Alert archive / Arizona / Flash Flood Warnings in 2002

Flash Flood Warning 19, NWS Flagstaff, AZ

September 10, 2002Gila County, Navajo County, Arizona

NWS Flagstaff, AZ issued this flash flood warning at Sep 10, 2002, 3:18 PM MST for Gila County, Navajo County, Arizona. It was in force for 3 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Sep 10, 2002, 3:18 PM MST (22:18 UTC)
Expired
Sep 10, 2002, 6:15 PM MST
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Flagstaff, AZ
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Gila County, AZ, Navajo County, AZ

The radar

The Flagstaff radar (KFSX), 88 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:27 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this flash flood warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The nearest sounding before it

Phoenix, AZ (KPSR), launched 12:00Z, 10.3 hours before the alert went out and 166 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 2002-09-10Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 390 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 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 2002-09-10The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 35 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
390 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-216 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1356 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
34 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
35 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
66 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
WGUS55 KFGZ 102218
FFWFGZ
AZC007-017-110115-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
314 PM MST TUE SEP 10 2002

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  CENTRAL GILA COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL ARIZONA
  SOUTHWESTERN NAVAJO COUNTY IN NORTHEAST ARIZONA

* UNTIL 615 PM MST

* AT 314 PM MST...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THAT 2 TO  
  4 INCHES OF RAINFALL HAD OCCURRED ACROSS THE AREA EXTENDING FROM   
  CIBECUE NORTHWARD ACROSS THE RODEO CHEDISKI FIRE SITE. THIS        
  INCLUDES THE CARRIZO AND CIBECUE CREEKS.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING.
IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNING AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY.
RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE
PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS
SWIFTLY FLOWING WATERS OR WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH BY FOOT OR BY
AUTOMOBILE. IF YOUR VEHICLE STALLS, ABANDON IT IMMEDIATELY AND SEEK
HIGHER GROUND.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER HAVE THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY
RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE.

LAT...LON 3430 11008 3399 11020 3392 11046 3399 11076
          3437 11075

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Flagstaff, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Sep 10, 9:55 AM MST, 5 hours 23 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 10, 9:55 AM MST, 5 hours 23 minutes before
NORTHERN ARIZONA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
955 AM MST TUE SEP 10 2002

.SYNOPSIS...TROPICAL MOISTURE WILL CONTINUE TO STREAM ACROSS ARIZONA
THROUGH WEDNESDAY. EXPECT NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO
CONTINUE TODAY AND TOMORROW...BEFORE DIMINISHING IN COVERAGE LATER
IN THE WEEK. SOME STORMS MAY CONTAIN VERY HEAVY RAIN TODAY. EXPECT A
DRYING TREND WITH MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES BY THE WEEKEND. TEMPERATURES
WILL REMAIN BELOW NORMAL FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS...THEN RISE TO NORMAL
BY THE WEEKEND.

.DISCUSSION...WEAK UPPER LOW OVER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WILL BEGIN TO
SLOWLY EJECT N-NE TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. BEST FORCING
ASSOCIATED WITH THIS LOW WILL BE OVER WESTERN NEW MEXICO AND FAR
EASTERN ARIZONA. BEST INSTABILITY WITH THE LOW WILL BE OVER WESTERN
ARIZONA WHERE SKIES HAVE ALREADY STARTED THE DAY PARTLY SUNNY. HIGH
PW VALUES ARE SPREAD NEARLY UNIFORMLY ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA.
EXPECT STORMS THAT DEVELOP WINSLOW EAST WILL BE LONG-LIVED AND
EVENTUALLY WILL FORM A LARGE AREA OF RAIN CENTERED AROUND THE NEW
MEXICO BORDER. STORMS THAT FORM OVER YAVAPAI COUNTY MAY BECOME VERY
STRONG TODAY...AND MAY PRODUCE LARGE HAIL...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN AS
THEY MOVE NORTHWARD. CONTINUED DYNAMICS FROM THE EJECTING LOW MAY
CAUSE ACTIVITY TO LAST WELL INTO THE NIGHT. WILL MONITOR CONDITIONS
FOR A POSSIBLE FFA LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT. ALL OTHER PRODUCTS COVER
TRENDS WELL...AND WILL NOT UPDATE FOR NOW. PETERSON.

