Drivers had a few days off as the most powerful low pressure system in 140 years of record keeping swept through Phoenix this week, bringing flooding, a tornado, hail, hurricane force winds, and blizzard conditions. The record-setting low spawned an extremely intense cold front with winds reaching sustained speeds of hurricane force–74 mph–in Apache Junction. Wind gusts as high as 94 mph were recorded in Ajo, Arizona, and a weather station in Summerhaven (on top of Mt. Lemmon next to Tucson) recorded sustained winds of 67 mph, gusting to 86 mph, before the power failed. The storm spawned one possible tornado in Arizona, which reportedly touched down in Phoenix near Desert Ridge Mall.
