Alert archive / Arizona / Flash Flood Warnings in 1994
Flash Flood Warning 4, NWS Phoenix, AZ
NWS Phoenix, AZ issued this flash flood warning at May 24, 1994, 7:20 PM MST for Maricopa County, Arizona. It was in force for 70 min.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- May 24, 1994, 7:20 PM MST (02:20 UTC)
- Expired
- May 24, 1994, 8:30 PM MST
- In force
- 70 min
- Issued by
- NWS Phoenix, AZ
- Area
- Whole counties
County Maricopa County, AZ
The nearest sounding before it
Tuscon, AZ (KTUS), launched 00:00Z, 2.3 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
- 295 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -47 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1870 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 49 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 101 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 154 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.9
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KPHX 250219 FFWPHX AZC013-242015- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND FLASH FLOOD WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ 720 PM MST TUE MAY 24 1994 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PHOENIX HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 830 PM MST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...... IN SOUTH CENTRAL ARIZONA ...SOUTH CENTRAL MARICOPA COUNTY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR AT 705 PM DETECTED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM JUST TO THE SOUTHEAST OF GILA BEND, MOVING VERY SLOWLY TO THE NORTH OR NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 10 MPH. RADAR INDICATED THAT THE STORM WILL LIKELY CONTAIN STRONG WINDS IN EXCESS OF 57 MPH, IN ADDITION TO VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND POSSIBLE HAIL. A SPOTTER IN GILA BEND REPORTED .40 INCHES OF RAINFALL IN ABOUT 45 MINUTES. IN ADDITION TO THE COMMUNITY OF GILA BEND, THE STORM WILL AFFECT MOTORISTS ON INTERSTATE 8 BETWEEN GILA BEND AND CASA GRANDE. A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS FLASH FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR ALREADY OCCURRING. WATCH THE WEATHER. IF YOU ARE NEAR A STREAM OR WASH...PREPARE TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND. MOTORISTS SHOULD NEVER DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED WASHES OR HIGHWAY DIPS. SEEK SHELTER IF YOU SEE THREATENIN:G WEATHER APPROACH. STAY TUNED TO RADIO OR TV FOR WEATHER UPDATES.
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, May 24, 5:43 PM MST, 1 hour 37 minutes before
AZZ007-250145- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE YUMA AZ 543 PM MST TUE MAY 24 1994 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING INTO YUMA... AT 535 PM MST, A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS OBSERVED MOVING OUT OF THE FOOTHILLS INTO THE YUMA AREA. THIS STORM HAD JUST RECENTLY DEVELOPED AND WAS LIKELY PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN, WINDS TO MORE THAN 40 MPH, SMALL HAIL AND FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING. IT WAS MOVING TOWARDS THE NORTHWEST, AND WILL MOVE THROUGH YUMA DURING THE NEXT HOUR. ANOTHER STRONG STORM WAS SOUTHEAST OF SAN LUIS MOVING NORTHWEST, AND MAY AFFECT SAN LUIS, GADSEN AND SOMERTON WITH IN THE NEXT 30 MINUTES. OTHER STORMS CONITINUED IN MOST OF YUMA AND LA PAZ COUNTIES. IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS...MOVE TO A PLACE OF SHELTER IMMEDIATELY IF A STORM APPROACHES. MOTORISTS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR REDUCED VISIBILITIES DURING DOWNPOURS OF RAIN. STREETS MAY FLOOD QUICKLY. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TV STATION FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION. FAUSETT
Special weather statement, May 24, 5:44 PM MST, 1 hour 36 minutes before
