Alert archive / Arizona / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 48, NWS Tucson, AZ

August 3, 1998Santa Cruz County, Arizona

NWS Tucson, AZ issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 3, 1998, 5:03 PM MST for Santa Cruz County, Arizona. It was in force for 32 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 3, 1998, 5:03 PM MST (00:03 UTC)
Expired
Aug 3, 1998, 5:35 PM MST
In force
32 min
Issued by
NWS Tucson, AZ
Area
Whole counties

County Santa Cruz County, AZ

The radar

The Tucson radar (KEMX), 46 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:03 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, 0.1 hours before the alert went out and 72 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 1998-08-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 219 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 1998-08-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 15 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
219 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-16 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
3580 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
10 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
15 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
17 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.

854 
WUUS1 KTUS 040004 RRA
SVRTUS
AZC023-040035-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ
503 PM MST MON AUG 3 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TUCSON HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA

* UNTIL 535 PM MST

* AT 459 PM MST... DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
  OVER THE SANTA RITA MOUNTAINS NEAR MADERA CANYON OR 8 MILES
  NORTHEAST OF TUBAC MOVING SOUTH AT 5 MPH. THIS STORM IS CAPABLE
  OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS OVER 60 MPH...HAIL...AND UP TO 1 INCH OF
  RAINFALL PER HOUR.

CEC

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.

NWS Tucson, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Aug 3, 2:30 PM MST, 2 hours 33 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 3, 2:30 PM MST, 2 hours 33 minutes before
SOUTHEAST ARIZONA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ
230 PM MST MON AUG 3 1998

SYNOPSIS...HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT OVER THE WESTERN GREAT BASIN THIS
AFTERNOON WILL MOVE TO THE FOUR CORNERS REGION BY THE END OF THE
WEEK. DEEPER MOISTURE WILL SLOWLY MOVE BACK INTO SOUTHEAST ARIZONA
DURING THE WEEK FOR AN INCREASE IN THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY.

DISCUSSION...HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT IS IN AN UNFAVORABLE POSITION TO
IMPORT MORE MOISTURE INTO SOUTHEAST ARIZONA THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING.
ENOUGH MOISTURE IS IN PLACE FOR ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS
MAINLY FROM TUCSON EASTWARD. NORTHWEST TO NORTH STEERING WINDS
WILL KEEP UNSEASONABLY DRY AIR JUST TO OUR NORTHWEST FOR THE NEXT 36
TO 48 HOURS. WILL KEEP SCATTERED POPS IN THE FAR SOUTHEAST DUE TO
EXPECTED MESO SCALE CONVECTIVE SYSTEM (MCS) DEVELOPMENT OVER SONORA
MEXICO THE NEXT TWO DAYS.

850 MB DEWPOINTS AND THEREFORE THE MONSOON MOISTURE BOUNDARY CREEPS
SLOWLY WESTWARD TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY FOR A GRADUAL
INCREASE IN THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. SHOULD ALSO SEE MCS DEVELOPMENT
CLOSER TO THE SOUTHERN ARIZONA BORDER TUESDAY NIGHT FOR AN INFLUX OF
MOISTURE INTO THE WESTERN ZONES.

HIGH PRESSURE SETS UP NEAR THE FOUR CORNERS REGION PER THE EUROPEAN
MODELS BY THIS WEEKEND FOR A GOOD EASTERLY WIND FLOW ACROSS SOUTHERN
ARIZONA. STANDARD MONSOON FORECAST IN THE EXTENDED PERIOD LOOKS
GOOD. TUS 2222. OKULSKI

.TWC...NONE.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 3, 12:45 PM MST, 4 hours 18 minutes before
AZZ019-029>035-040700-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...SOUTHEAST ARIZONA CONVECTIVE OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ
1245 PM MST MON AUG 3 1998...THIS PRODUCT IS NOT UPDATED

                        *CONDITIONAL*    *CONDITIONAL*
               AREAL    PROBABILITY   RAIN GREATER THAN   STORM
COUNTY        COVERAGE    OF SEVERE     1.00       2.00    MOTION

COCHISE          30          20          45         15     SW  6
GRAHAM           25          20          35         10     S   8
GREENLEE         20          20          30          5     S   8
TUCSON/ERN PIMA  20          20          35          5     SW  6
TOHONO OODHAM   10          20          25          5     SW  6
WESTERN PIMA      0           0           0          0
SOUTHEAST PINAL  10          20          25          5     S   8
SANTA CRUZ       30          20          45         10     SW  6

