Alert archive / Arizona / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1995

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 3, NWS Phoenix, AZ

February 21, 1995Pinal County, Arizona

NWS Phoenix, AZ issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Feb 21, 1995, 5:12 PM MST for Pinal County, Arizona. It was in force for 48 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Feb 21, 1995, 5:12 PM MST (00:12 UTC)
Expired
Feb 21, 1995, 6:00 PM MST
In force
48 min
Issued by
NWS Phoenix, AZ
Area
Whole counties

County Pinal County, AZ

The radar

The Phoenix radar (KIWA), 52 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:12 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Tuscon, AZ (KTUS), launched 00:00Z, 0.2 hours before the alert went out and 92 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 1995-02-22Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 189 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 1995-02-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -35 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
189 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-83 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1198 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
44 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-35 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
50 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
-0.0
Supercell composite
-0.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KPHX 220018 RRA
SVRPHX
AZC021-220100-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
512 PM MST TUE FEB 21 1995

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PHOENIX AZ HAS ISSUED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 600 PM MST FOR PEOPLE IN THE
FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...

IN SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA

  ...EASTERN PINAL COUNTY...THE AREA AROUND FLORENCE

AT 510 PM DOPPLER RADAR DETECTED A VERY STRONG POSSIBLY SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM MOVING RAPIDLY TOWARD THE CITY OF FLORENCE FROM THE
SOUTHEAST.   THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS IN
EXCESS OF 57 MPH...LARGE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY RAIN.

MOBILE HOMES ARE PARTICULARLY VUNERABLE TO HIGH WINDS.

SEEK SHELTER IN A STRONG BUILDING AND BUT STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM.

VASQUEZ

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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, Feb 21, 1:09 PM MST, 4 hours 3 minutes before
AZZ007-008-212200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
109 PM MST TUE FEB 21 1995

...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ALONG A LINE FROM PARKER TO GILA
BEND AT 1 PM...

A NORTHWEST-SOUTHEAST LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS DEVELOPING IN WESTERN
ARIZONA FROM PARKER TO GILA BEND.   A FEW OF THESE STORMS WERE STRONG
AND MOVING TO THE NORTHWEST AT NEARLY 30 MPH.

A SECOND AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS DEVELOPING NEAR TUCSON AT 1 PM.

THE GREATEST THREAT WITH THESE STORMS ARE GUSTY WINDS.  THUNDERSTORM
WINDS COULD PEAK TO NEAR 50 MPH ALONG WITH DENSE BLOWING DUST ON THE
DESERTS.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON AND
EXTEND TO OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE.  RESIDENTS AND MOTORISTS SHOULD
MONITOR THE AREA FOR APPROACHING WEATHER AND PREPARE FOR GUSTY WINDS.

VASQUEZ
Special weather statement, Feb 21, 1:20 PM MST, 3 hours 52 minutes before
AZZ007-008-212200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
109 PM MST TUE FEB 21 1995

...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ALONG A LINE FROM PARKER TO GILA
BEND AT 1 PM...

A NORTHWEST-SOUTHEAST LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS DEVELOPING IN WESTERN
ARIZONA FROM PARKER TO GILA BEND.   A FEW OF THESE STORMS WERE STRONG
AND MOVING TO THE NORTHWEST AT NEARLY 30 MPH.

A SECOND AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS DEVELOPING NEAR TUCSON AT 1 PM.

THE GREATEST THREAT WITH THESE STORMS ARE GUSTY WINDS.  THUNDERSTORM
WINDS COULD PEAK TO NEAR 50 MPH ALONG WITH DENSE BLOWING DUST ON THE
DESERTS.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON AND
EXTEND TO OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE.  RESIDENTS AND MOTORISTS SHOULD
MONITOR THE AREA FOR APPROACHING WEATHER AND PREPARE FOR GUSTY WINDS.

VASQUEZ
Special weather statement, Feb 21, 3:00 PM MST, 2 hours 12 minutes before
AZZ008-009-220000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
300 PM MST TUE FEB 21 1995

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING IN SOUTHEAST PINAL COUNTY BETWEEN
FLORENCE AND ORACLE... AND IN WESTERN ARIZONA BETWEEN LAKE HAVASU AND
BUCKEYE...

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OVER PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND
SOUTHEAST ARIZONA.  AT 245 PM WEATHER RADAR DETECTED NUMEROUS
THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE CATALINA MOUNTAINS NEAR TUCSON EXTENDING NORTH
TOWARD THE TOWN OF FLORENCE IN PINAL COUNTY.   THESE STORMS WERE MOVING
NORTH AT 25 MPH AND HAVE A HISTORY OF PRODUCING 1/2 INCH DIAMETER
HAILSTONES...STRONG WINDS...AND HEAVY RAIN.  TWO OF THE LARGEST STORMS
AT 245 PM WERE LOCATED NEAR SAN MANUEL... AND 15 MILES NORTH OF ORACLE
JUNCTION.

