Alert archive / Arizona / Flash Flood Warnings in 1993

Flash Flood Warning 27, NWS Tucson, AZ

August 31, 1993Pima County, Arizona

NWS Tucson, AZ issued this flash flood warning at Aug 31, 1993, 3:19 PM MST for Pima County, Arizona. It was in force for 78 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 31, 1993, 3:19 PM MST (22:19 UTC)
Expired
Aug 31, 1993, 4:37 PM MST
In force
78 min
Issued by
NWS Tucson, AZ
Area
Whole counties

County Pima County, AZ

The nearest sounding before it

Tuscon, AZ (KTUS), launched 12:00Z, 10.3 hours before the alert went out and 84 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.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Tuscon, AZ at 12:00Z on 1993-08-31Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 551 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Tuscon, AZ at 12:00Z on 1993-08-31The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -2 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
551 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-59 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1135 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
13 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-2 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
15 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KTUS 312221
FFWTUS
AZC019-010015-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON ARIZONA
319 PM MST TUE AUG 31 1993
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TUCSON ARIZONA HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND FLASH FLOOD WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL  515 PM MST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN SOUTH CENTRAL ARIZONA
 
   ...SOUTHWESTERN PIMA COUNTY
 
AT 320 PM WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM MOVING INTO
ARIZONA FROM NORTHERN MEXICO NEAR LUKEVILLE. VERY HEAVY RAIN...STRONG
POSSIBLY DAMAGING WIND...AND LOCAL FLOODING IS EXPECTED NEAR THE VILLAGE
OF LUKEVELLE AND THE ORGAN PIPE CACTUS NATIONAL MUNUMENT.
 
THE THUNDERSTORM IS MOVING NORTH-NORTHWEST AND MAY EVENTUALLY AFFECT THE
TOWN OF AJO AS WELL.
 
DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY.  THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO
CROSS SAFELY.  VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE
ABANDONED QUICKLY.  MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.
 
A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT.  IT'S
IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHERE YOU ARE RELATIVE TO STREAMS...RIVERS...OR
CREEKS WHICH CAN BECOME KILLERS IN HEAVY RAINS.  CAMPERS SHOULD
AVOID CAMPING ALONG STREAMS OR CREEKS DURING THREATENING RAINS.
 
NWS TUS/CRIMMINS

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

Local storm report, Aug 31, 9:22 AM MST, 5 hours 57 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUSCON AZ

STATE...ARIZONA          N0... 14        MONTH AND YEAR... AUGUST 1993
...............................................................................
                                         | NO    OF |ESTIMATED|
                                         | PERSONS  | DAMAGE  |
.........................................|    |     |    |    |................
    PLACE    |DATE|  TIME  |LNGTH |WIDTH |DEAD|INJRD|PPTY|CRPS| CHARTR OF STRM
...............................................................................
  PIMA CO.   | 27 |445-715 MST| - |  -   | 0  |  0  | 0  | 0  | FLASH FLOODING
  AZC019
              (FFW 1645-1915 MST...NORTHEAST PIMA COUNTY)

              JUST PRIOR TO AND DURING THE WARNING PERIOD...SEVERAL ALERT
              GAGES IN THE TANQUE VERDE AND CANADA DEL ORO WASHES ALARMED
              INDICATING MORE THAN .30 IN 30 MINUTES.  FROM 1528 TO 1728
              TWO GAGES IN THE TANQUE VERDE EXCEEDED ONE INCH AND BY
              830 PM ALAMO TANK HAD 2.28 INCHES.  RANCHO SOLANO IN THE
              CANADA DEL ORO RECEIVED 1.18 DURING THE WARNING PERIO
              1853 MST...REPORT TANQUE VERDE WASH OVER BANKS FROM TUCSON
              SHERIFF OFFICE (NOT SURE WHERE BUT GAGES INDICATE IT SHOULD
              HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY BELOW THE ALAMO TANK GAGE).
              1924 MST...THIS REPORT WAS RECEIVED LATE FROM PIMA COUNTY
              FLOOD CONTROL...BUT BELEIVED TO BE WITHIN THE LAST 30 MINUTES
              ...3-4 FOOT FLOW AT WENTWORTH ROAD (GUEST RANCH)...CAME DOWN
              AS A WALL OF WATER...RUNNING FAST AS SEEN AT TANQUE VERDE FALLS
              BY SHERIFF`S DEPUTY.
              2000 MST...LATE REPORT FROM SHERIFF`S OFFICE STATED ROADS TO
              REDINGTON PASS HAD BEEN CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING.