AZZ007-250145- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE YUMA AZ 543 PM MST TUE MAY 24 1994 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING INTO YUMA... AT 535 PM MST, A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS OBSERVED MOVING OUT OF THE FOOTHILLS INTO THE YUMA AREA. THIS STORM HAD JUST RECENTLY DEVELOPED AND WAS LIKELY PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN, WINDS TO MORE THAN 40 MPH, SMALL HAIL AND FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING. IT WAS MOVING TOWARDS THE NORTHWEST, AND WILL MOVE THROUGH YUMA DURING THE NEXT HOUR. ANOTHER STRONG STORM WAS SOUTHEAST OF SAN LUIS MOVING NORTHWEST, AND MAY AFFECT SAN LUIS, GADSEN AND SOMERTON WITH IN THE NEXT 30 MINUTES. OTHER STORMS CONITINUED IN MOST OF YUMA AND LA PAZ COUNTIES. IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS...MOVE TO A PLACE OF SHELTER IMMEDIATELY IF A STORM APPROACHES. MOTORISTS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR REDUCED VISIBILITIES DURING DOWNPOURS OF RAIN. STREETS MAY FLOOD QUICKLY. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TV STATION FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION. FAUSETT
Special weather statement, May 24, 6:00 PM MST, 1 hour 20 minutes before
AZZALL-250300- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ 600 PM MST TUE MAY 24 1994 ...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUING OVER SOUTHERN ARIZONA... WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF HOURS SHOWED THAT THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED TO FORM OVER SOUTHERN ARIZONA AND THEN MOVE TO THE NORTH AT ABOUT 25 MPH. SOME OF THESE STORMS PRODUCED STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. A STORM SPOTTER IN CASA GRANDE REPORTED .22 INCHES OF RAINFALL FROM 4 TO 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON. 545 PM RADAR SHOWED THAT THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER CENTRAL PINAL COUNTY, NEAR THE COMMUNITIES OF COOLIDGE AND FLORENCE, AND ACROSS SOUTHWESTERN MARICOPA COUNTY, TO THE SOUTHWEST OF GILA BEND. DURING THE NEXT HOUR OR SO, STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY MOVE NORTHWARD ACROSS INTERSTATE 8 BETWEEN GILA BEND AND YUMA, PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN. < SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS SOUTHERN ARIZONA DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS, AND SOME STORMS WILL LIKELY MOVE INTO THE PHOENIX METRO AREA, ESPECIALLY THE SOUTHEASTERN VALLEY COMMUNITIES OF APACHE JUNCTION, GILBERT, EAST MESA AND CHANDLER. PERSONS OUT AND ABOUT SOUTHERN ARIZONA THIS EVENING SHOULD KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON THE SKY AND PREPARE TO SEEK SHELTER SHOULD THREATENING WEATHER APPROACH. MOTORISTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE ON INTERSTATE 8 BETWEEN GILA BEND AND YUMA, SHOULD BE ALERT FOR STRONG GUSTY SHIFTING CROSSWINDS, AND LOCALLY HEAVY THUNDERSTORM RAINS THAT CAN SHARPLY REDUCE VISIBILITY. BRECKENRIDGE
Special weather statement, May 24, 6:08 PM MST, 1 hour 12 minutes before
AZZALL-250300- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ 600 PM MST TUE MAY 24 1994 ...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUING OVER SOUTHERN ARIZONA... WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF HOURS SHOWED THAT THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED TO FORM OVER SOUTHERN ARIZONA AND THEN MOVE TO THE NORTH AT ABOUT 25 MPH. SOME OF THESE STORMS PRODUCED STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. A STORM SPOTTER IN CASA GRANDE REPORTED .22 INCHES OF RAINFALL FROM 4 TO 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON. 545 PM RADAR SHOWED THAT THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER CENTRAL PINAL COUNTY, NEAR THE COMMUNITIES OF COOLIDGE AND FLORENCE, AND ACROSS SOUTHWESTERN MARICOPA COUNTY, TO THE SOUTHWEST OF GILA BEND. DURING THE NEXT HOUR OR SO, STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY MOVE NORTHWARD ACROSS INTERSTATE 8 BETWEEN GILA BEND AND YUMA, PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN. < SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS SOUTHERN ARIZONA DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS, AND SOME STORMS WILL LIKELY MOVE INTO THE PHOENIX METRO AREA, ESPECIALLY THE SOUTHEASTERN VALLEY COMMUNITIES OF APACHE JUNCTION, GILBERT, EAST MESA AND CHANDLER. PERSONS OUT AND ABOUT SOUTHERN ARIZONA THIS EVENING SHOULD KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON THE SKY AND PREPARE TO SEEK SHELTER SHOULD THREATENING WEATHER APPROACH. MOTORISTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE ON INTERSTATE 8 BETWEEN GILA BEND AND YUMA, SHOULD BE ALERT FOR STRONG GUSTY SHIFTING CROSSWINDS, AND LOCALLY HEAVY THUNDERSTORM RAINS THAT CAN SHARPLY REDUCE VISIBILITY. BRECKENRIDGE
