Alert archive / Arizona / Flash Flood Warnings in 2003
Flash Flood Warning 66, NWS Tucson, AZ
NWS Tucson, AZ issued this flash flood warning at Aug 26, 2003, 5:15 PM MST for Pima County, Arizona. It was in force for 105 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 26, 2003, 5:15 PM MST (00:15 UTC)
- Expired
- Aug 26, 2003, 7:00 PM MST
- In force
- 105 min
- Issued by
- NWS Tucson, AZ
- Area
- Counties, with a storm outline in the text
County Pima County, AZ
The radar
The Tucson radar (KEMX), 42 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:17 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
Tuscon, AZ (KTUS), launched 00:00Z, 0.3 hours before the alert went out and 14 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 497 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -25 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1859 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 14 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 34 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 43 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
WGUS55 KTWC 270019
FFWTWC
AZC019-270300-
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ
515 PM MST TUE AUG 26 2003
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TUCSON HAS ISSUED A
* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
EASTERN PIMA COUNTY IN ARIZONA
THIS INCLUDES...TUCSON...ORO VALLEY...MARANA...THE CATALINA
MOUNTAINS.
* UNTIL 800 PM MST
* AT 512 PM MST...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED VERY HEAVY
RAIN CONTINUING ACROSS NORTHWEST TUCSON INTO PICTURE ROCKS. MOVEMENT
WAS TO THE NORTHWEST AT 5 TO 10 MPH. MODERATE RAIN CONTINUED
ACROSS OTHER PORTIONS OF THE METRO AREA ADDING TO RAINFALL TOTALS
THAT WERE ALREADY BETWEEN 1 AND 3 INCHES. FLASH FLOODING NEAR
WASHES AND CANYONS AS WELL AS WIDESPREAD STREET FLOODING WILL
CONTINUE.
DO NOT DRIVE INTO FLOODED AREAS OR AROUND BARRICADES. IF THE
ROAD AHEAD IS FLOODED...TURN AROUND AND TAKE ANOTHER ROUTE.
THIS WARNING REPLACES THE PREVIOUS FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR THIS
AREA.
LAT...LON 3193 11136 3178 11104 3182 11046 3252 11046
3251 11139
MEYERWhat 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 Tucson, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Aug 26, 2:55 PM MST, 2 hours 20 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Aug 26, 2:55 PM MST, 2 hours 20 minutes before
SOUTHEAST ARIZONA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ 255 PM MST TUE AUG 26 2003 .SYNOPSIS...ABUNDANT MOISTURE WILL PROVIDE SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS WILL OCCUR WITH THE STRONGER STORMS. A GRADUAL DECREASE IN SHOWERS AND THUNDESTORMS IS EXPECTED THURSDAY INTO THE WEEKEND. .DISCUSSION...KEMX WSR-88D DETECTED SCATTERED-NUMEROUS MOSTLY LESS THAN 50 DBZ ECHOES GENERALLY E OF A GLOBE-ORACLE-KOLS LINE AT 2145Z. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE MAINLY FROM THE RINCONS-HUACHUCA MTNS. CELLS WERE MOVING W AROUND 10 KTS. VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY INDICATED GENERALLY CLEAR SKIES ACROSS CENTRAL/WRN PIMA/SE PINAL COUNTIES WITH EXTENSIVE CUMULIFORM/CIRRIFORM CLOUDINESS ELSEWHERE. VERY MOIST AIRMASS IN PLACE AS EVIDENCED IN 26/12Z TUS SOUNDING WITH PRECIP WATER VALUE NEAR 1.60 INCH. GOES PRECIP WATER IMAGERY INDICATED VALUES RANGING FROM 1.40 E - 1.90 INCH W. HAVE ALREADY ISSUED FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR TONIGHT THROUGH WED FROM TUS VICINITY WWD AS EXPECTED HEAVY RAINS WILL EXACERBATE FLOODING FROM MON NIGHT STORMS. ETA/GFS SIMILAR WITH REGARD TO GRADUAL DECREASE IN MOISTURE ACROSS SE AZ BEGINNING THUR. THUS SCENARIO ACCEPTED SOMEWHAT THOUGH HAVE SEEN SOME DIFFERENCES IN MODEL CONTINUITY. AT ANY RATE WILL CONTINUE PREVIOUS FORECASTS OF MAINLY AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS THUR-LABOR DAY. DAYTIME MAX TEMPS WED-THUR EXPECTED TO BE BELOW SEASONAL NORMALS FOR LATE AUG WITH A GRADUAL WARMING TREND FRI-LABOR DAY. BF .TWC...FLASH FLOOD WATCH ZONES 029>031-034>WRN 035 UNTIL 28/00Z.
Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 26, 12:10 PM MST, 5 hours 5 minutes before
AZZ019-029>035-271400-
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ
1210 PM MST TUE AUG 26 2003
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST ARIZONA
.DAY ONE...TODAY
SYNOPSIS...HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT CENTERED TO OUR NORTH WILL BRING AN
EASTERLY FLOW ALOFT TODAY AND THEN MORE OF A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION ON
WEDNESDAY AS THE HIGH BEGINS TO SHIFT EAST. THERE WILL ALSO BE AN
INCREASE IN MOISTURE INTO WEDNESDAY FROM THE REMNANTS TO HURRICANE
IGNACIO...WHICH IS EXPECTED TO MOVE SLOWLY NORTHWEST UP THE BAJA
COAST. IN ADDITION...AN UPPER LEVEL INVERTED TROUGH ACROSS FAR WEST
TEXAS AND NEW MEXICO WILL SHIFT WESTWARD INTO THE REGION TONIGHT AND
WEDNESDAY. THE COMBINATION OF THESE FACTORS WILL BRING INCREASING
CHANCES OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON...CONTINUING
THROUGH TONIGHT AND INTO WEDNESDAY. HEAVY RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE
DURING THIS TIME FRAME. THUS...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED
FOR A GOOD PORTION OF SOUTHEAST ARIZONA...STARTING THIS AFTERNOON
AND CONTINUING THROUGH TONIGHT AND INTO WEDNESDAY.
DISCUSSION...MANY FACTORS ARE COMING TOGETHER TODAY/TONIGHT AND EVEN
INTO WEDNESDAY THAT IS EXPECTED TO BRING A SIGNIFICANT ROUND OF
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO MOST OF SOUTHEAST ARIZONA DURING THIS
TIME FRAME. ABUNDANT MOISTURE CONTINUES IN PLACE...WITH AREA RAOBS
AND GOES PWAT IMAGERY INDICATING 1.2 TO 2.1 INCHES OF PRECIPITABLE
WATER ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. IN ADDITION...MORNING SOUNDINGS ALSO
INDICATE MODERATE INSTABILITY VALUES...WITH AN UNMODIFIED LIFTED
INDEX OF MINUS 4.5 AND A POSITIVE ENERGY VALUE OF 1941 J/KG. IN
ADDITION...THE REMNANTS OF HURRICANE IGNACIO NEAR THE SOUTHERN TIP
OF BAJA CONTINUES TO MOVE VERY SLOWLY TO THE NORTHWEST...WITH
COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF MOISTURE BEING PUSHED NORTH OVER MEXICO AND INTO
SOUTHERN ARIZONA. AN INVERTED TROUGH TO OUR EAST IS FORECASTED TO
MOVE WEST INTO ARIZONA TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...WITH STRETCHING AND
DEFORMATION IN THE UPPER WIND FIELDS AHEAD OF THIS FEATURE AIDING
STORM DEVELOPMENT.
THE COMBINATION OF THESE FACTORS IS EXPECTED TO BRING A SIGNIFICANT
ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON/TONIGHT AND INTO
WEDNESDAY...WITH THE MAIN THREAT FOR HEAVY RAINS THAT MAY LEAD TO
FLASH FLOODING. THERE WILL ALSO BE A MINIMAL RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER
ACROSS THE AREA MAINLY DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. THEREFORE...THE
CHANCE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE SLIGHTLY BELOW CLIMATOLOGY
TODAY AND TONIGHT. HOWEVER...THE CHANCE FOR GREATER THAN ONE INCH OF
RAINFALL TODAY AND TONIGHT WILL BE ABOVE CLIMATOLOGY...ESPECIALLY
WEST OF A LINE FROM SIERRA VISTA...TO WILLCOX...TO MAMMOTH...TO
WINKELMAN. THE MOVEMENT OF THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL BE TO THE
WEST AROUND 15 MPH.
