Alert archive / Arizona / Flash Flood Warnings in 2007

Flash Flood Warning 2, NWS Flagstaff, AZ

September 16, 2007Navajo County, Arizona

NWS Flagstaff, AZ issued this flash flood warning at Sep 16, 2007, 7:23 PM MDT for Navajo County, Arizona. It was in force for 2 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
Sep 16, 2007, 7:23 PM MDT (01:23 UTC)
Expired
Sep 16, 2007, 9:30 PM MDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS Flagstaff, AZ
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text
Flood severity
None

County Navajo County, AZ

The radar

The Flagstaff radar (KFSX), 114 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:26 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, 1.4 hours before the alert went out and 159 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 2007-09-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 658 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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 2007-09-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 116 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
658 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-22 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1328 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
32 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
116 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
55 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.2
Supercell composite
2.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
WGUS55 KFGZ 170125
FFWFGZ
AZC017-170330-
/X.NEW.KFGZ.FF.W.0002.070917T0123Z-070917T0330Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
623 PM MST SUN SEP 16 2007

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FLAGSTAFF HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  EAST CENTRAL NAVAJO COUNTY IN NORTHEAST ARIZONA...

* UNTIL 830 PM MST

* AT 617 PM MST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  VERY HEAVY RAIN CAPABLE OF PRODUCING FLASH FLOODING FROM A
  THUNDERSTORM OVER THE WARNED AREA. UP TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN HAS
  ALREADY FALLEN MAINLY SINCE 530 PM...AND AN ADDITIONAL INCH
  OR MORE IS POSSIBLE.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO MILEPOST
  400 ON SR 77 AND MILEPOST 300 ON I-40 AND PORTIONS OF HOLBROOK

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. NEVER DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO
AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. FLOOD WATERS ARE USUALLY
DEEPER THAN THEY APPEAR. JUST ONE FOOT OF FLOWING WATER IS POWERFUL
ENOUGH TO SWEEP VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD. WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED
ROADS MAKE THE SMART CHOICE...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

LAT...LON 3504 11015 3512 10994 3494 10996 3490 11016
TIME...MOT...LOC 0123Z 180DEG 0KT 3498 11009

$$

DJO
1 follow-up statement
000 
WGUS75 KFGZ 170225
FFSFGZ

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
725 PM MST SUN SEP 16 2007

AZC017-170330-
/X.CON.KFGZ.FF.W.0002.000000T0000Z-070917T0330Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
NAVAJO AZ-
725 PM MST SUN SEP 16 2007

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 830 PM MST FOR EAST
CENTRAL NAVAJO COUNTY...

AT 715 PM MST...RADAR INDICATED THAT RAIN WAS ENDING OVER THE WARNED
AREA WITH RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS UP TO 5 INCHES THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. WITH THE EXTREMELY HEAVY RAINFALL THE AREA HAS RECEIVED...
FLASH FLOOD WATER WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE DOWN STREAMS AND DRY WASHES
THROUGH 830 PM MST. LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS REPORTED THAT
FLOOD WATER HAD OVERTOPPED SR 77 NORTH OF HOLBROOK.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO MILEPOST 295
ON I-40...MILEPOST 400 ON SR 77 AND MILEPOST 300 ON I-40 AND PORTIONS
OF HOLBROOK.

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. NEVER DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO
AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. FLOOD WATERS ARE USUALLY
DEEPER THAN THEY APPEAR. JUST ONE FOOT OF FLOWING WATER IS POWERFUL
ENOUGH TO SWEEP VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD. WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED
ROADS MAKE THE SMART CHOICE...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

LAT...LON 3504 11015 3512 10994 3494 10996 3490 11016
TIME...MOT...LOC 0220Z 180DEG 0KT 3498 11009

$$

DJO

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 Sep 16, 3:09 PM MDT, 4 hours 14 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 16, 3:09 PM MDT, 4 hours 14 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
200 PM SUN SEP 16 2007

.SYNOPSIS...EXPECT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO BECOME MORE NUMEROUS
TODAY AND MONDAY AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH THE GREAT
BASIN. ALONG WITH THE RAIN...EXPECT BREEZY TO LOCALLY WINDY
CONDITIONS...AND COOLER TEMPERATURES. DRIER AIR WILL MOVE INTO THE
STATE TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY...WITH BREEZY CONDITIONS AND A CHANCE
FOR SHOWERS RETURNING LATER IN THE WEEK.

&&

.DISCUSSION...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH
7 PM MST FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN ARIZONA. SATELLITE AND RADAR DATA
INDICATE STORMS ARE BECOMING MORE NUMEROUS ACROSS THE REGION. EXPECT
THESE TO CONTINUE TO INTENSIFY DURING THE AFTERNOON WITH SOME STORMS
BECOMING SEVERE WITH STRONG DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND HEAVY
RAIN.

A TROUGH WILL ENTER THE WESTERN REACHES OF THE GREAT BASIN LATER
TODAY...AND WILL MOVE ACROSS THE GREAT BASIN AND INTO WESTERN
COLORADO BY MONDAY EVENING. DIVQ FIELDS SHOW MODERATE DEEP-LAYER
UPWARD FORCING WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION OVERNIGHT AND EARLY
MONDAY IN ASSOCIATION WITH THIS TROUGH. 12 AND 18 UTC KFGZ SOUNDINGS
INDICATE THAT THE CAP HAS WEAKENED CONSIDERABLY...DEEP MOISTURE IS
IN PLACE...AND WINDS HAVE STRENGTHENED THROUGH A DEEP LAYER.

