Tucson’s Big Rainstorm: Explained Like You’re 5

What Is a Monsoon? (Quick Explain)

A monsoon is just a fancy word for a season when lots of rain and wind come to a place. Think of it like nature’s big sprinkler system, but sometimes it gets too strong!

The Storm Hits Tucson

On a Saturday evening, a very strong monsoon storm visited Tucson, Arizona. Here’s what it did:

• It made the electricity go out for more than 10,000 people (that means their lights and TVs stopped working!).
• It filled the streets and washes with water (a wash is a dry path where water runs only when it rains hard, like a temporary river).
• It knocked down trees all over the city (trees fell over because the wind was so strong).

Important Point! The storm was so powerful that it caused flooding and power outages. Always stay safe during such weather.

A Car Found Underwater

On the southeast side of Tucson, near two streets called Golf Links and Kolb, something surprising happened:

• A car was found sitting in a wash, completely covered by water.
• Luckily, no person was inside the car at that time.
• The news channel KGUN 9 said they cannot yet confirm if anyone got hurt because of this.

What Arlene and Her Son Saw

A lady named Arlene Boykin and her son Marc watched the storm from their house. They said they had never seen anything like it!

Arlene said:

"We saw the storm, and it was pretty crazy. It was really windy, we couldn’t see across the street. We saw the trees were going, we thought they were gonna snap in two."

After the storm calmed down, they went outside and saw the car almost fully under water in the wash.

Arlene also said:

"We came out here to look…and there you have it. We usually see cars down at the other end of the wash; it’s the first time we’ve seen a car down here."

How Neighbors Helped

When the water went down (got lower), the neighbors worked together to push the car out of the wash. Arlene described the water like this:

"It was like a raging river…it was crazy…thank god it’s over."

More Storms Are Coming

The monsoon season is still going on. That means more big storms might come in the next week. So everyone should be careful!

Heads Up! More rainy and windy storms are expected. If you live in Tucson, keep an eye on the weather and stay safe.

About the Reporter

This story was written by JJ McKinney. Here are some simple facts about him:

• He started working at KGUN 9 (a news channel) in July 2025 as a person who reports news using videos and writing.
• He finished school at Colorado State University in May 2025, studying journalism (reporting news) and media communications, plus a little law.
• He likes to investigate and make documentaries (movies about real things).
• He wants to help people in the community share their stories.
• You can email him at jj.mckinney@kgun9.com or find him on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.

Summary

To sum up what happened:

• A big monsoon storm hit Tucson, causing power loss for over 10,000 people, floods in streets and washes, and fallen trees.
• A car was found underwater in a wash near Golf Links & Kolb on Saturday evening, but no one was inside and injuries are unconfirmed.
• Arlene and Marc saw the crazy storm and later the car stuck in water.
• Neighbors pushed the car out after the water dropped.
• More storms may come this week, so people should stay alert.
• The story was reported by JJ McKinney from KGUN 9.

FAQ

Q1: What is a wash?
A: A wash is like a dry ditch or riverbed that only has water running through it when there is a heavy rain. It is not a normal stream.

Q2: Why did so many people lose power?
A: The strong wind and storm likely broke power lines or caused problems at the electricity stations, so more than 10,000 homes had no electricity.

Q3: Was anyone hurt in the car incident?
A: The car was found submerged (under water) in the wash, but no one was inside it. KGUN 9 could not confirm any injuries at the time of reporting.

Q4: What should people in Tucson do now?
A: They should stay alert because more monsoon storms are expected in the coming week. It is smart to avoid washes and flooded streets.

Q5: Who told this story?
A: A journalist named JJ McKinney from KGUN 9 reported it. He joined the station in July 2025 and loves sharing community stories.