Alert archive / Arizona / Flash Flood Warnings in 2003

Flash Flood Warning 9, NWS Flagstaff, AZ

August 19, 2003Coconino County, Arizona

NWS Flagstaff, AZ issued this flash flood warning at Aug 19, 2003, 2:25 PM MST for Coconino County, Arizona. It was in force for 65 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Aug 19, 2003, 2:25 PM MST (21:25 UTC)
Expired
Aug 19, 2003, 3:30 PM MST
In force
65 min
Issued by
NWS Flagstaff, AZ
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Coconino County, AZ

The radar

The Cedar City radar (KICX), 172 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:28 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 12:00Z, 9.4 hours before the alert went out and 134 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 12:00Z on 2003-08-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 496 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Flgstf/Belemont, AZ at 12:00Z on 2003-08-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -14 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
496 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-121 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
903 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
11 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-14 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
92 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 192125
FFWFGZ
AZC005-192330-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
225 PM MST TUE AUG 19 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FLAGSTAFF HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  WEST CENTRAL COCONINO COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL ARIZONA

* UNTIL 430 PM MST

* AT 211 PM MST...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN OVER WEST CENTRAL COCONINO
  COUNTY. THE STORMS EXTENDED FROM JUST SOUTH OF SUPAI ACROSS THE
  COYOTE CREEK...HUALAPAI CANYON AND NATIONAL CANYON DRAINAGES. THE
  STORMS ARE NEARLY STATIONARY AND ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN WILL
  CONTINUE.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THESE STORMS WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING OF CREEKS
AND STREAMS...ROADS AND ROADSIDE CULVERTS. THE HEAVY RAINS COULD ALSO
TRIGGER ROCK AND MUDSLIDES IN STEEP TERRAIN.

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 IN
FLAGSTAFF.

LAT...LON 3593 11303 3608 11259 3622 11267 3607 11313

$$

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 Aug 19, 9:15 AM MST, 5 hours 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 19, 9:15 AM MST, 5 hours 10 minutes before
NORTHERN ARIZONA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
915 AM MST TUE AUG 19 2003

.SYNOPSIS...HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT WILL MOVE TO NEAR THE FOUR CORNERS
TODAY. THIS WILL RESULT IN A MORE SOUTHEASTERLY FLOW AND AN INCREASE
IN MOISTURE LASTING INTO THE WEEKEND. EXPECT SCATTERED SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS...MAINLY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS.

.DISCUSSION...RADAR AND SATELLITE INDICATE REMNANT CONVECTION OVER
FAR SOUTHERN YAVAPAI COUNTY FROM OVERNIGHT CONVECTIVE COMPLEX OVER
SOUTHERN AZ...ALONG WITH NEW CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT NORTH OF THAT
REGION. MORNING KFGZ SOUNDING HAS SIGNIFICANTLY COOLER BOUNDARY LAYER
ALONG WITH INCREASED MOISTURE PROFILE. GULF SURGE CONTINUES TO ADD
MOISTURE TO THE LOW LEVELS AS WELL ACROSS SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE
FORECAST AREA. ONCE AIRMASS HEATS UP...CAPE OF AROUND 1500 J/KG
SHOULD MAKE FOR AN ACTIVE CONVECTIVE DAY ...ESPECIALLY WHERE THERE
IS LITTLE CLOUD COVER. CURRENT CLOUD COVER OVER YAVAPAI COUNTY WILL
LEAD TO A LATE START TO CONVECTION THERE...BUT NORTH OF THIS CLOUD
SHIELD...EXPECT ADEQUATE HEATING AND DESTABILIZATION TO LEAD TO HIGH
CHANCE POPS ALONG THE RIM WITH DECREASING POPS TOWARD THE UTAH
BORDER FURTHER FROM THE DEEPER MOISTURE. PREC WATER VALUES OF AROUND
AN INCH ALONG WITH WEAK CLOUD LAYER WINDS WILL ALLOW SOME STORMS TO
PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS. WITH THESE CAPE VALUES...HAIL IS ALSO
POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON.

