PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A major dust storm and severe thunderstorms hit significant portions of the Valley on Monday, leaving downed trees, causing extensive power outages, and impacting operations at Arizona’s largest airport.

At one point, flights at Phoenix Sky Harbor were grounded due to the severity of the storms, including strong wind gusts, low visibility and the threat of lightning.

Earlier in the afternoon, The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for portions of Mesa, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Chandler Heights, and San Tan Mountain Park, which left a trail of damage. See more here .

A 67mph wind gust was recorded in Chandler around 5:20 p.m., according to the NWS. An even stronger gust was recorded at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport less than an hour later.

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