Alert archive / Arizona / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2001

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 29, NWS Phoenix, AZ

August 14, 2001Maricopa County, Arizona

NWS Phoenix, AZ issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 14, 2001, 3:26 PM MST for Maricopa County, Arizona. It was in force for 64 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline the Iowa Environmental Mesonet reconstructed for it; the warning itself named whole counties, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Aug 14, 2001, 3:26 PM MST (22:26 UTC)
Expired
Aug 14, 2001, 4:30 PM MST
In force
64 min
Issued by
NWS Phoenix, AZ
Area
Whole counties; the outline is the Mesonet’s reconstruction

County Maricopa County, AZ

The radar

The Phoenix radar (KIWA), 64 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:26 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Aug 14, 3:30 PM MSTThunderstorm Wind 55 ENew River, AZSevere thunderstorm wind gusts damage house roof at 13th Ave and Bell. Fire station under construction is blown down. Electric power utility poles broken in two at 7th street and Desert Hills. Between 1538 pm and 1550 pm, a house fire was caused by lightnin

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, 10.4 hours before the alert went out and 39 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 2001-08-14Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 486 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, Phoenix, AZ at 12:00Z on 2001-08-14The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 0 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
486 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-154 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1726 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
0 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
0 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
0 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.

389 
WUUS55 KPSR 142231
SVRPHX
AZC013-142330-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
326 PM MST TUE AUG 14 2001

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PHOENIX HAS ISSUED A

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

* UNTIL 430 PM MST

* AT 330 PM MST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A 
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ABOUT 7 MILES NORTH OF SCOTTSDALE...MOVING
  SOUTHWEST AT 15 MPH.

THE WARNING INCLUDES...NORTH SCOTTSDALE...FOUNTAIN HILLS...NORTH 
PHOENIX...CAVE CREEK...AND PEORIA.

DAMAGING MICROBURST WINDS ARE LIKELY WITH THIS STORM. 

REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. THEY
WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST
OFFICE IN PHOENIX.

LAT...LON 3367 11146 3400 11219 3390 11230 3397 11261
          3380 11260 3341 11170 3343 11161

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 Aug 14, 10:40 AM MST, 4 hours 46 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 14, 10:40 AM MST, 4 hours 46 minutes before
AZZ020>028-CAZ030>033-142245-

SOUTHWEST ARIZONA/SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
1040 AM MST TUE AUG 14 2001

.SYNOPSIS...
A WEAK DISTURBANCE ACROSS ARIZONA TODAY WILL SERVE TO PRODUCE
ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING...MAINLY OVER SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA. MEANWHILE...SOMEWHAT
DRIER AND MORE STABLE AIR MOVING IN FROM THE WEST WILL PROVIDE FOR
ONLY SPARSE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IN SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA. UPPER
LEVEL HIGH PRESSURE PUSHING IN FROM THE WEST AFTER MIDWEEK WILL MAKE
FOR HOTTER DAYTIME TEMPERATURES...WITH DRIER AIR EXPECTED TO
INFILTRATE MOST OF SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA...FOR DECREASING CHANCES OF
DAILY THUNDERSTORMS. BY EARLY NEXT WEEK...THE HIGH WILL MOVE NORTH
OF THE REGION AND WILL ALLOW MOISTURE AND THUNDERSTORMS TO RETURN TO
THE FORECAST AREA.

