Alert archive / Arizona / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2000

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 7, NWS Phoenix, AZ

June 20, 2000Maricopa County, Arizona

NWS Phoenix, AZ issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 20, 2000, 1:14 PM MST for Maricopa County, Arizona. It was in force for 61 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Jun 20, 2000, 1:14 PM MST (20:14 UTC)
Expired
Jun 20, 2000, 2:15 PM MST
In force
61 min
Issued by
NWS Phoenix, AZ
Area
Whole counties

County Maricopa County, AZ

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jun 20, 1:41 PM MSTHail 0.88Phoenix, AZLarge hail and heavy rain hit the Ahwatukee area.

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in.

The nearest sounding before it

Phoenix, AZ (KPSR), launched 12:00Z, 8.2 hours before the alert went out and 49 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, Phoenix, AZ at 12:00Z on 2000-06-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2346 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Phoenix, AZ at 12:00Z on 2000-06-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 7 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 km3 km6 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
2346 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-62 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1314 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
8 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
7 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
47 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.

980 
WUUS55 KPSR 202015
SVRPHX
AZC013-202115-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
114 PM MST TUE JUN 20 2000

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PHOENIX HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  NORTHEASTERN MARICOPA COUNTY IN CENTRAL ARIZONA

* UNTIL 215 PM MST

* AT 110 PM MST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  POSSIBLE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER APACHE TRAIL EAST OF TORTILLA
  FLAT. STORMS WERE MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST AT 10 MPH.

* THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT...
  APACHE TRAIL
  CANYON LAKE
  APACHE LAKE

DAMAGING WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN ARE LIKELY. GO INSIDE A STURDY
BUILDING AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS

DG

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 Phoenix, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jun 20, 10:05 AM MST, 3 hours 9 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 20, 10:05 AM MST, 3 hours 9 minutes before
AZZ020>028-CAZ030>033-202245-

SOUTHWEST ARIZONA/SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
1005 AM MST TUE JUN 20 2000

.SYNOPSIS...
MOISTURE-LADEN AIR FROM THE GULF OF CALIFORNIA AND FROM MEXICO HAS
SPREAD OVER ALL OF SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHWEST ARIZONA. A SLOW
MOVING UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL INTERACT WITH THE MOISTURE AND
SUPPORT SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL AND
SOUTHWEST ARIZONA AT LEAST THROUGH WEDNESDAY...WITH ISOLATED STORMS
POSSIBLE IN FAR SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA AS WELL ON WEDNESDAY. LOCALLY
HEAVY RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE WITH STORMS.

.DISCUSSION...
ACTIVE CONVECTIVE DAY ON TAP FOR MUCH OF SOUTH CENTRAL ARIZONA...WITH
STORMS A GOOD BET THROUGH AT LEAST WEDNESDAY. POTENTIAL FOR
CONVECTIVE STORMS HAS SPREAD FURTHER WEST THIS MORNING...WITH
ISOLATED THUNDER MAINLY OVER SOUTHWEST MARICOPA COUNTY AS OF 945 AM.
MID-LEVEL DEFORMATION EXISTS OVER EASTERN HALF OF CWA THIS
MORNING...WITH MUCH LIGHTER WINDS AT 500 MB TODAY VS MONDAY. UPPER
LEVEL JET STREAK MOVING SOUTH ALONG CENTRAL CALIFORNIA COAST IS
SERVING TO BACK LOW LEVEL FLOW TO MORE OF A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION
...WHICH IS HELPING TO SHIFT MOISTURE/INSTABILITY AXIS WWD. CAPE AND
PRECIPITABLE WATER STILL WELL ABOVE CLIMO OVER AZ PTN CWA...AND
MOISTURE CONTINUES TO STREAM NORTH FROM THE GULF AND NORTHERN MEXICO.
AT UPPER LEVELS...SPEED DIVERGENCE EXISTS BETWEEN TROF JUST WEST OF
CWA AND JET STREAK OVER AND NORTHEAST OF COLORADO. VISIBLE IMAGERY
AND PLOT DATA SUPPORTS PRESENCE OF LOW-MIDLEVEL DISTURBANCE OVER
NORTHERN MEXICO MOVING NORTH. WIDESPREAD CONVECTIVE CLOUD AREA EXISTS
OVER PIMA COUNTY...WITH ISOLATED EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS AS OF 17Z.
TEMPERATURE DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN CLOUDY CONVECTIVE AREA TO SOUTH AND
MUCH OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL ARIZONA WILL INCREASE AS THE DAY
WEARS ON...SO CONVECTIVE STORMS COULD BE MORE PRONOUNCED AT AND NEAR
THE CLOUDY/PARTLY CLOUDY INTERFACE.