              NO INJURIES OR SERIOUS DAMAGE REPORTED...BUT LOTS OF LOCAL
              FLOODING DID OCCUR.
..............................................................................
  COCHISE CO.|    |        |      |      |    |     |    |    |
  AZC003
              NONE

...............................................................................
  SANTA CRUZ |    |        |      |      |    |     |    |    |
  CO. AZC023
              NONE
                                                 END...SHOGREN.
Local storm report, Aug 31, 9:22 AM MST, 5 hours 57 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUSCON AZ

STATE...ARIZONA          N0... 14        MONTH AND YEAR... AUGUST 1993
...............................................................................
                                         | NO    OF |ESTIMATED|
                                         | PERSONS  | DAMAGE  |
.........................................|    |     |    |    |................
    PLACE    |DATE|  TIME  |LNGTH |WIDTH |DEAD|INJRD|PPTY|CRPS| CHARTR OF STRM
...............................................................................
  PIMA CO.   | 27 |445-715 MST| - |  -   | 0  |  0  | 0  | 0  | FLASH FLOODING
  AZC019
              (FFW 1645-1915 MST...NORTHEAST PIMA COUNTY)

              JUST PRIOR TO AND DURING THE WARNING PERIOD...SEVERAL ALERT
              GAGES IN THE TANQUE VERDE AND CANADA DEL ORO WASHES ALARMED
              INDICATING MORE THAN .30 IN 30 MINUTES.  FROM 1528 TO 1728
              TWO GAGES IN THE TANQUE VERDE EXCEEDED ONE INCH AND BY
              830 PM ALAMO TANK HAD 2.28 INCHES.  RANCHO SOLANO IN THE
              CANADA DEL ORO RECEIVED 1.18 DURING THE WARNING PERIO
              1853 MST...REPORT TANQUE VERDE WASH OVER BANKS FROM TUCSON
              SHERIFF OFFICE (NOT SURE WHERE BUT GAGES INDICATE IT SHOULD
              HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY BELOW THE ALAMO TANK GAGE).
              1924 MST...THIS REPORT WAS RECEIVED LATE FROM PIMA COUNTY
              FLOOD CONTROL...BUT BELEIVED TO BE WITHIN THE LAST 30 MINUTES
              ...3-4 FOOT FLOW AT WENTWORTH ROAD (GUEST RANCH)...CAME DOWN
              AS A WALL OF WATER...RUNNING FAST AS SEEN AT TANQUE VERDE FALLS
              BY SHERIFF`S DEPUTY.
              2000 MST...LATE REPORT FROM SHERIFF`S OFFICE STATED ROADS TO
              REDINGTON PASS HAD BEEN CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING.

              NO INJURIES OR SERIOUS DAMAGE REPORTED...BUT LOTS OF LOCAL
              FLOODING DID OCCUR.
..............................................................................
  COCHISE CO.|    |        |      |      |    |     |    |    |
  AZC003
              NONE

...............................................................................
  SANTA CRUZ |    |        |      |      |    |     |    |    |
  CO. AZC023
              NONE
                                                 END...SHOGREN.
Local storm report, Aug 31, 10:25 AM MST, 4 hours 54 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUSCON AZ

STATE...ARIZONA          N0... 15        MONTH AND YEAR... AUGUST 1993
...............................................................................
                                         | NO    OF |ESTIMATED|
                                         | PERSONS  | DAMAGE  |
.........................................|    |     |    |    |................
    PLACE    |DATE|  TIME  |LNGTH |WIDTH |DEAD|INJRD|PPTY|CRPS| CHARTR OF STRM
...............................................................................
  PIMA CO.   | 28 |1307-1715 MST|-|  -   | 0  |  0  | UNK| UNK| FLASH FLOODING
  AZC019
              (FFA 0412-2100 MST)
              (FFW 1507-1715 MST...EASTERN PIMA COUNTY)