ANOTHER AREA OF STRONG STORMS WAS LOCATED IN WESTERN ARIZONA BETWEEN THE
TOWNS OF VICKSBURG AND INTERSTATE 10 NEAR TONOPAH. THESE STORMS WERE
MOVING NORTHWEST AT 30 MPH.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON
AND EVENING AND EXTEND TO OTHER AREAS OF THE STATE.  RESIDENTS AND
MOTORISTS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR STRONG WINDS TO 50 MPH...BLOWING
DUST...HAIL...AND HEAVY RAIN.

VASQUEZ
Special weather statement, Feb 21, 3:10 PM MST, 2 hours 2 minutes before
AZZ008-009-220000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
300 PM MST TUE FEB 21 1995

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING IN SOUTHEAST PINAL COUNTY BETWEEN
FLORENCE AND ORACLE... AND IN WESTERN ARIZONA BETWEEN LAKE HAVASU AND
BUCKEYE...

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OVER PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND
SOUTHEAST ARIZONA.  AT 245 PM WEATHER RADAR DETECTED NUMEROUS
THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE CATALINA MOUNTAINS NEAR TUCSON EXTENDING NORTH
TOWARD THE TOWN OF FLORENCE IN PINAL COUNTY.   THESE STORMS WERE MOVING
NORTH AT 25 MPH AND HAVE A HISTORY OF PRODUCING 1/2 INCH DIAMETER
HAILSTONES...STRONG WINDS...AND HEAVY RAIN.  TWO OF THE LARGEST STORMS
AT 245 PM WERE LOCATED NEAR SAN MANUEL... AND 15 MILES NORTH OF ORACLE
JUNCTION.

ANOTHER AREA OF STRONG STORMS WAS LOCATED IN WESTERN ARIZONA BETWEEN THE
TOWNS OF VICKSBURG AND INTERSTATE 10 NEAR TONOPAH. THESE STORMS WERE
MOVING NORTHWEST AT 30 MPH.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON
AND EVENING AND EXTEND TO OTHER AREAS OF THE STATE.  RESIDENTS AND
MOTORISTS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR STRONG WINDS TO 50 MPH...BLOWING
DUST...HAIL...AND HEAVY RAIN.

VASQUEZ
Special weather statement, Feb 21, 4:36 PM MST, 36 minutes before
AZZ008-220130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
436 PM MST TUE FEB 21 1995

...THUNDERSTORMS...GUSTY WINDS...AND POSSIBLE BLOWING DUST MOVING INTO
THE PHOENIX VALLEY FROM THE EAST AND SOUTHEAST THIS EVENING...

A GUST FRONT WITH POSSIBLE BLOWING DUST...GENERATED FROM THUNDERSTORMS
NEAR FLORENCE JUNCTION...WAS APPROACHING THE PHOENIX EAST VALLEY AT 430
PM.  GUSTY WINDS TO 35 MPH WILL LIKELY SPREAD INTO PARTS OF PHOENIX FROM
THE EAST THIS EVENING...INCLUDING THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT.

RESIDENTS AND MOTORISTS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR GUSTY WINDS...BLOWING
DUST...FREQUENT LIGHTNING WITH HEAVY RAIN.

VASQUEZ
Special weather statement, Feb 21, 4:47 PM MST, 25 minutes before
AZZ008-220130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
436 PM MST TUE FEB 21 1995

...THUNDERSTORMS...GUSTY WINDS...AND POSSIBLE BLOWING DUST MOVING INTO
THE PHOENIX VALLEY FROM THE EAST AND SOUTHEAST THIS EVENING...

A GUST FRONT WITH POSSIBLE BLOWING DUST...GENERATED FROM THUNDERSTORMS
NEAR FLORENCE JUNCTION...WAS APPROACHING THE PHOENIX EAST VALLEY AT 430
PM.  GUSTY WINDS TO 35 MPH WILL LIKELY SPREAD INTO PARTS OF PHOENIX FROM
THE EAST THIS EVENING...INCLUDING THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT.

RESIDENTS AND MOTORISTS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR GUSTY WINDS...BLOWING
DUST...FREQUENT LIGHTNING WITH HEAVY RAIN.

VASQUEZ

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 21, 5:37 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPSRMaricopa33 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Arizona, 1995Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1995

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.