A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM 200 PM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH
TONIGHT FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...WESTERN COCHISE...SANTA
CRUZ...SOUTHEAST PINAL AND PIMA COUNTIES. THE WATCH INCLUDES THE
FOLLOWING CITIES...GREEN VALLEY...MARANA...NOGALES...ORO VALLEY...
SELLS...SIERRA VISTA...BISBEE...WILLCOX AND THE TUCSON METRO AREA
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY.
ON WEDNESDAY...MOISTURE FROM FORMER HURRICANE IGNACIO WILL CONTINUE
TO MOVE NORTH INTO THE REGION...KEEPING A VERY MOIST ATMOSPHERE IN
PLACE ACROSS SOUTHEAST ARIZONA. THE MAIN THREAT FROM THE STORMS THAT
DEVELOP ON WEDNESDAY WILL AGAIN BE HEAVY RAIN THAT MAY LEAD TO FLASH
FLOODING.
A FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT WEDNESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
LOCATIONS...WESTERN COCHISE...SANTA CRUZ...SOUTHEAST PINAL AND PIMA
COUNTIES. THE WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING CITIES...GREEN VALLEY...
MARANA...NOGALES...ORO VALLEY...SELLS...SIERRA VISTA... BISBEE...
WILLCOX AND THE TUCSON METRO AREA
SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL EXPECTED ACROSS
EASTERN PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA IN THE THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY
TIME FRAME...WHILE SOME DRYING IS EXPECTED OVER FAR WESTERN PORTIONS
OF THE STATE OVER THE WEEKEND AS A DRIER SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT BEGINS
TO DEVELOP ALONG THE WEST COAST AND PUSH EASTWARD.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
FOR MORE INFORMATION...SEE THE LATEST WEATHER BULLETINS:
AWIPS ID WMO ID
FLASH FLOOD WATCH PHXFFATWC WGUS65 KTWC
ZELLIn the hours before
Local storm report, Aug 26, 4:27 PM MST, 48 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ
0427 PM MST TUE AUG 26 2003
TIME(MST) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0425 PM TUCSON AZ WIND DAMAGE
08/26/03 PIMA POWER LINE DOWNED ON
VEHICLE AT FT. LOWELL PARK
PYTLAKLocal storm report, Aug 26, 5:02 PM MST, 13 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ
0502 PM MST TUE AUG 26 2003
TIME(MST) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0455 PM TUCSON AZ FLASH FLOOD
08/26/03 PIMA ALAMO WASH AT GLENN AVE.
ROSE 3 FEET IN 20 MINUTES.
REPORT FROM AUTOMATED
STREAM GAGE.
0450 PM TUCSON AZ FLASH FLOOD
08/26/03 PIMA SABINO CREEK ROSE 3 FEET
IN 15 MINUTES. REPORT FROM
ATUMATED GAGE.
0450 PM TUCSON AZ FLASH FLOOD
08/26/03 PIMA NUMEROUS STREETS FLOODED
IN MIDTOWN.
PYTLAKThe office that day
Everything else NWS Tucson, AZ issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 26, 5:00 PM MST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TWC | Pinal | 45 min |
| Aug 26, 5:01 PM MST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TWC | Pinal | 44 min |
| Aug 26, 5:45 PM MST | Flash Flood Warning | TWC | Pinal | |
| Aug 27, 11:51 AM MST | Flash Flood Warning | TWC | Pima | 54 min |
| Aug 27, 1:39 PM MST | Flash Flood Warning | TWC | Pima | 51 min |
| Aug 27, 2:57 PM MST | Flash Flood Warning | TWC | Pima | 33 min |
| Aug 27, 4:21 PM MST | Flash Flood Warning | TWC | Cochise | 9 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.