Alert archive / Arizona / Flash Flood Warnings in 1993

Flash Flood Warning 8, NWS Tucson, AZ

August 2, 1993Pima County, Arizona

NWS Tucson, AZ issued this flash flood warning at Aug 2, 1993, 8:10 PM MST for Pima County, Arizona. It was in force for 2 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 2, 1993, 8:10 PM MST (03:10 UTC)
Expired
Aug 2, 1993, 10:15 PM MST
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS Tucson, AZ
Area
Whole counties

County Pima County, AZ

The nearest sounding before it

Tuscon, AZ (KTUS), launched 00:00Z, 3.2 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 00:00Z on 1993-08-03Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 615 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 00:00Z on 1993-08-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 5 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
615 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-7 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
3119 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
13 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
5 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
28 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 030311
FFWTUS
AZC019-030515-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON ARIZONA
810 PM MST MON AUG 2 1993
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TUCSON ARIZONA HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND FLASH FLOOD WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1015 PM MST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN SOUTH CENTRAL ARIZONA
 
   ...NORTHEASTERN PIMA COUNTY
 
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR
NORTHEASTERN PIMA COUNTY.  SPECIFIC AFFECTED AREAS INCLUDE REDINGTON
PASS, ROSE CANYON LAKE, SUMMERHAVEN, SPENCER CANYON, AND THE SURROUNDING
AREA.
 
 
 
 
BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE
THE DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS.  IF FLASH FLOODING IS
OBSERVED...ACT QUICKLY.  MOVE UP TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS.  DO
NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM.  IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH YOU SHOULD
PREPA$RE FOR DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH...LARGE HAIL...
DEADLY LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.  IF OUTSIDE...MOVE TO A
SHELTER OR INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING...BUT STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
 
 
 
BARTOLOME

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, Aug 2, 6:00 PM MST, 2 hours 10 minutes before
AZC003-019-023-030300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON ARIZONA
600 PM MST MON AUG 2 1993

AT 550 PM MST, TUCSON WEATHER RADAR AND SATELLITE IMAGES INDICATED
SCATTERED RAINSHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FORMING OVER SANTA CRUZ, COCHISE
AND PARTS OF SOUTHEAST PIMA COUNTIES.

ONE STORM ABOUT 5 MILES NORTH OF ELFRIDA APPEARED TO BE QUITE INTENSE,
WITH STRONG RETURNS ON THE RADAR.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS AND RAINSHOWERS WERE OVER SANTA CRUZ COUNTY.
THESE STORMS  COULD CAUSE PROBLEMS OVER PARTS OF I-19, PENA BLANCA,
AND ARIVACA LAKES.

IN PIMA COUNTY, STORMS WERE FORMING OVER THE RINCON MOUNTAINS AND
THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE CATALINAS.

WHILE MOST OF THESE STORMS ARE NOT IN THE VERY STRONG RANGE, ALL
THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING, HEAVY
RAINFALL WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF LOCAL FLOODING, AND STRONG GUSTY
WINDS.

PERSONS OUT AND ABOUT, ESPECIALLY ON SOUTHEASTERN ARIZONA LAKES SHOULD
BE ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING CONDITIONS.  IF STORMS APPROACH TAKE
SHELTER.  IF IN A BOAT GET OFF OF THE WATER.  STRONG WINDS MAY SWAMP
SMALL CRAFT, AND SMALL BOATS OFFER NO PROTECTION FROM LIGHTNING STRIKES.

FURTHER STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED AS NECESSARY.

BARTOLOME
Special weather statement, Aug 2, 6:03 PM MST, 2 hours 7 minutes before
AZC003-019-023-030300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON ARIZONA
600 PM MST MON AUG 2 1993

AT 550 PM MST, TUCSON WEATHER RADAR AND SATELLITE IMAGES INDICATED
SCATTERED RAINSHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FORMING OVER SANTA CRUZ, COCHISE
AND PARTS OF SOUTHEAST PIMA COUNTIES.

