South of the Valley hit with hail, hard rain
Mar 8, 2013, 3:02 PM | Updated: 4:40 pm
PHOENIX — Heavy rain and hail drenched the southeast part of the Valley on Friday afternoon, with a severe thunderstorm warning issued until after 4 p.m. for parts of the area.
A Friday storm that started overnight is bringing rainfall to the Valley, along with a big drop in temperature.
Along Interstate 10 in Chandler there were reports of hail just after 2 p.m. Rain had been falling in the area off and on throughout the morning.
Southern and central Arizona are expected to get a
quarter of an inch of rain to an inch before the storm moves out of the state.
SRP is reporting 8,000 customers are without power due to the heavy rain storm and high winds.
Showers will linger Saturday but clear up by Sunday.
The storm is also unloading on the high country with “4-10 inches above 6,000 feet. Even higher amounts above 7,000 feet with 8-14 inches of snow, according to the National Weather Service.
Locations expected to get heavy snowfall include Flagstaff, the White Mountains, the Kaibab Plateau and areas along the Mogollon Rim.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety says motorists should avoid travel if possible or be prepared for slick roads and limited visibility.
Sky Harbor has recorded 1.70 inches of rainfall for the year. The average for this time of year is 2.06 inches.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