              1509 MST...ALAMO TANK ALERT GAGE (TANQUE VERDE WASH) INDICCATED
              .90 INCH IN 1 HOUR 5 MINUTES.
              1524 MST...GREEN VALLEY SPOTTER NET...1/2 INCH IN 20 MINUTES...
              OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING...WINDS LIGHT.
              1532 MST...SAME SPOTTER... .70 IN 1/2 HOUR...FREQUENT LIGHTNI
              1544 MST...GREEN VALLEY SPOTTER NET... 1.0 INCHES IN PAST
              45 MINUTES.
              1615 MST...SAME SPOTTER...2.78 INCHES SINCE 300 PM MST...
              POWER LOSS IN WALMART AREA.
              1615 MST...DPS PILOT REPORTED A WALL OF WATER IN THE SANTA
              CRUZ RIVER NORTH OF GREEN VALLEY MOVING NORTH.
              1708 MST...SPOTTER # 88 GREEN VALLEY... 2.5 INCHES FROM
              3 PM TO 5 PM.  AT TOTAL OF 2.70 INCHES BY 1728.
              1730 MST...3.75 INCH TOTAL FROM GREEN VALLEY SPOTTER NET...
              (IN GREEN VALLEY)...SIGNIFICANT STREET FLOODING FOR SOME TIME
              ESPECIALLY ON ESPIRANZA ST.  ...NO SIG DAMAGE OR INJURIES.
...............................................................................
  COCHISE CO.| 28 |1215-1220 MST|-|  -   | 0  |  0  |UNK | UNK| FLASH FLOODING
  AZC003
              (FFA 0412-2100 MST...)
              (FFW 1233-1430 MST...SOUTHERN COCHISE CO.)

              1231...REPORT OF WATERS RISING TO DOOR HANDLES OF SEVERAL CARS
              IN UNDISCLOSED STREAM IN THE CHIRICAHUA MOUNTAINS.
              1253...RANGER AT CHIRICAHUA NAT`L MONUMENT REPORTED FLASH FLOOD
              CAME DOWN LOST AND SURPRISE CANYONS INTO VISITORS QUARTERS PARKING              LOST BETWEEN 1215-1220...WITH WATER TO TOPS OF TREES AND DOOR
              HAND<LES OF CARS.  NO INJURIES.  NO OTHER REPORTS. ...SHOGREN.
Local storm report, Aug 31, 10:25 AM MST, 4 hours 54 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUSCON AZ

STATE...ARIZONA          N0... 15        MONTH AND YEAR... AUGUST 1993
...............................................................................
                                         | NO    OF |ESTIMATED|
                                         | PERSONS  | DAMAGE  |
.........................................|    |     |    |    |................
    PLACE    |DATE|  TIME  |LNGTH |WIDTH |DEAD|INJRD|PPTY|CRPS| CHARTR OF STRM
...............................................................................
  PIMA CO.   | 28 |1307-1715 MST|-|  -   | 0  |  0  | UNK| UNK| FLASH FLOODING
  AZC019
              (FFA 0412-2100 MST)
              (FFW 1507-1715 MST...EASTERN PIMA COUNTY)