THUS...EXPECT A GOOD CHANCE OF CONVECTION TODAY...AND LASTING
THROUGH LATE MONDAY. RAIN COULD BE HEAVY AT TIMES TONIGHT AND EARLY
MONDAY AS THE DYNAMICAL PORTION OF THE TROUGH MOVES THROUGH.
TRAINING STORMS RESULTING IN EXCESS PCPN AMOUNTS COULD ALSO BE AN
ISSUE WITH LAYERED SOUTHWEST FLOW APPROACHING 40 KNOTS. IN
ADDITION...ENOUGH INSTABILITY AND DEEP LAYER SHEAR IS PRESENT FOR
SOME STORMS TO BECOME SEVERE WITH STRONG WINDS AND HAIL POSSIBLE.

MUCH DRIER AND MORE STABLE AIR FOLLOWS THIS TROUGH FOR CLEARING
CONDITIONS TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. ANOTHER STRONGER LOW WILL DROP
DOWN THE WEST COAST LATER IN THE WEEK...RESULTING IN BREEZY AND
COOLER  CONDITIONS ACROSS ARIZONA. THIS NEXT LOW MAY ALSO TAP
MOISTURE TO  OUR SOUTH...FOR A RENEWED CHANCE OF SHOWERS BY DAYS
FIVE  THROUGH SEVEN. MODELS CONTINUE TO EXHIBIT LARGE RUN-TO-RUN
VARIABILITY IN THE TIMING AND TRACK OF THIS SYSTEM. FOR NOW...HAVE
SOME LOW CHANCES OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.  DB

&&

.AVIATION...FOR THE 00Z PACKAGE...EXPECT SCT-BKN CLOUD COVER AT
11-14 KFT MSL WITH A CHANCE FOR SCT TO NUMEROUS TSRA AND SHRA.
FLIGHT CONDITIONS WILL BE PRIMARILY VFR WITH OCCASIONAL MVFR IN THE
STRONGEST STORMS. OTHER THAN THUNDERSTORMS THE STRONG BREEZY WINDS
WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREAT TO AVIATION THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING
WITH SOUTHWEST  WIND SPEEDS AROUND 10-20 KTS AND GUSTS AROUND 35
KTS. WINDS WILL BE  ERRATIC AND GUSTY NEAR THUNDERSTORMS. SHOWER AND
THUNDERSTORM  CHANCES WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS.
AVIATION DISCUSSION  NOT UPDATED FOR AMENDMENTS.  RB
&&

.FGZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...SVR THUNDERSTORM WATCH 670 IN
EFFECT THROUGH 7 PM MST FOR ZONES 004>010-012-013-015-016-037>040.

&&
Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 16, 12:45 PM MDT, 6 hours 38 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
1145 AM MST SUN SEP 16 2007

AZZ004>018-037>040-170700-
WESTERN MOGOLLON RIM-GRAND CANYON COUNTRY-YAVAPAI COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
YAVAPAI COUNTY VALLEYS AND BASINS-OAK CREEK AND SYCAMORE CANYONS-
MARBLE AND GLEN CANYONS-KAIBAB PLATEAU-COCONINO PLATEAU-
NORTHEAST PLATEAU AND MESAS HWY 264 NORTHWARD-
NORTHEAST PLATEAU AND MESAS SOUTH OF HWY 264-
CHINLE VALLEY-CHUSKA MOUNTAINS AND DEFIANCE PLATEAU-
BLACK MESA AREA-LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN COCONINO COUNTY-
LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN NAVAJO COUNTY-
LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN APACHE COUNTY-
EASTERN MOGOLLON RIM-WHITE MOUNTAINS-NORTHERN GILA COUNTY-
1145 AM MST SUN SEP 16 2007

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY

A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WILL INTERACT WITH DEEP MOISTURE FROM
MEXICO TODAY...CAUSING AN OUTBREAK OF POTENTIALLY SEVERE WEATHER.
EXPECT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP RAPIDLY AFTER 9 AM MST
THIS MORNING...BECOMING MORE FREQUENT AND WIDESPREAD BY THE
AFTERNOON.

THE STRONGEST AND MOST FREQUENT STORMS WILL BE OVER CENTRAL AND
WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA...INCLUDING MUCH OF YAVAPAI
AND COCONINO COUNTIES. THE STRONGER STORMS IN THESE AREAS WILL BE
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING TORRENTIAL RAINS AND LARGE HAIL...AS WELL AS
DAMAGING WINDS. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM
MST.

THERE WILL BE A MODEST THREAT OF FLOODING TODAY DUE TO THE STORMS
REDEVELOPING AND AFFECTING THE SAME AREAS MULTIPLE TIMES THROUGH THE
AFTERNOON.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

THE SAME LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL CAUSE STRONG STORMS TO CONTINUE
OVERNIGHT AND INTO MONDAY. THE BEST AREA FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL
SHIFT SLOWLY EAST TO THE NEW MEXICO BORDER BY MONDAY AFTERNOON.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

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

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 16, 6:32 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGZNavajo28 min
Sep 17, 2:34 PM MDTFreeze WarningFGZCoconino18 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Arizona, 2007Every flash flood warning in 2007

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.