The 60-second decision

Check the forecast and active alerts for the exact destination, the route to it, and the full time you expect to be outside. If thunderstorms, flash flooding, blowing dust, dangerous heat, road closures, or uncertain escape routes overlap the outing, choose a safer time or a backup activity. A reservation is never more important than a safe return.

GO—with a planForecast is stable, alerts are clear, roads are open, the group is prepared, and you have a quick exit plus an indoor or lower-risk backup.
CHANGE the outingStorm chances overlap the trip, clouds are building, a wash or canyon is involved, the return drive may cross dust, or the group lacks a safe shelter.
STOP and seek safetyYou hear thunder, receive a warning, see rising or muddy water, encounter a barricade, lose visibility in dust, or anyone develops concerning heat symptoms.
The goal is not to predict the storm perfectly. The goal is to leave yourself enough time and enough options that the storm does not make the decision for you.

Before leaving home

  1. Check the exact location. A Phoenix forecast does not describe Payson, Sedona, the Mogollon Rim, or a remote canyon.
  2. Check the entire day. Include the drive, hike or lake time, meal stop, and return—not only the planned start.
  3. Identify terrain that traps risk. Washes, slot canyons, creek crossings, exposed peaks, ridgelines, open lakes, unpaved roads, and long stretches without shelter deserve extra caution.
  4. Name the shelter and exit. A substantial enclosed building or fully enclosed hard-topped vehicle is appropriate lightning shelter. A ramada, tent, tree, overhang, or open picnic shelter is not.
  5. Download what you need. Save maps, weather information, addresses, and emergency contacts before losing service.

Check live conditions before every outing

NWS Phoenix forecasts and alerts → NWS Flagstaff forecasts and alerts → NWS Tucson forecasts and alerts → Arizona 511 road conditions →

Conditions can change after this guide is published. Always rely on current official alerts, posted closures, and instructions from local authorities.

If you hear thunder

The National Weather Service advises: when thunder roars, go indoors. If you can hear thunder, lightning is close enough to strike. Leave the water, summit, ridge, overlook, field, or exposed trail and seek a substantial enclosed building or fully enclosed hard-topped vehicle.

Flash floods: think upstream

It does not have to be raining where you are. A storm miles away can send fast-moving water and debris into a wash, canyon, creek, storm drain, or low-water crossing. Never allow children to play in or near washes or storm drains after rain.

Dust storms on the drive

ADOT’s safest recommendation is to avoid driving into a dust storm. If you can safely exit the highway before reaching it, do so. If blowing dust suddenly reduces visibility and you cannot exit:

  1. Check traffic around you and begin slowing.
  2. Pull completely off the paved roadway as far as safely possible before visibility disappears.
  3. Turn off headlights, flashers, dome lights, and all other vehicle lights.
  4. Set the parking brake and take your foot off the brake pedal.
  5. Stay in the vehicle with everyone buckled until the storm passes.

Turning off the lights helps prevent another driver from following your lights and striking your stopped vehicle.

Rain does not cancel heat risk

Monsoon humidity can make exertion harder even when clouds lower the temperature. Carry enough water, favor cooler hours, choose quick-exit routes, and watch children for unusual quietness, irritability, stumbling, nausea, headache, dizziness, weakness, or confusion.

Call 911 for altered mental status in the heat

Confusion, fainting, seizures, unusual behavior, or loss of consciousness can signal a life-threatening heat emergency. Call 911, move the person to a cooler place, and begin rapid cooling while help is coming. Do not give fluids to a confused or unconscious person.

Family monsoon car and day bag

  • Water for everyone plus an emergency reserve
  • Charged phones, backup battery, and charging cable
  • Offline maps and written destination details
  • First-aid kit and necessary medicines
  • Flashlights or headlamps with spare batteries
  • Light rain layers and dry clothing for children
  • Food that does not require cooking or refrigeration
  • Sturdy shoes—never count on sandals for an emergency walk
  • Blanket, basic tools, and vehicle emergency supplies
  • Diapers, formula, pet supplies, and other group-specific essentials

Build the backup before the storm

A good Arizona plan includes a weather pivot: a museum, visitor center, indoor meal stop, shorter low-exposure walk, or a different day entirely. Do not wait until children are loaded in the car to decide what Plan B means.

For broader trail preparation, use the Arizona Family Hiking Safety Guide and the Family Day-Hike Checklist.

Official sources

Safety note: This guide is educational and cannot replace current warnings, instructions from emergency personnel, or advice from your clinician. Weather and road conditions change quickly. In an emergency, call 911.