40-Year Scottsdale Residents Astounded by Unprecedented Fury of Tuesday’s Arizona Storms

A monsoon storm ripped through Scottsdale with intensity that hadn’t been seen in decades, shaken residents say.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Tuesday night, a powerful monsoon storm tore through Scottsdale, leaving extensive damage in its wake, and residents in utter disbelief. 

The brunt of the storm hit Avia McCormick Ranch and the neighboring areas. Uprooted trees, blocked roads, and torn-up golf courses painted a grim picture of the aftermath.

“Oh my God it’s insane. I’ve never seen anything like it before,” expressed Olivia Massena, a resident of the affected apartments. “The trees are enormous. It looks like a tornado hit.”

Inside and out, the complex bore extensive damage, although no gas leaks were reported, according to the Scottsdale Fire Department.

“Our pool area is completely smashed. My sliding glass door came out. All the trees were uprooted,” Massena added.

Long-time resident Roy Murray echoed the sentiment. “I’ve been up here since 1984, and I’ve never seen anything like what last night’s storm brought,” he said.

“It’s crazy. I had no idea the wind was so strong,” Joey De la Cruz, another resident, remarked. He noted that while palm trees remained standing, larger trees had fallen.

The storm’s fury lasted about 10 minutes, but during that time, a tree fell on the complex, leading to the evacuation of 16 units. Rescue operations by Scottsdale Fire saved two trapped residents who were uninjured.

“We initiated a technical rescue response to bring out our crews with the heavy equipment,” said Cpt. Dave Folio. “We were able to cut that tree back, get those people out, and they were not injured.”

Despite the chaos, there were no injuries, and the rescued residents have been relocated to hotels.

“It’s a God-send blessing that nobody was seriously injured,” Murray commented.

Massena, who is friends with the residents of the damaged corner apartment, expressed concern about their pets. “I can’t get the cats out of my friend’s apartment. It’s scary.”

The storm’s damage extended beyond the apartment complex to surrounding areas, including Hayden Road and Via de Ventura. Cleanup efforts will now be handled by City of Scottsdale street crews.