf balls would fly through onto the road and into our neighbors, so for their safety’s sake we just shut down that half of the range,” Verhagen said.

The weather also uprooted turf and even ripped off part of the range’s metal roof. Despite the disarray, the rest of the space was open for business Monday.

“Just one of those things living in the desert,” Verhagen said.

FOX 10 did reach out to the contractor in charge of the site where these culverts came from. He said he is working with homeowners to get the issue resolved.