SYNOPSIS...DRIER AIR MOVING IN FROM THE NORTHWEST WILL LIMIT
THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT IN WESTERN AND NORTHERN PORTIONS...MOST
ACTIVITY SHOULD OCCUR FROM TUCSON EASTWARD TODAY. LOCALLY HEAVY
RAINFALL STILL A CONCERN IN THE DEEPER MOISTURE.
*****************************************************************
KEY...
AREAL COVERAGE - PERCENT OF COUNTY OR AREA THAT WILL EXPERIENCE
                  THUNDERSTORMS
PROB OF SEVERE - THE PROBABILITY THAT ANY ONE OF THE STORMS WILL
                  REACH SEVERE LEVELS (DAMAGING WIND AND/OR
                  LARGE HAIL)
RAIN GRTR THAN - THE PROBABILITY THAT ANY ONE OF THE STORMS WILL
                  PRODUCE RAIN EXCEEDING 1 INCH OR 2 INCHES IN
                  ANY LOCATION
STORM MOTION   - GENERAL DIRECTION TO WHICH THE STORMS WILL
                  LIKELY MOVE AND SPEED IN MPH

NOTE...
VALID TIME IS FROM 12:45 PM TO 12 MIDNIGHT OF THE DAY OF ISSUANCE.
THIS PRODUCT IS NOT TO BE USED IN PLACE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OR
FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS OR WATCHES. THIS PRODUCT IS ONLY USED FOR
OUTLOOK PURPOSES. CORRESPONDING GRAPHICS MAY BE FOUND ON THE NWS
TUCSON INTERNET PAGE AT
HTTP://NIMBO.WRH.NOAA.GOV/TUCSON/SWO/SWO.SHTML

END/RO
Special weather statement, Aug 3, 12:45 PM MST, 4 hours 18 minutes before
AZZ019-029>035-040700-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...SOUTHEAST ARIZONA CONVECTIVE OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ
1245 PM MST MON AUG 3 1998...THIS PRODUCT IS NOT UPDATED

                        *CONDITIONAL*    *CONDITIONAL*
               AREAL    PROBABILITY   RAIN GREATER THAN   STORM
COUNTY        COVERAGE    OF SEVERE     1.00       2.00    MOTION

COCHISE          30          20          45         15     SW  6
GRAHAM           25          20          35         10     S   8
GREENLEE         20          20          30          5     S   8
TUCSON/ERN PIMA  20          20          35          5     SW  6
TOHONO OODHAM   10          20          25          5     SW  6
WESTERN PIMA      0           0           0          0
SOUTHEAST PINAL  10          20          25          5     S   8
SANTA CRUZ       30          20          45         10     SW  6

SYNOPSIS...DRIER AIR MOVING IN FROM THE NORTHWEST WILL LIMIT
THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT IN WESTERN AND NORTHERN PORTIONS...MOST
ACTIVITY SHOULD OCCUR FROM TUCSON EASTWARD TODAY. LOCALLY HEAVY
RAINFALL STILL A CONCERN IN THE DEEPER MOISTURE.
*****************************************************************
KEY...
AREAL COVERAGE - PERCENT OF COUNTY OR AREA THAT WILL EXPERIENCE
                  THUNDERSTORMS
PROB OF SEVERE - THE PROBABILITY THAT ANY ONE OF THE STORMS WILL
                  REACH SEVERE LEVELS (DAMAGING WIND AND/OR
                  LARGE HAIL)
RAIN GRTR THAN - THE PROBABILITY THAT ANY ONE OF THE STORMS WILL
                  PRODUCE RAIN EXCEEDING 1 INCH OR 2 INCHES IN
                  ANY LOCATION
STORM MOTION   - GENERAL DIRECTION TO WHICH THE STORMS WILL
                  LIKELY MOVE AND SPEED IN MPH

NOTE...
VALID TIME IS FROM 12:45 PM TO 12 MIDNIGHT OF THE DAY OF ISSUANCE.
THIS PRODUCT IS NOT TO BE USED IN PLACE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OR
FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS OR WATCHES. THIS PRODUCT IS ONLY USED FOR
OUTLOOK PURPOSES. CORRESPONDING GRAPHICS MAY BE FOUND ON THE NWS
TUCSON INTERNET PAGE AT
HTTP://NIMBO.WRH.NOAA.GOV/TUCSON/SWO/SWO.SHTML

END/RO

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Arizona, 1998Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1998

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.