.FGZ...NONE

.CODED TEMPERATURES/POPS FOR SELECTED CITIES IN NORTHERN ARIZONA

CITY             TEMPERATURES HI/LO           PROBABILITY OF PRECIP
                 TDY TON   WED     THU        TDY TON   WED   THU
FLAGSTAFF        067/047 068/045 066/041      050 070 050 040 040 030
WINSLOW          076/056 077/054 077/052      050 070 050 030 040 030
PRESCOTT         075/054 077/053 077/053      050 070 050 040 040 030
PAGE             079/060 078/060 076/058      040 060 040 030 030 020
WINDOW ROCK      070/048 069/046 070/043      050 070 060 040 040 030
CANYON DE CHELLY 076/055 075/053 076/050      050 070 060 040 040 030
COTTONWOOD       086/062 088/061 088/061      050 070 050 040 040 030
GRAND CANYON     068/048 069/046 067/042      050 070 050 040 040 030
GREER            064/046 065/044 063/040      050 070 060 040 040 030
HEBER            072/050 073/048 071/044      050 070 050 040 040 030
JACOB LAKE       064/047 065/045 063/041      050 070 050 040 040 030
NAVAJO N.M.      068/054 067/052 068/049      040 060 050 030 030 020
PAYSON           079/054 081/053 081/053      050 070 050 030 040 030
SEDONA           083/061 085/060 085/060      050 070 050 040 040 030
SELIGMAN         078/047 080/046 080/046      040 060 040 030 030 020
SHOW LOW         073/056 074/054 072/050      050 070 060 040 040 030
ST. JOHNS        072/052 073/050 073/048      050 070 050 030 040 030
WUPATKI N.M.     078/058 079/056 079/054      050 070 050 030 040 030

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Sep 10, 9:45 AM MST, 5 hours 33 minutes before
AZZ004>018-037>040-101930-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
945 AM MST TUE SEP 10 2002

...WIDESPREAD HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED OVER MOST OF
THE FORECAST AREA TODAY...

DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE COMBINED WITH A WEAK WEATHER DISTURBANCE OVER
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WILL BRING MORE WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS TO MUCH OF THE REGION TODAY. HEAVY RAIN PRODUCING
STORMS HAVE ALREADY AFFECTED PORTIONS OF THE LITTLE COLORADO RIVER
VALLEY...INCLUDING WINSLOW...THIS MORNING. COVERAGE WILL CONTINUE TO
INCREASE THROUGH THE DAY. THE PRIMARY THREAT FOR TODAYS STORMS WILL
BE HEAVY RAIN. COLDER AIR AT THE HIGHER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE
EXISTS IN PORTIONS OF WESTERN ARIZONA. THIS WILL BRING A THREAT OF
LARGE HAIL TO MAINLY YAVAPAI AND COCONINO COUNTIES...IN ADDITION TO
HEAVY RAINS.

WITH THE SATURATED OR NEAR SATURATED SOIL CONDITIONS AROUND THE
STATE...THE THREAT FOR FLOODING WILL REMAIN MODERATE TODAY. RAINFALL
AMOUNTS WITH TODAYS STORMS WILL RANGE FROM A FEW TENTHS TO AS MUCH
AS 3 INCHES WITH THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS.

BURNED AREA RAIN OUTLOOK...

RODEO-CHEDISKI BURN AREA...EXPECT SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP AND MOVE NORTHEAST OVER THE BURN AREA.
RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF UP TO TWO INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE HEAVIER
SHOWERS. FLOODING POTENTIAL OVER THE FIRE SITE IS MODERATE TODAY.

INDIAN BURN AREA...EXPECT NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO
DEVELOP AND MOVE NORTHEAST OVER THE BURN AREA. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF
ONE TO TWO INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE HEAVIER SHOWERS. FLOODING
POTENTIAL IN THIS REGION IS MODERATE TODAY.
Local storm report, Sep 10, 3:17 PM MST, 1 minute before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF ARIZONA
0317 PM MST TUE SEP 10 2002

TIME (MST) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0245 PM    COSNINO                   AZ   2 INCH HAIL
09/10/02   COCONINO                       REPORTED BY TRAINED SPOTTER

0250 PM    DONEY PARK                AZ   2 INCH HAIL
09/10/02   COCONINO                       REPORTED BY DONEY PARK FIRE DEPT

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 10, 12:28 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGZCoconino, Yavapai32 min
Sep 10, 12:30 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGZYavapai30 min
Sep 10, 1:29 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGZCoconino31 min
Sep 10, 1:56 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGZCoconino49 min
Sep 10, 2:13 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGZCoconino, Gila, Yavapai32 min
Sep 10, 2:34 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGZCoconino26 min
Sep 10, 2:38 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGZGila, Navajo32 min
Sep 10, 2:43 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGZCoconino, Yavapai47 min
Sep 10, 2:45 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGZCoconino45 min
Sep 10, 2:59 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGZCoconino46 min
Sep 10, 3:14 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningFGZGila, Navajo2 hr
Sep 10, 3:26 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGZCoconino34 min
Sep 10, 3:43 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGZGila47 min
Sep 10, 3:59 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningFGZCoconino2 hr
Sep 10, 3:59 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningFGZCoconino61 min
Sep 10, 4:18 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGZCoconino27 min
Sep 10, 4:33 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGZGila27 min
Sep 10, 4:41 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGZYavapai34 min
Sep 10, 4:47 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGZApache43 min
Sep 10, 4:50 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGZApache40 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Arizona, 2002Every flash flood warning in 2002

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.