Alert archive / Arizona / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 7, NWS Flagstaff, AZ

July 18, 2003Gila County, Yavapai County, Arizona

NWS Flagstaff, AZ issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 18, 2003, 6:32 PM MST for Gila County, Yavapai County, Arizona. It was in force for 28 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
Jul 18, 2003, 6:32 PM MST (01:32 UTC)
Expired
Jul 18, 2003, 7:00 PM MST
In force
28 min
Issued by
NWS Flagstaff, AZ
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Gila County, AZ, Yavapai County, AZ

The radar

The Flagstaff radar (KFSX), 60 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:32 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 severe thunderstorm 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 00:00Z, 1.5 hours before the alert went out and 87 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 00:00Z on 2003-07-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 288 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 00:00Z on 2003-07-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 12 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
288 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-76 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2289 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
16 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
12 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
54 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.

685 
WUUS55 KFGZ 190132
SVRFGZ
AZC007-025-190200-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
631 PM MST FRI JUL 18 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FLAGSTAFF IS EXTENDING THE

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  NORTHWESTERN GILA COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL ARIZONA
  SOUTHEASTERN YAVAPAI COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ARIZONA

* UNTIL 700 PM MST

* AT 624 PM MST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OVER EXTREME NORTHWESTERN GILA COUNTY...OR
  ABOUT 18 MILES WEST OF PAYSON...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 20 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE IN...
SOUTHEASTERN YAVAPAI COUNTY BY 640 PM MST

LARGE HAIL UP TO 1.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER IS POSSIBLE WITH THIS SEVERE 
THUNDERSTORM. GUSTY WINDS UP TO 55 MPH ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS 
STORM. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THE STORM...MOVE TO A SUBSTANTIAL 
SHELTER. 

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

LAT...LON 3414 11143 3440 11153 3417 11197 3404 11181
          3403 11150

STAUDENMAIER

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 Flagstaff, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jul 18, 2:26 PM MST, 4 hours 6 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 18, 2:26 PM MST, 4 hours 6 minutes before
NORTHERN ARIZONA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
230 PM MST THU JUL 17 2003

.SYNOPSIS...SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE HAS INCREASED ACROSS THE AREA AS
THE REMNANTS OF TROPICAL STORM CLAUDETTE CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS
SOUTHERN ARIZONA. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP
AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...MAINLY OVER AND SOUTH OF THE
MOGOLLON RIM. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED INTO
NEXT WEEK.

.DISCUSSION...STRONG HIGH PRESSURE REMAINS ANCHORED OVER THE WEST
WITH THE CENTER LOCATED IN COLORADO. THIS CONTINUES TO PRODUCE A
WELL-DEVELOPED EASTERLY FLOW OF SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE ACROSS ARIZONA.
EMBEDDED WITHIN THIS EASTERLY FLOW ARE THE REMNANTS OF TROPICAL
STORM CLAUDETTE. THE 700 MB CIRCULATION CENTER IS LOCATED IN SW AZ
THIS AFTERNOON AND IS MAINTAINING A SLOW WESTERLY TRACK. IN ITS
WAKE...AN ENHANCED SOUTHEASTERLY FLOW HAS DEVELOPED AND IS
TRANSPORTING SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE NORTHWARD
INTO ARIZONA. GPSMET SHOWS THAT IPWV HAS INCREASED TO MORE THAN 1.5
INCHES IN SERN AZ AND ABOUT 1 INCH IN NRN AZ...WITH MUCH LOWER
VALUES NORTH OF THE MOGOLLON RIM. SFC DEWPOINTS ARE UP 5-10 DEGREES
FROM THIS TIME YESTERDAY AND STEEP LAPSE RATES REMAIN IN PLACE. IN
ADDITION...WIND FIELDS HAVE INCREASED IN MID LEVELS RESULTING IN
ENHANCED DEEP-LAYER SHEAR SO THAT STORMS SHOULD MOVE ALONG AT A GOOD
CLIP AND UNDERGO SOME MESOSCALE ORGANIZATION. FOR SAT/SUN...EXPECT A
SLIGHT DECREASE IN ACTIVITY AS THE RIDGE BEGINS TO MOVE WESTWARD AND
THICKNESSES INCREASE. FOR THE EXTENDED...SUFFICIENT MOISTURE WILL
REMAIN ACROSS THE AREA OF DAILY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.  DB

.FGZ...NONE.

.CODED TEMPERATURES/POPS FOR SELECTED CITIES IN NORTHERN ARIZONA

CITY             TEMPERATURES LO/HI           PROBABILITY OF PRECIP
                 TON SAT   SUN     MON        TON SAT   SUN     MON
FLAGSTAFF        054/084 052/085 053/084      030 030 030 030 030 030
WINSLOW          067/097 066/098 065/095      030 020 020 020 020 020
PRESCOTT         065/092 063/093 063/090      030 020 020 030 020 030
PAGE             076/102 075/101 073/101      020 020 010 020 010 020
WINDOW ROCK      055/090 056/090 056/088      020 030 030 030 030 030
CANYON DE CHELLY 065/096 066/096 066/094      020 030 020 030 020 030
COTTONWOOD       073/103 071/104 071/101      030 020 010 020 010 020
GRAND CANYON     055/088 052/089 051/087      030 030 020 030 020 030
GREER            050/080 048/081 049/080      040 040 030 040 030 040
HEBER            055/089 053/090 054/089      040 030 020 040 020 040
JACOB LAKE       054/082 052/083 053/082      030 040 030 030 030 030
NAVAJO N.M.      059/090 060/090 060/088      020 030 020 030 020 030
PAYSON           066/097 064/098 064/095      040 030 010 020 010 020
SEDONA           071/101 069/102 069/099      030 030 020 030 020 030
SELIGMAN         064/095 062/096 062/093      030 030 020 020 020 020
SHOW LOW         062/090 060/091 061/090      030 030 020 030 020 030
ST. JOHNS        062/098 063/096 063/095      030 030 020 030 020 030
WUPATKI N.M.     070/099 069/100 068/097      030 020 020 030 020 030
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 18, 10:00 AM MST, 8 hours 32 minutes before
AZZ004>018-037>040-190200-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
1000 AM MST FRI JUL 18 2003

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY

AN INCREASE IN SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE HAS OCCURRED OVER THE AREA IN
RESPONSE TO THE REMNANTS OF TROPICAL STORM CLAUDETTE MOVING ACROSS
SOUTHERN ARIZONA. EXPECT SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO
DEVELOP OVER AND SOUTH OF THE MOGOLLON RIM LATE THIS MORNING AND
THIS AFTERNOON. SOME OF THESE SHOWERS MAY PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL
ALONG WITH STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE WILL REMAIN OVER ARIZONA INTO THE EARLY PART OF
THE WEEKEND RESULTING IN A CONTINUED 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
Jul 18, 6:01 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGZGila, Yavapai29 min
Jul 18, 7:52 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGZYavapai23 min
Jul 18, 8:20 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGZYavapai25 min
Jul 19, 4:42 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGZCoconino33 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Arizona, 2003Every severe thunderstorm 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.