Downtown Tucson is gradually bouncing back from a fierce storm that hit on Sunday. The tempest uprooted numerous trees, causing significant damage to several homes and the local park, with some trees even crashing onto cars.

Residents of the Armory Park Neighborhood, including Nancy Bissell, were greeted by fallen trees outside their homes the next morning. One of Bissell’s mesquite trees was severely damaged, splitting open and likely beyond repair. Having lived in her home for nearly two decades, Bissell shared that she has never witnessed such destruction before.

“Our neighborhood really took a hit from yesterday’s storm,” Bissell remarked.

The entire community was abuzz with activity as homeowners and landscapers worked tirelessly to clear the debris.

Some car owners, who had parked under trees for shade, were astonished to find their vehicles trapped under the fallen branches.

Bissell noted that her native trees are usually resilient against severe weather. She hopes an arborist might be able to save the lower half of her damaged mesquite tree.

“When you live in the desert, you have to expect things like this to happen,” she said.

In the nearby Santa Rita Park Neighborhood, Maria Haas also faced tree damage and a broken gate at her property.

“Monsoon season is beautiful and brings new life, but the winds were intense,” Haas explained. “It felt like a tornado had swept through.”

Haas’s security camera captured the storm’s fury. Describing the chaos, she said, “I saw my gate swinging wildly. I ran out in my pajamas, tried to close it, then grabbed a towel to help secure it.”

One landscaper working in both neighborhoods mentioned that his services are fully booked for the next two weeks due to the extensive storm damage.