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CITY GUIDES/ARIZONA/PHOENIX

PHOENIX EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS GUIDE

Prepare for emergencies
in Phoenix.

Plan for extreme heat, monsoon storms, dust, flash flooding and power outages—with local weather charts, cooling resources and a household checklist.

Maricopa County · Arizona

Build my household plan →Find evacuation resources →
Phoenix skyline in daylight, photographed in 2004
MARICOPA COUNTYPhoenix,
Arizona
Phoenix skyline · 2004
Photo: Bravo1 · credit and license

This guide covers the City of Phoenix. County resources serve a wider area; airport averages do not describe every neighborhood. Historical data and planning tools; check official sources for current conditions.

View sources ↗

CHOOSE A STARTING POINT

What do you need to prepare?

Plan for evacuationFind zone lookup, transport, and assistance resources.Review your options →Prepare your householdCalculate water, make a checklist, and save your plan.Build your plan →Understand the seasonsExplore the long hot season, monsoon rain and cooler winter months.Explore local weather →
All sections ↑My household plan →

01 / UNDERSTAND LOCAL RISKS

Phoenix weather by month

See how long the hot season lasts, when rain is more common, and how often temperatures reach 90°F.

Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport · NOAA 1991–2020

Monthly averages, not a forecast. Rainfall includes the water equivalent of precipitation. Days reaching 90°F are not heat-index days.

Read all monthly values
MonthHigh °FLow °FRain inchesDays ≥90°F
January67.6460.870
February70.8490.870
March78.154.50.832.1
April85.560.80.2210.2
May94.569.50.1323.6
June104.278.60.0229.4
July106.584.50.9130.8
August105.183.60.9330.7
September100.478.10.5728.4
October89.265.60.5616.8
November76.553.70.571.4
December66.245.30.740

Heat extends beyond summer

Use the month selector before planning outdoor chores. A comfortable morning does not describe the afternoon high.

Airport averages

Sky Harbor is one station. Shade, pavement and neighborhood conditions affect what you experience.

Rainfall is uneven

A low monthly average cannot rule out a dangerous downpour or a flooded road.

Download the station data ↗

02 / UNDERSTAND LOCAL RISKS

Choose a place to cool down before an outage

Your most important backup may be another air-conditioned location, especially if your home depends on powered cooling.

Pick two destinations

Use the city’s heat-relief resources and choose a second place, such as a friend’s air-conditioned home. Check hours, access and whether pets can come.

Plan the trip

Write down how you will get there if your car, usual ride or phone is unavailable. Include anyone who needs assistance.

Check on someone nearby

Agree on a check-in routine with a neighbor or relative. Do not assume a person has working cooling because their lights are on.

Find Phoenix heat-relief resources ↗

Do not treat a small fan or phone-size battery as a substitute for access to a cool indoor place.

03 / UNDERSTAND LOCAL RISKS

Prepare for monsoon wind, lightning and rain

Phoenix identifies June 15 through September 30 as monsoon season. Storms can disrupt one part of the Valley while another remains dry.

Before June 15

Secure loose outdoor items, save outage contacts and check that weather alerts reach your phone.

When storms are forecast

Charge lights and phones. Change outdoor plans and check travel conditions before leaving.

After a storm

Avoid damaged lines and flooded streets. Report outages to your own electricity provider; a nearby neighborhood may use a different one.

Read the city’s monsoon and emergency guidance ↗

04 / UNDERSTAND LOCAL RISKS

Know what to do when dust blocks the road

A dust storm can quickly make lane markings and other vehicles hard to see. Avoid driving into it.

A dust storm approaching downtown Phoenix at dusk
Phoenix dust storm · July 2011. Historical photograph, not a current alert.Photo: Ms. Phoenix from Phoenix, Arizona, USA · CC BY 2.0

ADOT advises leaving the highway before visibility collapses if possible. If you must stop, get completely off the paved roadway, away from travel and emergency lanes. Once safely stopped, turn off all vehicle lights, set the parking brake, take your foot off the brake and stay buckled inside until the storm passes.

