Alert archive / Arizona / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2004

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 24, NWS Phoenix, AZ

July 25, 2004Pinal County, Arizona

NWS Phoenix, AZ issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 25, 2004, 5:58 PM MST for Pinal County, Arizona. It was in force for 47 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 25, 2004, 5:58 PM MST (00:58 UTC)
Expired
Jul 25, 2004, 6:45 PM MST
In force
47 min
Issued by
NWS Phoenix, AZ
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Pinal County, AZ

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, 1.0 hours before the alert went out and 52 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 2004-07-26Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 159 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 2004-07-26The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 3 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
159 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-81 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2959 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
17 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
3 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
44 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 
WUUS55 KPSR 260058
SVRPSR
AZC021-260145-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
558 PM MST SUN JUL 25 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PHOENIX HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  NORTH CENTRAL PINAL COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ARIZONA
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...FLORENCE JUNCTION...FLORENCE...
  COOLIDGE...APACHE JUNCTION

* UNTIL 645 PM MST

* AT 550 PM MST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DESTRUCTIVE WINDS IN
  EXCESS OF 70 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR FLORENCE JUNCTION...
  ...AND MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 15 MPH.

* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO QUEEN
  VALLEY...KINGS RANCH...LA PALMA...RANDOLPH AND MAGMA.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH...PREPARE
IMMEDIATELY FOR DAMAGING WINDS...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...AND DEADLY CLOUD
TO GROUND LIGHTNING. PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER...
PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

LAT...LON 3286 11158 3320 11194 3320 11158 3321 11156
      3322 11158 3347 11157 3347 11133 3337 11119
      3321 11109 3284 11156

$$

CJB

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 Phoenix, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jul 25, 3:27 PM MST, 2 hours 31 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 25, 3:27 PM MST, 2 hours 31 minutes before
AZZ020>028-CAZ030>033-260545-

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
325 PM SUN JUL 25 2004

SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA...AND SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA
FORECAST DISCUSSION

.SYNOPSIS...
MOISTURE WILL CONTINUE AROUND THE DESERT SOUTHWEST FOR A COUPLE MORE
DAYS GIVING A THREAT FOR ADDITIONAL AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS. HOWEVER...THE FLOW ALOFT WILL TURN MORE WEST OR
NORTHWEST BY MIDWEEK...WHICH WILL RESULT IN A DRYING TREND AND A
TEMPORARY LULL IN THE MONSOON. BY THE WEEKEND...THE UPPER HIGH WILL
DEVELOP OVER THE SOUTHERN GREAT PLAINS...HELPING TO BRING A RETURN
OF MOISTURE AND THE THREAT OF AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA. DAYTIME TEMPERATURES
WILL REMAIN SEASONABLY WARM DURING THIS NEW WEEK.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
HAVE NOT GIVEN UP HOPE THAT WE MAY STILL BE IN FOR AN ACTIVE EVENING
AROUND THE CWA...AS FACTORS MENTIONED IN THE MORNING DISCUSSSION
STILL IN PLAY. HOWEVER...ONE LARGE NEGATIVE FACTOR FOR WIDESPREAD
DESERT STORMS THIS EVENING IS THAT THE AFTERNOON DEWPOINTS HAVE
DROPPED INTO THE MID 50S. ADD TO THIS THAT THERE ARE REALLY NO UPPER
IMPULSES TO ACT AS TRIGGERS...WE WILL HAVE TO TOTALLY RELY ON
COLLIDING OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES TO GET DESERT REDEVELOPMENT THIS
EVENING...AND THESE BOUNDARIES MAY BE FEW AND TOO FAR BETWEEN.
CONVECTION THAT HAS FORMED ALONG THE RIM AND TO OUR SE HAVE THUS FAR
WEAKENED AS THEY HAVE PROPOGATED TOWARDS THE DRIER ENVIRONS OF THE
LOWER DESERTS. HOWEVER...IT IS STILL RELATIVELY EARLY TO GET TOO
PESSIMISTIC ABOUT THE THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL THIS EVENING. DECIDED
TO LEAVE POPS AT THE 40 PERCENT THAT WAS INHERITED FROM MIDNIGHT
SHIFT FOR THE SCNTRL DESERTS...DROPPING TO 10S AND 20S IN THE FAR
WRN CWA. FOR TOMORROW...STEERING FLOW REMAINS OUT OF THE NE...SO IF
WE GET LITTLE ACTIVITY TONIGHT TO STABLIZE THE AMS...MONDAY EVENING
COULD BE QUITE ACTIVE. PROGS ARE STILL POINTING TOWARDS A STRONG
DRYING TREND BY MIDWEEK...WHICH SHOULD LAST 3 OR 4 DAYS. THIS BEING
CAUSED BY ANOMALOUSLY STRONG WLYS ONCE AGAIN DROPPING DOWN TO OUR
LATITUDE. BY THE WEEKEND...UPPER HIGH REBUILDS TO OUR E...WHICH
SHOULD ALLOW A MORE MOIST SELY FLOW TO RETURN TO THE ERN CWA. WILL
CONTINUE THE SLIGHT UPSWING IN ACTIVITY BY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY FOR
BASICALLY MARICOPA COUNTY EWD. AFTERNOON TEMPS SHOULD NOT VARY TOO
MUCH DAY-TO-DAY...WITH THE EXCEPTION OF EITHER TOMORROW OR TUESDAY
WHEN ANY CONVECTIVE DEBRIS WOULD CUT DOWN ON INSOLATION. NIGHTTIME
LOWS WILL PROBABLY TAKE A SLIGHT DIP LATER THIS WEEK WITH LOWER
DEWPOINTS.