Special weather statement, May 24, 6:29 PM MST, 51 minutes before
AZZ007-250230- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE YUMA AZ 629 PM MST TUE MAY 24 1994 ...MORE THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING IN YUMA AND LA PAZ COUNTIES... AT 615 PM MST...AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS EXPANDING ACROSS FAR SOUTHWEST ARIZONA AND SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA. SOME OF THE STORMS IN THE YUMA AREA WERE CAUSING MINOR STREET FLOODING. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE RECORDED ANOTHER 0.14 INCHES OF RAIN WITH A SECOND THUNDERSTORM, MOST OF IT FALLING WITHIN 5 MINUTES. ALSO, WINDS GUSTED TO 44 MPH AT THE AIRPORT. OTHER STORMS WERE UPSTREAM TO THE EAST AND SOUTHEAST, AND WILL AFFECT YUMA AND VICINITY FOR THE NEXT TWO HOURS. SATELLITE IMAGERY INDICATED THAT THE UPPER LOW RESPONSIBLE FOR THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WAS LOCATED IN THE NORTHERN GULF OF CALIFORNIA AND MOVING TO THE EAST-NORTHEAST. THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO FORM OVERNIGHT IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE LOW. ON WEDNESDAY, ALTHOUGH THE LOW WILL BE FURTHER EAST, ITS COUNTERCLOCKWISE CIRCULATION MAY SWING MORE THUNDERSTORMS INTO THE AREA FROM THE NORTHEAST. MOTORISTS SHOULD EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH SOUTHERN ARIZONA TONIGHT. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS WHERE WATER IS COVERING THE ROAD. NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF MOVING WATER, WHICH AT A DEPTH OF ONLY A FOOT-AND-A-HALF CAN SWEEP AWAY MOST AUTOMOBILES. DURING A THUNDERSTORM, STAY AWAY FROM OPEN WINDOWS AND DO NOT USE THE TELEPHONE UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR THE LATEST UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS ADVERSE WEATHER SITUATION. FAUSETT
Special weather statement, May 24, 6:30 PM MST, 50 minutes before
AZZ007-250230- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE YUMA AZ 629 PM MST TUE MAY 24 1994 ...MORE THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING IN YUMA AND LA PAZ COUNTIES... AT 615 PM MST...AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS EXPANDING ACROSS FAR SOUTHWEST ARIZONA AND SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA. SOME OF THE STORMS IN THE YUMA AREA WERE CAUSING MINOR STREET FLOODING. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE RECORDED ANOTHER 0.14 INCHES OF RAIN WITH A SECOND THUNDERSTORM, MOST OF IT FALLING WITHIN 5 MINUTES. ALSO, WINDS GUSTED TO 44 MPH AT THE AIRPORT. OTHER STORMS WERE UPSTREAM TO THE EAST AND SOUTHEAST, AND WILL AFFECT YUMA AND VICINITY FOR THE NEXT TWO HOURS. SATELLITE IMAGERY INDICATED THAT THE UPPER LOW RESPONSIBLE FOR THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WAS LOCATED IN THE NORTHERN GULF OF CALIFORNIA AND MOVING TO THE EAST-NORTHEAST. THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO FORM OVERNIGHT IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE LOW. ON WEDNESDAY, ALTHOUGH THE LOW WILL BE FURTHER EAST, ITS COUNTERCLOCKWISE CIRCULATION MAY SWING MORE THUNDERSTORMS INTO THE AREA FROM THE NORTHEAST. MOTORISTS SHOULD EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH SOUTHERN ARIZONA TONIGHT. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS WHERE WATER IS COVERING THE ROAD. NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF MOVING WATER, WHICH AT A DEPTH OF ONLY A FOOT-AND-A-HALF CAN SWEEP AWAY MOST AUTOMOBILES. DURING A THUNDERSTORM, STAY AWAY FROM OPEN WINDOWS AND DO NOT USE THE TELEPHONE UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR THE LATEST UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS ADVERSE WEATHER SITUATION. FAUSETT
The office that day
Everything else NWS Phoenix, AZ issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 24, 7:20 PM MST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PSR | Maricopa | 70 min |
| May 24, 8:20 PM MST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PSR | Pinal | 70 min |
Nearby
Flash Flood Warnings in Arizona, 1994Every flash flood warning in 1994
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.