.DISCUSSION...
PLOTS SHOW HIGH MOISTURE VALUES AT 850 AND 700 MB AGAIN...EVEN IN
SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA. MODEST HEIGHT FALLS EVIDENT AT 500 MB. A COL
AREA AT THE 300/250 MB LEVELS WAS PRESENT OVER PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST
CALIFORNIA AND WESTERN ARIZONA WITH WITH A SHORTWAVE TROUGH OVER THE
GREAT BASIN. SOME SLIGHT COOLING OF THE TEMPERATURE PROFILES HAS
TAKEN PLACE SINCE YESTERDAY MORNING ALONG WITH SOME DECREASES IN
PWATER...ESPECIALLY AT DRA AND 1Y7. WIND PROFILES HAVE SHOWN SOME
VEERING IN THE MID AND UPPER LEVELS. NO BIG CHANGES IN CAPE EXCEPT
WHERE THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT DRYING. OTHERWISE...ONLY MINOR CHANGES
IN STABILITY THROUGH TEMPERATURE PROFILE CHANGES WITH SLIGHTLY
COOLER TEMPS ALOFT AND SLIGHTLY WARMER TEMPS IN THE LOWER LEVELS.

MODELS SHOW STEERING FLOW FOR OUR CWA TO BECOME NORTHEASTERLY BY
THIS AFTERNOON. THE UPPER LEVEL COL AREA IS PROGGED TO SLIDE
SOUTHWARD AWAY FROM US FOR LESS HELP IN STORM ACTIVITY. HOWEVER SOME
DIFFLUENCE SHOULD BE AROUND...MAINLY OVER SOUTHWEST ARIZONA AND
SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA. PROGS CONTINUE TO SHOW DRYING TREND AS RIDGE
AXIS BUILDS INTO THE WEST. AVN FASTER WITH DRYING THAN ETA...BUT IT
APPEARS THEY HAVE SLOWED THE DRYING A BIT. IN SHORT TERM...WOULD
EXPECT ANOTHER ACTIVE PERIOD NEXT 12 HOURS OR SO. BY
THURSDAY...DRIER AIR THROUGH A DEEP LAYER SHOULD BE IN PLACE FOR A
SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. BELIEVE THE AVN TOO
QUICK WITH DRYING SO EXPECT SOME MENTION OF STORM ACTIVITY WEDNESDAY
NIGHT. HOWEVER...IT WILL HAVE TO COME IN FROM THE HIGHER TERRAIN
WITH MAINLY SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA PORTION OF CWA HAVING THE MAIN
THREAT.

JAMISON

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 14, 12:45 PM MST, 2 hours 41 minutes before
AZZ020>028-150200-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
1245 PM MST TUE AUG 14 2001

...HAZARDOUS WEATHER POSSIBLE OVER SOUTH-CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST
ARIZONA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

COUNTIES IN THE RISK AREA INCLUDE:
     IN ARIZONA...MARICOPA...NORTHWEST PINAL...SOUTHERN GILA...LA
PAZ AND YUMA.

THE PRIMARY HAZARDOUS WEATHER RISKS INCLUDE:
     LOCALIZED VERY HEAVY RAIN...AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS.

STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NECESSARY LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND
TONIGHT.

JAMISON
Special weather statement, Aug 14, 12:45 PM MST, 2 hours 41 minutes before
AZZ020>028-150200-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
1245 PM MST TUE AUG 14 2001

...HAZARDOUS WEATHER POSSIBLE OVER SOUTH-CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST
ARIZONA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

COUNTIES IN THE RISK AREA INCLUDE:
     IN ARIZONA...MARICOPA...NORTHWEST PINAL...SOUTHERN GILA...
                  LA PAZ AND YUMA.

THE PRIMARY HAZARDOUS WEATHER RISKS INCLUDE:
     LOCALIZED VERY HEAVY RAIN...AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS.

STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NECESSARY LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND
TONIGHT.

JAMISON

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 13, 5:18 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPSRPinal42 min
Aug 13, 6:00 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPSRPinal45 min
Aug 13, 6:07 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningPSRPinal53 min
Aug 14, 2:36 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPSRMaricopa54 min
Aug 14, 3:37 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPSRLa Paz53 min
Aug 14, 4:25 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPSRMaricopa35 min
Aug 14, 4:29 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPSRGila, Pinal51 min
Aug 14, 4:59 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPSRMaricopa46 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Arizona, 2001Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2001

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.