Thunderstorms, Lightning and Monsoons

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Call 9-1-1 if you are in danger and need assistance during a storm.

Severe weather happens fast. Gilbert residents are encouraged to know the warning signs and be ready to anticipate wind, rain, dust, and potential power outages.

View latest weather information in Gilbert from the National Weather Service.

Storm Safety and Information

Power Outages

Debris in the Roadway

Trash Cleanup Tips

Storm Cleanup Trash Tips

Please do not overload your trash can with garbage or storm debris. All contents must fit inside the can with the lid closed in order for our drivers to safely provide service

Gilbert's bulk trash program is a convenient way to dispose of yard waste and other items left over from a storm that are too large to fit in your curbside container.

Tips for Smooth Pickup

Placement
Bulk trash items should be placed in the street, up against the curb for pickup.

Please be sure you leave at least five feet from obstacles like cars or trash containers so our tractor crews can service your pile without damaging private property or sidewalks.

Contents
Gilbert's bulk trash program is designed for items too large to fit into your curbside trash container, such as unrepairable furniture, mattresses and yard waste.

Remember: tree trimmings must be less than 5 feet in length and 12 inches in diameter for our crews to pick them up. Find a full list of acceptable bulk trash items at gilbertaz.gov/BulkTrash.
Size
Be sure your bulk trash pile meets our size requirements.

Maximum size: 10’ long x 5’ wide x 5’ high

Schedule
Items should be placed out no earlier than the Saturday prior to your collection week and no later than 5 AM on Monday of your collection week. Check your bulk trash schedule at gilbertaz.gov/BulkTrash.

Visit gilbertaz.gov/bulktrash for our online schedule, program guidelines and list of acceptable items. Tree trimmings must be no larger than 5 feet in length and 12 inches in diameter for our bulk trash program.

More Options for Bulk Trash

Haul It Yourself

Gilbert offers self-haul waste removal every 30 days at no charge for residents. This service is especially ideal for tree and tree limb disposal as there aren’t any special preparation guidelines.

Visit gilbertaz.gov/bulktrash for transfer locations and more information.

Schedule a Special Bulk Pickup

Special bulk pickups are available for residents with bulk piles that exceed the 10’ X 5’ X 5’ limit, but are not larger than 20’ X 5’ X 5’.

The items can be collected for a $100 fee. Special collections may not be requested the week before your normal bulk collection week.

Call (480) 503-6400 to arrange for a special pickup.

Bulk Trash 2022

More trash and recycling information: gilbertaz.gov/trash

Sandbag Locations

Gilbert Sandbag Locations

Gilbert strategically places sand and sandbags at several of our fire stations.

Residents that find themselves in situations where sandbags might help prevent property damage due to weather will be able to find them at the following locations. Please bring your own shovel.

Gilbert Fire Station 1
2730 E Williams Field Rd
Gilbert, AZ 85297

Gilbert Fire Station 3
1011 E Guadalupe Rd
Gilbert, AZ 85234

Gilbert Fire Station 9
3355 E Ocotillo Rd
Gilbert, AZ 85298

A pile of sand, a sandbag and a shovel sit outside a Gilbert fire station.

Driving in Storms

Be prepared on the road. Follow these tips in low visibility:

Pull aside, stay alive.
Turn off all lights in your vehicle.
Use your parking brake and take your foot off the pedal.

When there's low visibility, drivers tend to follow the lights of other vehicles. When drivers pull off to the side of the road and leave their lights on, it can cause collisions. Keep those lights off.

Get more tips at PullAsideStayAlive.org.

Watches, Warnings and Advisories

Understanding Watches, Warnings, and Advisories

Watches mean that widespread severe weather is possible.
A Watch means that severe weather has not occurred yet, but weather conditions are becoming highly volatile. Pay close attention to the weather, and tune into TV, radio, or NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts frequently.
Warnings (Severe Thunderstorm, Flash Flood, Dust Storm, or in rare cases, Tornado) mean that life-threatening weather is about to occur, or has been reported. Take action immediately.
Flood Advisories mean heavy rains will cause minor flooding of washes, streams, and typical flood-prone areas. Flooding in this situation is usually not serious. If the flooding does become life threatening, then the flood advisory is upgraded to a Flash Flood Warning.

Visit the National Weather Service – Phoenix for the latest weather information in Gilbert.

Safety Tips from SRP

Here are a few safety tips from SRP to help you stay safe during storms or sever weather:

Stay at least 100 feet from any downed power line.
Never try to help someone trapped by a power line. The line could be energized and endanger your own safety. Instead, immediately call 911 for help. Then call SRP’s emergency number, (602) 236-8811, to report the incident.
If a power line hits your car while you are in it, stay inside the car until professional help arrives.
If your vehicle catches fire and you must leave it, avoid making contact with the vehicle and the ground at the same time. Jump from the vehicle, landing with both feet together. Shuffle or hop away, keeping both feet in contact with each other until you are at least 100 feet from the vehicle. This may avoid making your body a ground path between energized and grounded areas or objects.
Do not shower during a storm. Lightning can travel through pipes.
Do not swim during a storm. Lightning can strike bodies of water.
Lightning can travel through electric lines and damage electronic equipment. Therefore, when practical, unplug the power cords to all electronic equipment to provide total protection from lightening-induced damage.

monsoon

Gilbert, Arizona

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