Alert archive / Arizona / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1995

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 2, NWS Tucson, AZ

February 21, 1995Pima County, Arizona

NWS Tucson, AZ issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Feb 21, 1995, 4:08 PM MST for Pima County, Arizona. It was in force for 67 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Feb 21, 1995, 4:08 PM MST (23:08 UTC)
Expired
Feb 21, 1995, 5:15 PM MST
In force
67 min
Issued by
NWS Tucson, AZ
Area
Whole counties

County Pima County, AZ

The nearest sounding before it

Tuscon, AZ (KTUS), launched 12:00Z, 11.1 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 1995-02-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 1995-02-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 123 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
2205 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
36 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
123 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
122 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 
WUUS1 KTUS 212308 RRA
SVRTUS
AZC019-220015-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON ARIZONA
408 PM MST TUE FEB 21 1995
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TUCSON ARIZONA HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  515 PM MST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN SOUTH CENTRAL ARIZONA
 
   ...EASTERN PIMA COUNTY
 
AT 409 PM RADAR AND LIGHTNING DETECTION EQUIPMENT INDICATED A POSSIBLE
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ABOUT 5 MILES SOUTH..SOUTHEAST OF TUCSON. THIS STORM
WAS MOVING TO THE NORTH..NORTHWEST AT 35 TO 40 MPH TOWARD DAVIS MONTHAN
AIR FORCE BASE...DOWNTOWN TUCSON...AND TUCSON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
 
THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE
HAIL...TORRENTIAL RAINFALL...AND DEADLY LIGHTNING.
 
IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER FROM THE WEATHER IN A
STRONG BUILDING.  DAMAGING WIND...LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN...
AND DEADLY LIGHTNING ARE ALL POSSIBLE IN SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.
STAY INSIDE AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.
 
DRB

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, 2:36 PM MST, 1 hour 32 minutes before
AZZ009-010-212245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON ARIZONA
236 PM MST TUE FEB 21 1995

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM JUST NORTH OF MT LEMMON...

AT 235 PM RADAR SHOWED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM JUST NORTHEAST OF MT
LEMMON...WHICH IS ABOUT 25 MILES NORTH OF DOWNTOWN TUCSON.  THIS STORM
WAS MOVING TO THE NORTH..NORTHWEST AT ABOUT 25 MPH.  IT WILL AFFECT THE
TOWNS OF CATALINA AND ORACLE BEFORE 330 PM.

THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING ONE HALF INCH HAIL...WIND GUSTS TO 50
MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND TORRENTIAL RAINFALL.  SEEK SHELTER AS
THIS STORM APPROACHES.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE ACROSS SOUTHERN ARIZONA
FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON.  BE PREPARED TO SEEK SAFE SHELTER
SHOULD A STORM APPROACH YOU.

DRB
Special weather statement, Feb 21, 2:37 PM MST, 1 hour 31 minutes before
AZZ009-010-212245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON ARIZONA
236 PM MST TUE FEB 21 1995

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM JUST NORTH OF MT LEMMON...

AT 235 PM RADAR SHOWED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM JUST NORTHEAST OF MT
LEMMON...WHICH IS ABOUT 25 MILES NORTH OF DOWNTOWN TUCSON.  THIS STORM
WAS MOVING TO THE NORTH..NORTHWEST AT ABOUT 25 MPH.  IT WILL AFFECT THE
TOWNS OF CATALINA AND ORACLE BEFORE 330 PM.

THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING ONE HALF INCH HAIL...WIND GUSTS TO 50
MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND TORRENTIAL RAINFALL.  SEEK SHELTER AS
THIS STORM APPROACHES.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE ACROSS SOUTHERN ARIZONA
FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOONj.  BE PREPARED TO SEEK SAFE SHELTER
SHOULD A STORM APPROACH YOU.

DRB
Special weather statement, Feb 21, 3:11 PM MST, 57 minutes before
AZZ009-010-212315-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON ARIZONA
311 PM MST TUE FEB 21 1995

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER NORTHEAST PIMA COUNTY...

AT 310 PM SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED ACROSS SOUTHEAST ARIZONA.
THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED OVER NORTHEAST PIMA COUNTY...
ESPECIALLY FROM THE TUCSON AREA NORTH AND EASTWARD THROUGH THE CATALINA
AND RINCON MOUNTAINS.  MOVEMENT OF THESE STORMS WAS TO THE NORTH..
NORTHWEST AT 25 MPH.

ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS ARE SUCH THAT THESE STORM ARE CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH...HAIL TO ONE HALF INCH...TORRENTIAL
RAINFALL...AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING.

