Flood Safety and Preparedness

Haboob Sweeps Through Phoenix; Cars Stranded By Flooding in Tucson

At a Glance

A haboob was reported in the Phoenix area Tuesday afternoon, making travel dangerous for hundreds of thousands.
At least two inches of rain fell on the Tucson, Arizona, area Tuesday morning.
Several vehicles were trapped in floodwaters that rose rapidly, but there were no reports of any injuries.

A large dust storm blew through the Phoenix area on Tuesday afternoon just hours after moisture from Tropical Depression Javier flooded roadways in Tucson.

As the huge red cloud made its way into the city, the National Weather Service warned drivers to exercise caution on roadways as visibilities were reduced to less than a quarter-mile.

(MORE: Southwest to Receive More Rain From Javier)

It was not immediately known if the haboob was responsible for any damage, injuries or car crashes as it moved into Phoenix from the south.

Storms Cause Flooding in Tucson Area

Heavy rain flooded parts of Tucson, Arizona, on Tuesday morning, leaving at least one car stranded up to its roof in water as the fast-moving currents quickly swamped roads.

Two inches of rain or more were reported in some parts of the city as the storms zeroed in on an area with a low threshold for flooding, according to local storm reports. This left some roads flooded and impassable in a hurry, and at least three vehicles were stranded in floodwaters in midtown Tucson, Tucson News Now reported on Twitter.

Flooding was also reported on roads near Interstate 10 as the rain continued to fall, Tucson.com said. The Sun Link Street Car halted service Tuesday morning, halting all of its nearly four-mile route, according to the Associated Press.

More than 5,000 homes and businesses lost power during the storms, Tucson Electric Power said. It's not yet known if anyone was injured in these floods.

MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Deadly Flooding in Ellicott City, Maryland