Alert archive / Arizona / Flash Flood Warnings in 2002

Flash Flood Warning 34, NWS Flagstaff, AZ

July 9, 2002Coconino County, Gila County, Navajo County, Arizona

NWS Flagstaff, AZ issued this flash flood warning at Jul 9, 2002, 5:11 PM MST for Coconino County, Gila County, Navajo County, Arizona. It was in force for 5 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
Jul 9, 2002, 5:11 PM MST (00:11 UTC)
Expired
Jul 9, 2002, 10:15 PM MST
In force
5 hr
Issued by
NWS Flagstaff, AZ
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Coconino County, AZ, Gila County, AZ, Navajo County, AZ

The radar

The Flagstaff radar (KFSX), 77 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:15 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

Flgstf/Belemont, AZ (KFGZ), launched 00:00Z, 0.2 hours before the alert went out and 164 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, Flgstf/Belemont, AZ at 00:00Z on 2002-07-10Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 308 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Flgstf/Belemont, AZ at 00:00Z on 2002-07-10The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -22 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
308 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-7 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
3003 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
1 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-22 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-11 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.

000 
WGUS55 KFGZ 100022
FFWFGZ
AZC005-007-017-100615-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
511 PM MST TUE JUL 9 2002

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...SOUTHERN NAVAJO AND PORTIONS OF NORTHERN 
GILA COUNTIES...SPECIFICALLY IN AND AROUND THE SITE OF THE 
CHEDISKI-RODEO WILDFIRE...FROM 515 PM MST UNTIL 1115 PM MST. 

* THIS INCLUDES THE COMMUNITIES OF:

 CIBECUE
 TIMBERLAND ACRES
 PINEDALE
 CLAY SPRINGS
 HEBER
 CARRIZO
 SHOW LOW
 PINETOP-LAKESIDE
 ARIPINE
 LINDEN

* UNTIL 1115 PM MST

* WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED OVER THE 
MOGOLLON RIM AND WHITE MOUNTAINS THIS AFTERNOON AND ARE EXPECTED TO 
LAST WELL INTO THE EVENING HOURS. SOME OF THESE STORMS ARE PRODUCING 
HEAVY DOWNPOURS OVER THE SITE OF THE CHEDISKI-RODEO WILDFIRE. 
RAINFALL RATES FROM ONE HALF TO ONE INCH PER HOUR ARE POSSIBLE. 
WHILE THIS WOULD NORMALLY NOT PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING...THE WILDFIRE 
HAS CHANGED THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SOIL SO THAT FLASH FLOODING 
IS NOW MUCH MORE LIKELY. 

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 3441 11088 3406 11084 3395 11039 3404 10996
          3428 10997 3444 11015 3448 11050

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 Jul 9, 2:30 PM MST, 2 hours 41 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 9, 2:30 PM MST, 2 hours 41 minutes before
NORTHERN ARIZONA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
230 PM MST TUE JUL 09 2002

.SYNOPSIS...A STRONG HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL REMAIN OVER THE GREAT
BASIN THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. A MOIST EASTERLY FLOW AROUND THIS
SYSTEM  WILL FUEL DAILY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. THIS PATTERN WILL
PERSIST INTO EARLY NEXT.

.DISCUSSION...MOISTURE CONTINUING TO INCREASE OVER THE CWA. DPS
ACROSS THE CWA RANGING BTWN 45 AND 55 DEGREES. NOAA/FSL GPS IPWV
INDICATING PW VALUES CLOSE TO .85 INCHES ATTM. CONVECTION HAS FIRED
UP OVER THE RIM AND NEAR THE N.M. BORDER AND THE FLOW SHOULD CARRY
THIS ACTIVITY INTO EASTERN AZ DURING THE AFTERNOON. ETA AND AVN
INDICATING VORT MAX ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG UPPER LEVEL DIVERGENCE
MOVING INTO SOUTHERN CWA THIS EVENING. EXPECT CONVECTION THRU MOST
OF THE NIGHT THERE. BIG DIFFERENCES BTWN ETA AND AVN REGARDING QPF
BUT BOTH MODELS TARGETING THE SAME AREAS (SOUTHERN RIM/WHITES)
FOR HEAVIEST RAINFALL. HAVE ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE
CHEDISKI-RODEO FIRE SITE THRU EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING. SEE LITTLE
CHANGE IN THE WEATHER PATTERN FOR THIS PERIOD. MOIST EASTERLY FLOW
AROUND GREAT BASIN HIGH TO CONTINUE. ATMOSPHERE STAYS UNSTABLE PER
LIS/CAPE/OMEGA PROGS WITH EMBEDDED S/WVS ROTATING ACROSS THE
STATE. EXPECT PATTERN OF DAILY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO
CONTINUE.

EXTEND...STRONG H5 HIGH OVER GREAT BASIN PROGGED TO DRIFT EASTWARD
OVER THE WEEKEND. FLOW BECOMES MORE SOUTHERLY TAPPING MOISTURE OVER
OLE MEXICO. TROPICAL STORM MOVING UP WEST COAST OF BAJA LIKELY TO
CONTRIBUTE MORE MOISTURE TO THE FLOW. WILL KEEP THE STANDARD MONSOON
FCST OF SHOWERS/TSTMS EACH DAY. DF

.FGZ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR AREAS IN AND AROUND THE CHEDISKI-RODEO
FIRE SITE IN ZONES 16...17...18.

.CODED TEMPERATURES/POPS FOR SELECTED CITIES IN NORTHERN ARIZONA

CITY             TEMPERATURES LO/HI           PROBABILITY OF PRECIP
                 TON WED   THU     FRI        TON WED   THU     FRI
FLAGSTAFF        055/083 057/081 055/082      050 040 050 040 030 030
WINSLOW          070/093 068/092 068/093      040 060 050 030 030 020
PRESCOTT         067/093 064/090 066/091      040 050 040 040 030 030
PAGE             077/100 075/097 076/098      030 030 040 030 030 020
WINDOW ROCK      055/084 052/082 053/083      060 060 050 050 040 040
CANYON DE CHELLY 070/092 069/091 068/091      050 040 050 040 040 030
COTTONWOOD       070/104 071/101 069/102      030 040 030 030 020 020
GRAND CANYON     054/085 056/083 054/084      030 030 040 030 040 020
GREER            051/079 053/077 051/078      050 060 050 050 050 050
HEBER            064/088 066/086 066/087      050 060 050 050 040 040
JACOB LAKE       055/081 057/079 055/080      030 030 040 030 040 040
NAVAJO N.M.      069/087 068/086 067/086      050 050 040 040 030 030
PAYSON           066/095 067/094 067/094      050 040 050 040 050 030
SEDONA           073/094 070/094 072/094      040 040 040 050 040 040
SELIGMAN         059/096 057/096 059/096      030 040 030 030 020 020
SHOW LOW         065/089 065/087 063/088      050 050 050 050 050 030
ST. JOHNS        065/087 063/086 063/087      050 060 050 040 050 040
WUPATKI N.M.     073/097 071/095 071/095      040 040 040 050 040 040

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 9, 5:22 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningFGZCoconino, Gila, Navajo6 hr
Jul 10, 2:28 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningFGZNavajo3 hr
Jul 10, 2:28 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningFGZNavajo107 min
Jul 10, 4:17 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningFGZGila, Navajo
Jul 10, 4:17 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningFGZGila, Navajo118 min
Jul 10, 4:20 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningFGZGila, Navajo3 hr

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.