Severe Thunderstorm Warning 39, NWS Phoenix, AZ

AZZ015>026-191200-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR THE SOUTHERN HALF OF ARIZONA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
1225 PM MST SAT AUG 17 1996

...THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER PARTS OF
SOUTHEAST AND EAST-CENTRAL ARIZONA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...WITH HEAVY RAIN...
HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING...IN SANTA CRUZ
...COCHISE...GRAHAM AND GREENLEE COUNTIES...AND IN PIMA COUNTY EAST
OF SELLS...INCLUDING THE TUCSON METRO AREA...AND IN PINAL COUNTY...
SOUTHEAST OF A LINE FROM COOLIDGE DAM TO PICACHO TO THE INTERSECTION
OF THE TOHONO O'ODHAM RESERVATION EASTERN BOUNDARY AND PIMA COUNTY
LINE. STORMS WILL DEVELOP OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND GRADUALLY MOVE EAST
AND NORTHEAST.

ANOTHER SURGE OF MOISTURE FROM THE GULF OF CALIFORNIA IS TAKING PLACE
TODAY IN GENERALLY THE LOWER 5000 FEET OF THE ATMOSPHERE. THE SURFACE
DEWPOINTS HAVE AGAIN INCREASED OVER MUCH OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA AS THIS
SURGE SPREAD OUT ON A WEST-SOUTHWEST WIND. THIS ADDITIONAL MOISTURE
WILL AID IN STORM DEVELOPMENT. MOREOVER...ANOTHER IN A SERIES OF WEAK
UPPER-AIR DISTURBANCES IS MOVING EASTWARD ACROSS EASTERN ARIZONA AND
WILL TRIGGER STRONG STORMS OVER THE RISK AREA. DIFLUENT UPPER-LEVEL
FLOW IN THE SOUTHEAST WILL AID IN GROWING LARGE...TALL STORMS THERE.

THE STORMS WILL BE VERY MOISTURE-LADEN...WITH HEAVY RAIN BEING THE
MOST DISTINCT THREAT. SOME WIND SHEAR AND PRECIPITATION LOADING WILL
AID IN DEVELOPING POSSIBLE WET MICROBURST ACTIVITY WITH VERY STRONG
...POSSIBLY DAMAGING WINDS IN THE VICINITY OF SOME STORMS. HAIL IS A
GOOD POSSIBILITY AS WELL AS CLOUD BASES ARE GOING TO BE LOWER TODAY
THAN THEY HAVE BEEN RECENTLY...BUT IT IS MOST LIKELY OVER THE HIGHER
TERRAIN.

PEOPLE WITH OUTDOOR INTERESTS...OR THOSE TRAVELING THROUGH THE EAST-
CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST PARTS OF THE STATE...SHOULD STAY AWARE OF THE
POSSIBILITY OF ADVERSE WEATHER. STRONG WINDS...HEAVY @RAIN...BLOWING
DUST...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND HAIL ARE ALL CONSIDERATIONS IN THAT
AREA TODAY.

WILT