Alert archive / Arizona / Flash Flood Warnings in 1990
Flash Flood Warning 22, NWS Phoenix, AZ
NWS Phoenix, AZ issued this flash flood warning at Jul 21, 1990, 8:56 PM MST for Maricopa County, Arizona. It was in force for 79 min.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Jul 21, 1990, 8:56 PM MST (03:56 UTC)
- Expired
- Jul 21, 1990, 10:15 PM MST
- In force
- 79 min
- Issued by
- NWS Phoenix, AZ
- Area
- Whole counties
County Maricopa County, AZ
The radar
The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.
The nearest sounding before it
Tuscon, AZ (KTUS), launched 00:00Z, 3.9 hours before the alert went out and 198 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 1254 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -34 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 2112 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 13 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 8 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 16 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KPHX 220356 FFWPHX AZC013-220600- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED FLASH FLOOD WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX ARIZONA 856 PM MST SAT JUL 21 1990 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PHOENIX ARIZONA HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1100 PM MST FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...... IN SOUTH CENTRAL ARIZONA ...NORTHERN MARICOPA COUNTY AT 845 PM MST THE LATEST PHOENIX WEATHER RADAR WAS DETECTING THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN OVER MUCH OF NORTHERN MARICOPA COUNTY. THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL WAS APPARANTLY OCCURING BETWEEN AGUILA AND MORRISTOWN AS WELL AS NEAR BEARDSLEY. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING SOUTH AT ABOUT 10 TO 15 MPH. MANY ROADS IN NORTHERN MARICOPA COUNTY...INCLUDING THE GREATER PHOENIX AREA ARE FLOODED. IN ADDITION...THE PREVIOUS THUNDERSTORMS HAVE CAUSED CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE WITH MUCH DEBRIS COVERING MANY ROAD. THEREFORE...TRAVELLING THIS EVENING IS DISCOURAGED THROUGHOUT NORTHERN MARICOPA COUNTY. FLASH FLOODING IS ALREADY HAPPENING OR ABOUT TO HAPPEN. MOVE AWAY FROM STREAMS OR WASHES. HEAD FOR HIGHER GROUND. ON THE HIGHWAY...SLOW DOWN AND KEEP A SHARP LOOKOUT AHEAD FOR FLOODING. URBAN FLOODING IS OVERFLOW OF CITY STREETS AND DRAINAGE SYSTEMS... ENOUGH TO FLOOD RESIDENCES AND BUSINESSES AND CLOSE CITY STREETS. POSTPONE ANY UNNECESSARY DRIVING UNTIL THE STORM IS OVER. MOST DEATHS IN FLASH FLOODING OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. DONT TRY TO CROSS FLOODING WASHES OR STREAMS. NEVER DRIVE ONTOW A BRIDGE COVERED BY WATER. STAY OFF FLOODED CITY STREETS. OUTSIDE THE CITY...STAY ON MAIN HIGHWAYS. AVOID SECONDARY ROADS AND FARM ROADS...ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Jul 21, 3:24 PM MST, 5 hours 32 minutes before
AZC005-009-025-220030- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX ARIZONA 323 PM MST SAT JUL 21 1990 AT 315 PM MST THERE WERE WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS RUMBLING THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN AREAS OF ARIZONA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN A BROKEN LINE FROM CENTRAL YAVAPAI COUNTY EAST SOUTHEASTWARD THROUGH COCONINO COUNTY AND ON INTO NORTHERN GRAHAM COUNTY. LATEST RADAR REPORTS SHOWED THAT THE THUNDERSTORMS WITH THE HEAVIEST RAINS WERE LOCATED NEAR MAYER...THE KOHLS RANCH AREA OF THE RIM AND ANOTHER OVER EXTREME NORTHERN GRAHAM COUNTY NORTHEAST OF ASH CREEK. MOTORISTS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD AVOID TRAVELLING THROUGH LOW SPOTS AND HIGHWAY DIPS WITH WATlER RUNNING THROUGH THEM. IN ADDITION...HIKERS SHOULD STAY OUT OF NARROW STEEP WALLED CANYONS IF THUNDERSTORMS ARE IN THE AREA. THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE GENERALLY MOVING SOUTHEASTWARD AT ABOUT 10 TO 15 MPH. ESTLE
Special weather statement, Jul 21, 4:27 PM MST, 4 hours 29 minutes before
