A winter storm is moving into Arizona, bringing rain, snow, and wind to our state.
Wind speeds are expected to clock upwards of 40 miles per hour in some areas, including in Phoenix, meaning gusts could send outdoor furniture flying across your yard.
Stephen Watkins, a pilot with ABC15's Cliff Castle Chopper says these conditions aren't just dangerous for those on the ground.
Watkins gave ABC15 crews a look inside the helicopter that is housed near the Scottsdale Airport.
"It gets the job done. It's kind of the workhorse of the industry," he added.
Watkins says most days winds are calm in the sky, but things can change when storms come in.
"It's far scary, just depends on how strong and bad the wind is. How turbulent things can get," Watkins told ABC15.
He says keeping control of the aircraft is a big challenge in these types of situations.
Watkins also says if wind gusts raise upwards of 30 knots, or roughly 35 miles per hour, that makes things tricky for pilots.
"Mostly, when you're getting gusty up to that, you want to come back and try to land, as far as helicopters or small aircraft go," he added.
Though he says these dangers, stemming from gusty conditions, extend to commercial planes and can even cause problems at Sky Harbor.
"They can't come in and make a landing at that point. They'd have to do a go-around and that brings on delays," said Watkins.
For those of us on the ground, SRP says they’re always prepared for storms like these.
Additionally, he says it's a good idea to weigh down trampolines, tarps, and other objects that can go airborne during a windstorm. This is to help prevent them from getting caught in power lines or toppling over like trees oftentimes do.
Maria Aguirre is an arborist at Trees for Needs, she says keeping trees in the ground comes down to proper maintenance.
"The main thing you can do for the tree besides keeping them nicely thin is water them properly. You need to water far away from the trunk," Aguirre told ABC15.
In other words, having strong roots is the key.
"If they are planted the right way, with the root system correct, not planted too deep, watered properly, and keeping it nicely trimmed, they should be fine," she added.
Aguirre says this will help prevent trees from becoming top-heavy, potentially slamming into your home or your car.
So how can you further keep yourself, loved ones, and your outdoor belongings safe?
Heather Paul, a spokesperson with State Farm Insurance says the immediate things to do are the following:
- Place garbage cans, patio furniture, grills, and other potentially wind-borne objects inside your home or garage.
- Remove risky tree branches. Prune branches that might break off during the storm and either hurt someone or cause damage to your home or vehicles.
In the case of a severe storm and excessively high winds that include hurricanes or tornadoes:
- Board your residence up. Board up windows and glass doors with shutters or plywood to minimize damage from broken glass, in case of high winds.
- Secure and shut off your outdoor pool. Turn off the circuit breaker to your outdoor pool and remove the motor to prevent damage.
She also says, in the case of a power outage, you always want to pack a flashlight, extra batteries, and a first aid kit in a bag ahead of the storm.
APS also shared safety tips with ABC15 in case of a power outage during a storm:
Get ready now:
- Download the APS app [aps.com] or visit aps.com/outagecenter [aps.com] and create an online account to receive text or email outage alerts and get safety tips.
- Update your contact information with APS to ensure you receive important information.
- Create a power outage safety kit that includes items like a flashlight, extra batteries, portable cell phone charger, battery-powered radio, first aid kit and water.
- Keep important phone numbers such as those of medical providers, family, friends and APS stored in your cell phone or by your home phone. Customers can report outages or electrical emergencies by calling the APS 24/7 Outage Hotline at 602-371-3680 (855-688-2437).
- If you use life-sustaining medical equipment that requires electricity, call to register for the APS Medical Care program [aps.com] at 602-371-7171 (800-253-9405). This alerts APS of your needs in the event of an outage.
- Stock up on water and non-perishable food items.
- If you have an electric garage door, be sure you know how to open it manually.
- Make a plan to check on neighbors.
During an outage:
- Report a service outage via the APS app [aps.com] or visit aps.com/outagecenter [aps.com].
- Visit aps.com/outagemap [outagemap.aps.com] to track power restoration times.
- Residents should stay away from all power lines regardless of their condition. Power lines are dangerous. Even if you believe the lines have been de-energized, stay away and call APS for assistance.
- Do not clear off any snow from trees that are bending into power lines. Instead call APS at 1-800-253-9408.
- Only use generators and grills outdoors and away from windows.
- Never heat your home with a gas stovetop or oven.
- Keep freezers and refrigerators closed.
- Keep your phone fully charged and a portable charger on hand.
- Dim brightness in cell phone settings to save battery life.
- Wear layered clothing and use blankets to stay warm.
- Turn off and unplug electronics and appliances to avoid electrical spikes when power is restored. After power is restored, wait 5-10 minutes to plug in and turn on.
