PHOENIX — Monday, June 15 marked the official start of the monsoon and while there's no threat of rain in the forecast, storms can pop up without warning.
Here are four things to watch out for once the monsoon gets going.
Dust Storms
ADOT has a new system watching for those storms by Picacho Peak.
It can measure visibility and will drop the speed limit on the road down as low as 35.
But if you do drive into a dust storm, experts say you should NOT keep your lights on.
They say you should pull over to the side of the road, turn your lights off and take your foot off the brake.
“Turning off the lights may seem counterintuitive," ADOT spokesman Doug Pacey said, "but if you’re stuck inside blowing dust and visibility is low, you don’t want people do use your car with its lights on as a beacon and think that you found a way out.”
Heavy Rains
Sometimes that dust storm is followed by heavy rains.
Underpasses get flooded all the time, roads get washed out and washes run rapidly.
“It only takes a few inches of water to flow your car down the street or trap you," Pacey said.
Flash Flooding
Flash flooding can happen anywhere, even if it’s sunny and dry.
In the desert, the experts say water can flow miles away from the storm.
“Do not cross a flooded road way that’s where people get into all sorts of problems every year," Paul Iniguez with the National Weather Service in Phoenix said.
Lightning
And if lightning starts, the experts say you should get out of there and not worry about whether high or low ground is best.
“Get into some sort of shelter whether it’s a house a car or something that’s going to afford you some protection," Iniguez said.
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