Read ADOT’s full instructions ↗

Turning lights off applies after you have safely stopped off the roadway—not while you are still driving.

05 / UNDERSTAND LOCAL RISKS

Check low crossings and your route

Desert drainage channels, washes and low roads can carry water during storms. A familiar crossing can become impassable.

Choose an alternate route before heavy rain. Never drive or walk through floodwater, and do not move a road-closure barrier. Road maps may not show every neighborhood hazard.

Check Arizona road conditions ↗ · Review floodwater safety ↗

This page does not assess a property’s flood risk. Check official maps and local instructions for your address.

06 / UNDERSTAND LOCAL RISKS

Understand Ready, Set, Go notices

Find official emergency-zone information and decide where you could go before an evacuation notice arrives.

Ready

Prepare your household and keep an evacuation bag accessible.

Set

There is a significant threat in the area. Prepare to act and account for people, pets and transport.

Go

Leave promptly when told to evacuate. Follow emergency personnel’s instructions and the routes specified for that event.

Open Maricopa County emergency zones ↗ · Register for local notifications ↗

Save an out-of-area meeting point and a backup destination. If you need assistance leaving, make that arrangement now; a map alone does not arrange a ride.

07 / BUILD YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN

Build your Phoenix household plan

Choose your household size, supply duration and housing type. Save a checklist and download local contacts with your plan.

Water bottles, first-aid kit, flashlight, radio and other supplies laid out on a table
Lay out your supplies before using the checklist below. Illustrative supplies, not a complete emergency kit.Photo: Roger Brown · Pexels license
  1. 1Enter household details
  2. 2Review water and tasks
  3. 3Download your plan

STARTING WATER RESERVE

14gallons

2 people × 7 days × 1 gallon per day

For people only; add pet and individual needs.

Your household checklist

0 of 6 complete

Tracks these tasks only, not a safety score. Choices stay in this browser.

Saved only on this device

The seven-day setting is a planning scenario. Start with at least one gallon of water per person per day; increase it for heat, pets and individual needs. Read water-storage guidance ↗

Keep a portable bag separate from your home reserve. Add medication instructions, accessibility needs and meeting places to the downloaded worksheet. The checklist tracks tasks you mark; it does not measure whether your home is safe.

08 / BUILD YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN

A monthly Phoenix preparation checklist

Choose a month for three practical tasks. These are suggested reminders, not a forecast or a restriction on when hazards can happen.

    Read the full year’s checklist

    January — Review contacts

    • Confirm APS or SRP on your utility bill.
    • Update an out-of-area contact.
    • Check dates on stored supplies.

    February — Plan your cooling backup

    • Choose two cooled places you could reach.
    • Ask about transport for a household member who needs help.
    • Check charging cables and battery instructions.

    March — Prepare before hotter weather

    • Check cooling equipment and arrange service if needed.
    • Review water storage space.
    • Agree on a neighbor check-in routine.

    April — Practice the cooling trip

    • Check the current heat-relief locator.
    • Confirm hours and pet policies with your destinations.
    • Write down an alternate ride.

    May — Prepare for heat and storms

    • Review severe-weather alerts.
    • Secure loose patio items.
    • Charge backup lights.

    June — Monsoon season starts June 15

    • Review dust-storm driving instructions.
    • Save Arizona 511.
    • Identify roads you can avoid if flooded.

    July — Maintain a cooling option

    • Check heat-relief hours before traveling.
    • Keep drinking water available.
    • Confirm a backup place if cooling fails overnight.

    August — Check storm supplies

    • Recharge lights after using them.
    • Replace supplies used during outages.
    • Review your household meeting plan.

    September — Monsoon season continues through September 30

    • Keep storm alerts enabled.
    • Check roads before an out-of-town trip.
    • Refresh pet evacuation supplies.

    October — Review what worked

    • Update the plan after summer outages.
    • Replace damaged cables or lights.
    • Recheck alert addresses.

    November — Prepare for cooler nights and winter rain

    • Check smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms.
    • Keep blankets accessible.
    • Review routes for wet-weather travel.