LOOK FOR SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS TO CONTINUE OVER THE AREA FOR THE
REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON.  SEEK APPROPRIATE SHELTER SHOULD A STORM
APPROACH YOUR AREA.  LOCALIZED VERY HEAVY RAINFALL COULD LEAD TO RAPID
RUNOFF AND PONDING OF WATER IN LOW AREAS.  NEVER ATTEMPT TO CROSS A
FLOODED WASH OR ROADWAY.

DRB
Special weather statement, Feb 21, 3:12 PM MST, 56 minutes before
AZZ009-010-212315-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON ARIZONA
311 PM MST TUE FEB 21 1995

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER NORTHEAST PIMA COUNTY...

AT 310 PM SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED ACROSS SOUTHEAST ARIZONA.
THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED OVER NORTHEAST PIMA COUNTY...
ESPECIALLY FROM THE TUCSON AREA NORTH AND EASTWARD THROUGH THE CATALINA
AND RINCON MOUNTAINS.  MOVEMENT OF THESE STORMS WAS TO THE NORTH..
NORTHWEST AT 25 MPH.

ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS ARE SUCH THAT THESE STORM ARE CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH...HAIL TO ONE HALF INCH...TORRENTIAL
RAINFALL...AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING.

LOOK FOR SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS TO CONTINUE OVER THE AREA FOR THE
REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON.  SEEK APPROPRIATE SHELTER SHOULD A STORM
APPROACH YOUR AREA.  LOCALIZED VERY HEAVY RAINFALL COULD LEAD TO RAPID
RUNOFF AND PONDING OF WATER IN LOW AREAS.  NEVER ATTEMPT TO CROSS A
FLOODED WASH OR ROADWAY.

DRB
Special weather statement, Feb 21, 3:26 PM MST, 42 minutes before
AZZ009-212330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON ARIZONA
326 PM MST TUE FEB 21 1995

...HEAVY RAINFALL MOVING THROUGH DOWNTOWN TUCSON...

AT 325 PM A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED OVER DOWNTOWN TUCSON MOVING
TO THE NORTH..NORTHWEST AT ABOUT 25 MPH. THIS STORM WAS PRODUCING A
PERIOD OF BRIEF BUT TORRENTIAL RAINFALL AND COULD LEAD TO LOCALIZED
STREET FLOODING AS IT MOVES THROUGH THE URBAN AREAS OF TUCSON.

THIS STORM WILL MOVE THROUGH DOWNTOWN TUCSON BY 345 PM...AND THEN TOWARD
THE TOWNS OF MARANA AND ORO VALLEY BY 415 PM.  AREA ROADWAYS WILL
LIKELY EXPERIENCE A PERIOD OF RAPID RUNOFF WHICH COULD LEAD TO LOCALIZED
PONDING OF WATER AT INTERSECTIONS AND UNDERPASSES.  MOTORISTS SHOULD USE
EXTRA CAUTION AND EXPECT SLICK ROADS AND POSSIBLE PONDING OF WATER ON
THE ROADWAYS.

THESE STORMS ARE ALSO CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH...AS
WELL AS PEA TO MARBLE SIZED HAIL.  SEEK SAFE SHELTER AS THESE STORMS
MOVE THROUGH THE AREA.

DRB
Special weather statement, Feb 21, 3:27 PM MST, 41 minutes before
AZZ009-212330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON ARIZONA
326 PM MST TUE FEB 21 1995

...HEAVY RAINFALL MOVING THROUGH DOWNTOWN TUCSON...

AT 325 PM A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED OVER DOWNTOWN TUCSON MOVING
TO THE NORTH..NORTHWEST AT ABOUT 25 MPH. THIS STORM WAS PRODUCING A
PERIOD OF BRIEF BUT TORRENTIAL RAINFALL AND COULD LEAD TO LOCALIZED
STREET FLOODING AS IT MOVES THROUGH THE URBAN AREAS OF TUCSON.

THIS STORM WILL MOVE THROUGH DOWNTOWN TUCSON BY 345 PM...AND THEN TOWARD
THE TOWNS OF MARANA AND ORO VALLEY BY 415 PM.  AREA ROADWAYS WILL
LIKELY EXPERIENCE A PERIOD OF RAPID RUNOFF WHICH COULD LEAD TO LOCALIZED
PONDING OF WATER AT INTERSECTIONS AND UNDERPASSES.  MOTORISTS SHOULD USE
EXTRA CAUTION AND EXPECT SLICK ROADS AND POSSIBLE PONDING OF WATER ON
THE ROADWAYS.

THESE STORMS ARE ALSO CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH...AS
WELL AS PEA TO MARBLE SIZED HAIL.  SEEK SAFE SHELTER AS THESE STORMS
MOVE THROUGH THE AREA.

DRB

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 21, 3:37 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTWCPima53 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.