AZZ004-005-006-008-010-220130- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX ARIZONA 425 PM MST SAT JUL 21 1990 AT 410 PM PHOENIX WEATHER RADAR CONTINUED TO SHOW DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS FROM YAVAPAI COUNTY EAST SOUTHEAST ACROSS GILA COUNTY AND ON INTO EXTREME SOUTHERN APACHE...NAVAJO AND NORTHERN GRAHAM COUNT THE HEAVIEST RAIN WAS OCCURING ALONG THE RIM JUST WEST OF PINE...IN EXTREME SOUTHERN APACHE AND NAVAJO COUNTIES NORTH OF ASH CREEK...AND SOUTHWEST OF CIBECUE. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE BEGINNING TO SHOW SIGNS OF MOVING MORE TOWARDS THE SOUTH SOUTHWEST AT ABOUT 15 TO 20 MPH. SOME OF THE RAIN FROM THESE THUNDERSTORMS COULD CAUSE WASHES TO BEGIN RUNNING SOMEWHAT. MOTORISTS SHOULD THEREFORE PROCEED WITH CAUTION AND SHOULD AVOID CROSSING FLOODED ROADWAY DIPS. THE THUNDERSTORMS...AS THEY CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND MOVE SOUTHWARD COULD EVENTUALLY AFFECT THE EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE PHOENIX METRO AREA LATER THIS SATURDAY EVENING. THE MOST LIKELY EVENT WOULD BE LOTS OF WIND AND BLOWING DUST. IF YOU NEED TO TRAVEL AROUND THE PHOENIX ARE WELL AS ALL OF THE EASTERN RIM AND THE SOUTHEAST THIS EVENING...IT WOU A GOOD IDEA TO KEEP A CLOSE CHECK ON THE LATEST WEATHER DEVELOPMENTS. ESTLE
Special weather statement, Jul 21, 4:31 PM MST, 4 hours 25 minutes before
AZZ004-005-006-008-010-220130- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX ARIZONA 425 PM MST SAT JUL 21 1990 AT 410 PM PHOENIX WEATHER RADAR CONTINUED TO SHOW DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS FROM YAVAPAI COUNTY EAST SOUTHEAST ACROSS GILA COUNTY AND ON INTO EXTREME SOUTHERN APACHE...NAVAJO AND NORTHERN GRAHAM COUNTIES. THE HEAVIEST RAIN WAS OCCURING ALONG THE RIM JUST WEST OF PINE...IN EXTREME SOUTHERN APACHE AND NAVAJO COUNTIES NORTH OF ASH CREEK...AND SOUTHWEST OF CIBECUE. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE BEGINNING TO SHOW SIGNS OF MOVING MORE TOWARDS THE SOUTH SOUTHWEST AT ABOUT 15 TO 20 MPH. SOME OF THE RAIN FROM THESE THUNDERSTORMS COULD CAUSE WASHES TO BEGIN RUNNING SOMEWHAT. MOTORISTS SHOULD THEREFORE PROCEED WITH CAUTION AND SHOULD AVOID CROSSING FLOODED ROADWAY DIPS. THE THUNDERSTORMS...AS THEY CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND MOVE SOUTHWARD COULD EVENTUALLY AFFECT THE EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE PHOENIX METRO AREA LATER THIS SATURDAY EVENING. THE MOST LIKELY EVENT WOULD BE LOTS OF WIND AND BLOWING DUST. IF YOU NEED TO TRAVEL AROUND THE PHOENIX AREA AS WELL AS ALL OF THE EASTERN RIM AND THE SOUTHEAST THIS EVENING. IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO KEEP A CLOSE CHECK ON THE LATEST WEATHER DEVELOPMENTS. ESTLE
Special weather statement, Jul 21, 5:23 PM MST, 3 hours 33 minutes before
AZC007-009-013-220215- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX ARIZONA 519 PM MST SAT JUL 21 1990 AT 510 PM MST WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED SEVERAL LARGE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE VICNITY OF THE SALT AND VERDE RECREATIONAL LAKES. THE STRONGEST STORM WAS JUST NORTHEAST OF BARTLETT RESERVOIR AND THIS EXTENDED WEST TO NEAR THE TOWN OF CAREFREE. ANOTHER THUNDERSTORM WAS NEAR ROOSEVELT LAKE. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING SOUTH SOUTHWESTWARD AT ABOUT 15 TO 20 MPH. VERY HEAVY RAIN IS LIKELY WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS...ALONG WITH STRONG WINDS. BOATERS OUT ON THE LAKES SHOULD THINK ABOUT COMING ASHORE AND TAKING COVER UNTIL THE STORM PASSES. THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY SHOULD MOVE SOUTH OF THE RECREATIONAL LAKES BY ABOUT 630 OR 7 PM MST. FURTHER EAST...ANOTHER LARGE THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER FAR EASTERN GILA COUNTY SOUTH OF WHITE RIVER. THIS THUNDERSTORM IS LIKELY GIVING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL IN THE UPPER SALT RIVER CANYON. MOTORISTS SHOULD AVOID DRIVING THROUGH ANY FLOODED HIGHWAY DIPS THAT MAY BE ENCOUNTERED. ESTLE
Nearby
Flash Flood Warnings in Arizona, 1990Every flash flood warning in 1990
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.