    December — Update the household plan

    • Check emergency contacts before holiday travel.
    • Review medicine and supply dates.
    • Download a fresh paper copy of the plan.

    09 / USE THE TOOLS

    Estimate battery runtime for your devices

    Use the power label on each device. This calculator estimates energy use; it does not check electrical compatibility.

    A switched-on flashlight resting on a surface
    Include battery-powered lighting in your outage plan. Use the calculator below for devices you would power from a battery station.Photo: Steve A Johnson · Pexels license
    1. 1Select devices
    2. 2Adjust watts and daily hours
    3. 3Enter battery capacity
    Editable example device loads
    UseDeviceWattsHours/day

    Watts × hours gives daily watt-hours. Battery capacity × usable percentage gives estimated usable energy. Actual runtime also depends on starting surges, inverter limits, battery condition and temperature.

    A small battery may charge phones or lights, but it is not a household heating or cooling plan. Arrange a suitable place to go if your home becomes unsafe. For medical equipment, confirm backup requirements with the equipment provider.

    10 / USE THE TOOLS

    Estimate Phoenix solar output by month

    Compare the seasons before relying on a portable panel for backup charging.

    NASA POWER · 2001–2025

    The estimate uses monthly average sunlight on a horizontal surface: panel watts × daily irradiation × the percentage retained after losses. It is an approximate daily energy budget, not guaranteed output during a storm.

    Shade, nearby buildings, panel angle, temperature and charging limits change the result. Check that the panel and battery are compatible. View the underlying NASA grid data ↗

    11 / BUILD YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN

    Set up Phoenix emergency alerts

    Use local alerts and a second information source. Test reception and batteries before you need them.

    Sign up for local alerts ↗

    Maricopa County · SAME county code004013

    Keep the leading zero.

    NOAA WEATHER RADIO162.550 MHz

    KEC94 · Verify reception where you will use the radio. Radio setup source ↗

    SAME filters county alerts on compatible receivers. A basic weather-band radio may only play broadcasts when switched on. Check the model before relying on automatic warnings; the county code does not identify your evacuation zone.

    12 / BUILD YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN

    Save these Phoenix contacts

    Put these links and numbers in your phone and keep a paper copy. Check your utility bill to confirm the correct provider.

    Emergency

    Call 911 for immediate danger.

    13 / UNDERSTAND LOCAL RISKS

    Local events worth planning for

    These examples show how different emergencies affect everyday life. They are not a forecast or an estimate of your address’s risk.

    2023

    An exceptionally hot, dry summer

    NWS reports that July’s monthly average temperature at Phoenix exceeded 100°F and Sky Harbor recorded just 0.15 inches during monsoon season. Planning lesson: prepare for extended cooling needs even when thunderstorms are scarce. Read the historical review ↗

    14 / BUILD YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN

    Shop this guide

    Supplies selected for Phoenix’s local risks and the plans on this page. Start with what you already own.

    These are individual products, not a complete emergency kit. Compare capacity, fit and household needs before buying. Cards show the current store catalog; confirm options and availability on the product page.

    Browse all emergency supplies →

    Keep a home drinking-water reserve for interruptions. This five-gallon container is easier to manage before a crisis than carrying loose bottles in extreme heat.

    Keep small communication devices charged during an outage. Its 155Wh capacity and 150W output are not a replacement for air conditioning.

    Check fridge and freezer temperatures if heat and an outage occur together. Follow official guidance before keeping perishable food.

    Use a rechargeable light for hands-free tasks after monsoon outages. Recharge it before storms are expected.

    Carry bowls with your pet’s water when moving to a cooler place. Confirm that your chosen destination accepts pets.

    Keep food that needs no stove or preparation water if power fails. Check calories, ingredients and dietary needs.

    SOURCES AND COVERAGE

    Where the Phoenix information comes from

    Independent Local Prepper guide. Sources reviewed November 2026. City, county, airport, and regional data are labeled separately. No address-level safety assessment or live alert feed is provided.

    Browse all sources and their coverage

    Photo: Phoenix skyline Arizona USA.jpg by Bravo1, 2004. Public domain. Display cropped.

    Browse all city guides →