Monsoon season has arrived with a bang.
A haboob engulfed Maricopa and most of western Pinal County last night, followed by up to a quarter-inch of rain, said National Weather Service meteorologist Ryan Worley.
The haboob began rolling over the city from the east at 6:30 p.m., reaching John Wayne Parkway 10 minutes later.
The blowing dust caused a severe drop in visibility along parts of State Route 347 and Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway. Drivers pulled over for about 15 minutes between Gila River Bridge and Cement Plant Road.
A similar storm rolled in around 7 p.m. Saturday night.
As for the rest of the week, rain chances drop below 10% through midweek before climbing to 50% to 70% beginning Thursday.
“We’re seeing probably the best chances so far we’ve seen this summer,” Worley said.
Residents shared photos and videos on social media over the past few days, marveling at walls of dust and rain.
Santa Rosa resident Tori Fox was one of those weather revelers.
“[I enjoyed] listening to the rain on an ol’ metal roof, watching the lighting light up the sky and, best of all, the thunder to help us remember the little things are the best,” she told InMaricopa.
Kaydence Shipman and Monica D. Spencer contributed to this report.