HAVE GONE WITH SCATTERED TSTM WORDING FOR ALL MARICOPA AND NORTHERN
PINAL COUNTIES TODAY...WITH ISOLATED OVER CENTRAL-EASTERN LA PAZ AND
YUMA COUNTIES. DAYTIME TSTMS A GOOD BET WITH CONVECTIVE TEMPS ONLY IN
THE MID 90S. LESS WIND IN LOW TO MIDDLE TROPOSPHERE...SO STORMS WILL
BE SLOWER MOVING AND BE MORE LIKELY TO PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY
RAINFALL. AS USUAL...STRONG WINDS ALSO A POSSIBILITY...WITH A WET
MICROBURST OR TWO POSSIBLE. HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK WILL FOCUS ON
POTENTIAL FOR LOCAL HEAVY RAINFALL AND STRONG WINDS FROM THE
STRONGEST STORMS TODAY...WITH PRIMARY THREAT AREA MARICOPA AND
NORTHERN PINAL COUNTIES. CURRENT FORECAST CALLING FOR INCREASE IN
STORM ACTIVITY FURTHER WEST TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY LOOKS ON TARGET.
PRIMARY CONCERN WILL BE WITH POTENTIAL FOR LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN. DG

N

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jun 20, 11:01 AM MST, 2 hours 13 minutes before
AZZ021>024-026>028-210000-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
1101 AM MST TUE JUN 20 2000

SLIGHT RISK FOR HAZARDOUS WEATHER OVER MARICOPA...NORTHERN PINAL
...SOUTHERN GILA...EASTERN LA PAZ...AND EASTERN YUMA COUNTIES TODAY
AND TONIGHT...

CITIES INCLUDED IN THE SLIGHT RISK AREA INCLUDE THE GREATER
PHOENIX METROPOLITAN AREA...GILA BEND...WICKENBURG...CASA GRANDE...
SUPERIOR...FLORENCE...COOLIDGE...APACHE JUNCTION...GLOBE...MIAMI...
WENDEN...AND DATELAND.

THE MOST LIKELY FORM OF HAZARDOUS WEATHER...OTHER THAN INTENSE CLOUD
TO GROUND LIGHTNING...WILL BE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. STRONG...
POSSIBLY DAMAGING...STRAIGHT LINE WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THE
MOST INTENSE STORMS. BLOWING DUST COULD BE A PROBLEM ESPECIALLY
OVER DESERT LOCATIONS.

THE ATMOSPHERE OVER SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL ARIZONA REMAINS
VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE. A WEAK UPPER DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE SLOWLY
NORTH AND PROVIDE THE DYNAMIC SUPPORT FOR SCATTERED THUNDERSTORM
DEVELOPMENT OVER THE SLIGHT RISK AREA. STORMS WILL BE SLOW MOVING
SINCE STEERING FLOW IS LIGHT...BUT WILL GENERALLY MOVE FROM SOUTH TO
NORTH.

THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK GIVES PRELIMINARY INFORMATION FOR THE
POSSIBILITY OF WEATHER THAT COULD BECOME SEVERE...DAMAGING WINDS IN
EXCESS OF 57 MPH...DENSE BLOWING DUST WITH VISIBILITY LESS THAN
1/4 MILE...HAIL 3/4 INCH IN DIAMETER OR LARGER...AND HEAVY RAINFALL
THAT COULD CAUSE FLOODING OR RUNNING WASHES.  WHEN SEVERE WEATHER OR
FLOODING BEGINS...IMPORTANT LIFE SAVING INFORMATION WILL BE PROVIDED
IN SHORT TERM FORECASTS...SEVERE WEATHER AND FLOOD WARNINGS...AND IN
FOLLOW-UP STATEMENTS.

STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NECESSARY LATER TODAY.

DG

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 19, 9:44 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPSRPinal36 min
Jun 20, 12:34 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPSRPinal61 min
Jun 20, 1:33 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPSRMaricopa67 min
Jun 20, 3:09 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPSRMaricopa61 min
Jun 20, 3:45 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningPSRMaricopa20 min
Jun 20, 4:05 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPSRLa Paz75 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Arizona, 2000Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2000

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.