              1509 MST...ALAMO TANK ALERT GAGE (TANQUE VERDE WASH) INDICCATED
              .90 INCH IN 1 HOUR 5 MINUTES.
              1524 MST...GREEN VALLEY SPOTTER NET...1/2 INCH IN 20 MINUTES...
              OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING...WINDS LIGHT.
              1532 MST...SAME SPOTTER... .70 IN 1/2 HOUR...FREQUENT LIGHTNI
              1544 MST...GREEN VALLEY SPOTTER NET... 1.0 INCHES IN PAST
              45 MINUTES.
              1615 MST...SAME SPOTTER...2.78 INCHES SINCE 300 PM MST...
              POWER LOSS IN WALMART AREA.
              1615 MST...DPS PILOT REPORTED A WALL OF WATER IN THE SANTA
              CRUZ RIVER NORTH OF GREEN VALLEY MOVING NORTH.
              1708 MST...SPOTTER # 88 GREEN VALLEY... 2.5 INCHES FROM
              3 PM TO 5 PM.  AT TOTAL OF 2.70 INCHES BY 1728.
              1730 MST...3.75 INCH TOTAL FROM GREEN VALLEY SPOTTER NET...
              (IN GREEN VALLEY)...SIGNIFICANT STREET FLOODING FOR SOME TIME
              ESPECIALLY ON ESPIRANZA ST.  ...NO SIG DAMAGE OR INJURIES.
...............................................................................
  COCHISE CO.| 28 |1215-1220 MST|-|  -   | 0  |  0  |UNK | UNK| FLASH FLOODING
  AZC003
              (FFA 0412-2100 MST...)
              (FFW 1233-1430 MST...SOUTHERN COCHISE CO.)

              1231...REPORT OF WATERS RISING TO DOOR HANDLES OF SEVERAL CARS
              IN UNDISCLOSED STREAM IN THE CHIRICAHUA MOUNTAINS.
              1253...RANGER AT CHIRICAHUA NAT`L MONUMENT REPORTED FLASH FLOOD
              CAME DOWN LOST AND SURPRISE CANYONS INTO VISITORS QUARTERS PARKING              LOST BETWEEN 1215-1220...WITH WATER TO TOPS OF TREES AND DOOR
              HANDLES OF CARS.  NO INJURIES.  NO OTHER REPORTS. ...SHOGREN.
Local storm report, Aug 31, 10:32 AM MST, 4 hours 47 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT................ CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUSCON AZ

STATE...ARIZONA          N0... 15        MONTH AND YEAR... AUGUST 1993
...............................................................................
                                         | NO    OF |ESTIMATED|
                                         | PERSONS  | DAMAGE  |
.........................................|    |     |    |    |................
    PLACE    |DATE|  TIME  |LNGTH |WIDTH |DEAD|INJRD|PPTY|CRPS| CHARTR OF STRM
...............................................................................
  PIMA CO.   | 28 |1307-1715 MST|-|  -   | 0  |  0  | UNK| UNK| FLASH FLOODING
  AZC019
              (FFA 0412-2100 MST)
              (FFW 1507-1715 MST...EASTERN PIMA COUNTY)

              1509 MST...ALAMO TANK ALERT GAGE (TANQUE VERDE WASH) INDICCATED
              .90 INCH IN 1 HOUR 5 MINUTES.
              1524 MST...GREEN VALLEY SPOTTER NET...1/2 INCH IN 20 MINUTES...
              OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING...WINDS LIGHT.
              1532 MST...SAME SPOTTER... .70 IN 1/2 HOUR...FREQUENT LIGHTNING
              1544 MST...GREEN VALLEY SPOTTER NET... 1.0 INCHES IN PAST
              45 MINUTES.
              1615 MST...SAME SPOTTER...2.78 INCHES SINCE 300 PM MST...
              POWER LOSS IN WALMART AREA.
              1615 MST...DPS PILOT REPORTED A WALL OF WATER IN THE SANTA
              CRUZ RIVER NORTH OF GREEN VALLEY MOVING NORTH.
              1708 MST...SPOTTER # 88 GREEN VALLEY... 2.5 INCHES FROM
              3 PM TO 5 PM.  AT TOTAL OF 2.70 INCHES BY 1728.
              1730 MST...3.75 INCH TOTAL FROM GREEN VALLEY SPOTTER NET...
              (IN GREEN VALLEY)...SIGNIFICANT STREET FLOODING FOR SOME TIME
              ESPECIALLY ON ESPIRANZA ST.  ...NO SIG DAMAGE OR INJURIES.
...............................................................................
  COCHISE CO.| 28 |1215-1220 MST|-|  -   | 0  |  0  |UNK | UNK| FLASH FLOODING
  AZC003
              (FFA 0412-2100 MST...)
              (FFW 1233-1430 MST...SOUTHERN COCHISE CO.)