ONE STORM ABOUT 5 MILES NORTH OF ELFRIDA APPEARED TO BE QUITE INTENSE,
WITH STRONG RETURNS ON THE RADAR.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS AND RAINSHOWERS WERE OVER SANTA CRUZ COUNTY.
THESE STORMS  COULD CAUSE PROBLEMS OVER PARTS OF I-19, PENA BLANCA,
AND ARIVACA LAKES.

IN PIMA COUNTY, STORMS WERE FORMING OVER THE RINCON MOUNTAINS AND
THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE CATALINAS.

WHILE MOST OF THESE STORMS ARE NOT IN THE VERY STRONG RANGE, ALL
THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING, HEAVY
RAINFALL WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF LOCAL FLOODING, AND STRONG GUSTY
WINDS.

PERSONS OUT AND ABOUT, ESPECIALLY ON SOUTHEASTERN ARIZONA LAKES SHOULD
BE ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING CONDITIONS.  IF STORMS APPROACH TAKE
SHELTER.  IF IN A BOAT GET OFF OF THE WATER.  STRONG WINDS MAY SWAMP
SMALL CRAFT, AND SMALL BOATS OFFER NO PROTECTION FROM LIGHTNING STRIKES.

FURTHER STATEMENTS WILL BE I
SSUED AS NECESSARY.

BARTOLOME
Special weather statement, Aug 2, 7:41 PM MST, 29 minutes before
AZC019-030345-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON ARIZONA
741 PM MST MON AUG 2 1993

AT 730 PM MST TUCSON WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A LARGE THUNDERSTORM
COMPLEX APPROACHING REDINGTON PASS. PART OF THIS COMPLEX IS ALREADY OVER
PART OF THE GREATER TUCSON AREA. THIS STORM IS PRODUCING MUCH DANGEROUS
CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. AS THESE STORM ARE DEVELOPING SLOWLY TO THE
SOUTHWEST, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE OVER TUCSON.

LIGHTNING DETECTORS HAVE INDICATED MANY STRIKES DURING THE PAST HALF
HOUR.

A WEATHER SPOTTER IN THE BEAR CANYON AREA REPORTED A QUARTER INCH OF
RAIN IN PERIODIC SHOWERS.  HE ALSO SAID THAT THERE WERE MORE STORMS TO
THE NORTHEAST OF HIM.
PERSONS IN THE VICINITY OF THESE STORMS SHOULD TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY
FROM THE FREQUENT LIGHTNING STROKES.  STAY INSIDE, AND DO NOT GET UNDER
TREES.

BARTOLOME
Special weather statement, Aug 2, 7:42 PM MST, 28 minutes before
AZC019-030345-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON ARIZONA
741 PM MST MON AUG 2 1993

AT 730 PM MST TUCSON WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A LARGE THUNDERSTORM
COMPLEX APPROACHING REDINGTON PASS. PART OF THIS COMPLEX IS ALREADY OVER
PART OF THE GREATER TUCSON AREA. THIS STORM IS PRODUCING MUCH DANGEROUS
CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. AS THESE STORM ARE DEVELOPING SLOWLY TO THE
SOUTHWEST, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE OVER TUCSON.

LIGHTNING DETECTORS HAVE INDICATED MANY STRIKES DURING THE PAST HALF
HOUR.

A WEATHER SPOTTER IN THE BEAR CANYON AREA REPORTED A QUARTER INCH OF
RAIN IN PERIODIC SHOWERS.  HE ALSO SAID THAT THERE WERE MORE STORMS TO
THE NORTHEAST OF HIM.
PERSONS IN THE VICINITY OF THESE STORMS SHOULD TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY
FROM THE FREQUENT LIGHTNING STROKES.  STAY INSIDE, AND DO NOT GET UNDER
TREES.

BARTOLOME

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 2, 8:10 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTWCPima2 hr
Aug 3, 1:10 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCCochise65 min
Aug 3, 1:10 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTWCCochise65 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.