Prepping in Phoenix
In Phoenix, heat is the disaster. The emergency that matters most is losing power or AC in July, so your plan is built around staying cool.
- Extreme heat
- Monsoon storms
- Outages in heat
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The official Phoenix alert and lookup tools. Each takes a few minutes and works even if you do nothing else on this page.
- Heat Relief NetworkFind heat relief sites
Cooling and water sites across the Valley from May 1 to September 30. Find one on the map or call 2-1-1.
- Maricopa County heat safetyHeat safety and alerts
The county's heat guidance and sign-up for heat alerts.
Links checked October 2026. Wireless Emergency Alerts reach most phones automatically; these add local detail.
What can go wrong in Phoenix
- Extreme heat
- Summer highs regularly top 110°F, and nights can stay above 90°F. Heat is the region's deadliest hazard.
- Outages in heat
- A home without power or AC can become dangerous within hours in summer.
- Monsoon storms
- From mid-June through September, storms bring dust storms, flash floods and microbursts that topple power lines.
- Wildfire
- Fires in the surrounding desert and mountains bring smoke and occasional evacuations at the edges of the Valley.
What that means for your plan
Plan for a summer outage first. Know where you'd go to stay cool, keep a power station that can run a fan, and keep cooling towels and lots of water at home. Never leave a person or pet in a parked car.
Store more water than the usual guidance. Ready.gov notes that people can need twice as much in hot weather, so plan on about 2 gallons per person per day.
In a dust storm on the highway, follow Arizona's Pull Aside, Stay Alive advice: pull off as far as you can, turn off your lights, set the parking brake and take your foot off the brake.
Do these first, in this order
- A plan to stay cool without power
Know your nearest cooling site and have a way to get there.
- Extra water
About 2 gallons per person per day in summer.
Water storage and filters guide - Power station and fan
Keeps one room bearable and phones charged.
Power stations and generators guide - Car kit with water
Breakdowns in summer heat are emergencies.
Go-bags and evacuation guide - First-aid kit
Know the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
First aid and medical guide - Headlamps
Monsoon outages often hit at night.
Lighting and staying warm guide
Questions
How much water should I store in Phoenix?
More than the usual gallon per person per day. Ready.gov notes needs can double in hot weather, so plan on about 2 gallons per person per day, for two weeks if you can.
Where can I cool off in Phoenix during a heat emergency?
The Heat Relief Network runs cooling and water sites across the Valley from May 1 to September 30. Find one at azmag.gov/heatrelief or call 2-1-1.
What should I do if I'm driving in a dust storm?
Pull off the road as far as you safely can, turn off all your lights, set the parking brake, take your foot off the brake and keep your seatbelt on. Arizona calls this Pull Aside, Stay Alive.
How ready is your Phoenix home?
The quiz weights every item for suburbs risks and shows your top gaps. About 3 minutes, no sign-up.