              1231...REPORT OF WATERS RISING TO DOOR HANDLES OF SEVERAL CARS
              IN UNDISCLOSED STREAM IN THE CHIRICAHUA MOUNTAINS.
              1253...RANGER AT CHIRICAHUA NAT`L MONUMENT REPORTED FLASH FLOOD
              CAME DOWN LOST AND SURPRISE CANYONS INTO VISITORS QUARTERS PARKING              LOTS BETWEEN 1215-1220...WITH WATER TO TOPS OF TREESJ AND DOOR
              HANDLES OF CARS.  NO INJURIES.  NO OTHER REPORTS. ...SHOGREN.
Local storm report, Aug 31, 10:32 AM MST, 4 hours 47 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT................ CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUSCON AZ

STATE...ARIZONA          N0... 15        MONTH AND YEAR... AUGUST 1993
...............................................................................
                                         | NO    OF |ESTIMATED|
                                         | PERSONS  | DAMAGE  |
.........................................|    |     |    |    |................
    PLACE    |DATE|  TIME  |LNGTH |WIDTH |DEAD|INJRD|PPTY|CRPS| CHARTR OF STRM
...............................................................................
  PIMA CO.   | 28 |1307-1715 MST|-|  -   | 0  |  0  | UNK| UNK| FLASH FLOODING
  AZC019
              (FFA 0412-2100 MST)
              (FFW 1507-1715 MST...EASTERN PIMA COUNTY)

              1509 MST...ALAMO TANK ALERT GAGE (TANQUE VERDE WASH) INDICCATED
              .90 INCH IN 1 HOUR 5 MINUTES.
              1524 MST...GREEN VALLEY SPOTTER NET...1/2 INCH IN 20 MINUTES...
              OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING...WINDS LIGHT.
              1532 MST...SAME SPOTTER... .70 IN 1/2 HOUR...FREQUENT LIGHTNING
              1544 MST...GREEN VALLEY SPOTTER NET... 1.0 INCHES IN PAST
              45 MINUTES.
              1615 MST...SAME SPOTTER...2.78 INCHES SINCE 300 PM MST...
              POWER LOSS IN WALMART AREA.
              1615 MST...DPS PILOT REPORTED A WALL OF WATER IN THE SANTA
              CRUZ RIVER NORTH OF GREEN VALLEY MOVING NORTH.
              1708 MST...SPOTTER # 88 GREEN VALLEY... 2.5 INCHES FROM
              3 PM TO 5 PM.  AT TOTAL OF 2.70 INCHES BY 1728.
              1730 MST...3.75 INCH TOTAL FROM GREEN VALLEY SPOTTER NET...
              (IN GREEN VALLEY)...SIGNIFICANT STREET FLOODING FOR SOME TIME
              ESPECIALLY ON ESPIRANZA ST.  ...NO SIG DAMAGE OR INJURIES.
...............................................................................
  COCHISE CO.| 28 |1215-1220 MST|-|  -   | 0  |  0  |UNK | UNK| FLASH FLOODING
  AZC003
              (FFA 0412-2100 MST...)
              (FFW 1233-1430 MST...SOUTHERN COCHISE CO.)

              1231...REPORT OF WATERS RISING TO DOOR HANDLES OF SEVERAL CARS
              IN UNDISCLOSED STREAM IN THE CHIRICAHUA MOUNTAINS.
              1253...RANGER AT CHIRICAHUA NAT`L MONUMENT REPORTED FLASH FLOOD
              CAME DOWN LOST AND SURPRISE CANYONS INTO VISITORS QUARTERS PARKING              LOTS BETWEEN 1215-1220...WITH WATER TO TOPS OF TREES AND DOOR
              HANDLES OF CARS.  NO INJURIES.  NO OTHER REPORTS. ...SHOGREN.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Tucson, AZ issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 31, 3:19 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTWCPima78 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Arizona, 1993Every flash flood warning in 1993

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.