.PSR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AZ...NONE.
CA...NONE.

&&

ESTLE
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 25, 10:01 AM MST, 7 hours 57 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
1001 AM MST SUN JUL 25 2004

AZZ021>024-026>028-260700-
GREATER PHOENIX AREA-NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL PINAL COUNTY-
NORTHWEST MARICOPA COUNTY-SOUTHERN GILA/TONTO NF FOOTHILLS-
SOUTHWEST DESERTS-SOUTHWEST MARICOPA COUNTY-WEST CENTRAL DESERTS-
1001 AM MST SUN JUL 25 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH-CENTRAL AND PARTS OF
SOUTHWEST ARIZONA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING...WITH DAMAGING WIND THE MAIN THREAT. TREES...POWER
LINES...AND POORLY CONSTRUCTED BUILDINGS WILL BE MOST AT RISK.
THERE WILL ALSO BE A THREAT OF DENSE BLOWING DUST WITH REDUCED
VISIBILITIES IN THE DESERTS UNDER A MILE AT TIMES.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR
POSSIBLE WATCHES OR WARNINGS.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO BE ACCOMPANIED BY HEAVY RAINS. THIS MAY CAUSE
MINOR FLOODING OF POOR DRAINAGE AND LOW LYING AREAS...AS WELL AS
URBAN STREET INTERSECTIONS. WASHES MAY ALSO BEGIN FLOWING.

DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

THERE WILL BE A CONTINUED CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ONCE
AGAIN MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...AND AGAIN TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. THE STRONGEST STORMS COULD ALSO PRODUCE STRONG...GUSTY WINDS
AND HEAVY RAIN. SOME SIGNIFICANT DRYING IS EXPECTED
WEDNESDAY...THURSDAY AND FRIDAY WITH NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED.
THERE WILL BE A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS AGAIN ON SATURDAY.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY THIS EVENING.

AZZ020-025-CAZ031>033-260700-
IMPERIAL COUNTY-LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY AZ-
LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY CA-RIVERSIDE COUNTY/EASTERN DESERTS-
YUMA/MARTINEZ LAKE AND VICINITY-
1001 AM MST SUN JUL 25 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EXTREME SOUTHWEST ARIZONA AND
MOST OF SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY

THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE AREA. THE MAIN THREAT THAT THESE STORMS WILL
POSE WILL BE HEAVY RAINS...WHICH MAY CAUSE MINOR FLOODING OF POOR
DRAINAGE AND LOW LYING AREAS. WASHES MAY BEGIN FLOWING.
THERE COULD ALSO BE SOME DENSE BLOWING DUST...WHICH COULD REDUCE
VISIBILITIES AT TIMES TO UNDER A MILE.

DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

THERE WILL BE A SLIGHT CHANCE OF AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS AGAIN ON MONDAY...WITH HEAVY RAIN THE MAIN THREAT. A
DRYING TREND IS BEING FORECAST TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY WITH LITTLE
IF ANY THREAT OF HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

CAZ030-260700-
JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK-
1001 AM MST SUN JUL 25 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK.

.DAY ONE...TODAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 25, 5:04 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPSRPinal56 min
Jul 25, 6:52 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPSRPinal53 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Arizona, 2004Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2004

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.