MODELS INDICATE A CONVECTIVELY GENERATED CIRCULATION OVER NORTHERN
MEXICO TO MOVE NORTHWESTWARD AROUND THE HIGH THAT IS FORMING OVER
NEW MEXICO. THIS WILL HELP TO GENERATE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY OVER
WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA THIS AFTERNOON...AND AS IT
MOVES NORTHWARD OVERNIGHT SHOULD HELP TO KEEP CONVECTION GOING OVER
WESTERN ZONES THROUGH THE NIGHT. WOULDNT BE SURPRISED TO SEE A
CONVECTIVE COMPLEX DEVELOP OVER THIS REGION OVERNIGHT. ADDITIONALLY
AS THIS SYSTEM MOVES NORTHWARD...SOUTHEAST FLOW INCREASES AHEAD OF
IT WHICH WILL INCREASE THE MID-LEVEL SHEAR LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND
ESPECIALLY THIS EVENING. ANOTHER CIRCULATION CENTER FURTHER SOUTH IN
MEXICO WILL LIKELY LEAD TO ANOTHER CONVECTIVE COMPLEX TO OUR SOUTH
AS WELL. SHOULD BE AN INTERESTING 36 HOURS. WILL UPDATE GRIDS AND
ZONE PRODUCTS TO REFLECT CURRENT THINKING. STAUDENMAIER

.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        079/053 077/051 077/053      050 030 040 030 040 030
WINSLOW          089/063 087/062 088/063      030 030 030 030 030 020
PRESCOTT         086/062 084/061 084/063      040 030 040 030 040 030
PAGE             098/071 094/068 093/071      020 020 020 020 020 020
WINDOW ROCK      084/053 083/052 081/051      040 030 040 030 040 020
CANYON DE CHELLY 090/061 089/060 087/059      030 030 030 020 030 020
COTTONWOOD       097/070 095/069 095/071      040 030 030 030 030 020
GRAND CANYON     084/051 082/051 080/054      030 030 030 030 030 020
GREER            074/050 072/048 072/050      050 040 050 040 050 030
HEBER            084/055 082/053 082/055      050 030 040 040 040 030
JACOB LAKE       077/053 075/051 075/053      030 020 030 030 030 020
NAVAJO N.M.      084/058 083/057 081/056      030 020 030 030 030 020
PAYSON           090/063 088/062 088/064      040 030 040 030 040 020
SEDONA           094/068 092/067 092/069      040 030 030 030 040 020
SELIGMAN         089/061 087/060 087/062      040 030 030 030 030 020
SHOW LOW         084/061 082/059 082/061      050 040 040 040 040 030
ST. JOHNS        089/060 088/059 089/060      040 030 040 030 040 020
WUPATKI N.M.     091/064 089/063 090/064      030 030 030 030 030 020
Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 19, 10:00 AM MST, 4 hours 25 minutes before
AZZ004>018-037>040-200200-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
1000 AM MST TUE AUG 19 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR APACHE...COCONINO...NORTHERN
GILA...NAVAJO...AND YAVAPAI COUNTIES IN NORTHERN ARIZONA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY

ADDITIONAL MOISTURE HAS MOVED INTO THE AREA FROM THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY
TO THE SOUTH OVERNIGHT. AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS HAS ALREADY DEVELOPED
AROUND PHOENIX AND WILL MOVE NORTHWEST INTO SOUTHERN YAVAPAI COUNTY.
ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THROUGHOUT THE
MORNING HOURS...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE MOGOLLON RIM AND LOCATIONS SOUTH
WHERE THE DEEPER MOISTURE RESIDES. A CIRCULATION CENTER OVER
SOUTHWEST ARIZONA WILL HELP TO ORGANIZE CONVECTION AND ENHANCE
THE SOUTHEASTERLY WIND FLOW OVER THE WESTERN PORTION OF THE FORECAST
AREA. THIS WILL RESULT IN STORM MOVEMENT GENERALLY TOWARD THE WEST. OVER
NORTHEASTERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA...LIGHTER WINDS WILL RESULT IN
LITTLE STORM MOVEMENT. THE MAIN THREAT FROM THUNDERSTORMS TODAY WILL
BE HEAVY RAIN...ALONG WITH THE THREAT OF HAIL.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW.
A MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIR MASS WILL REMAIN OVER ARIZONA RESULTING IN
A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.

DEFINITION OF HAZARDOUS WEATHER...A WEATHER EVENT POSING A THREAT
TO LIFE AND PROPERTY.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 19, 11:55 AM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGZCoconino35 min
Aug 19, 12:08 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGZCoconino37 min
Aug 19, 12:44 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGZCoconino46 min
Aug 19, 3:04 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGZCoconino56 min
Aug 19, 4:29 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningFGZCoconino2 hr
Aug 19, 4:54 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGZCoconino66 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Arizona, 2003Every flash flood warning in 2003

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.