Alert archive / California / Flash Flood Warnings in 2012

Flash Flood Warning 25, NWS Phoenix, AZ

July 30, 2012Imperial County, California

NWS Phoenix, AZ issued this flash flood warning at Jul 30, 2012, 3:12 PM PDT for Imperial County, California. It was in force for 3 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
Jul 30, 2012, 3:12 PM PDT (22:12 UTC)
Expired
Jul 30, 2012, 6:15 PM PDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Phoenix, AZ
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

County Imperial County, CA

The radar

The Yuma radar (KYUX), 79 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:13 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.

The nearest sounding before it

San Diego, CA (KNKX), launched 12:00Z, 10.2 hours before the alert went out and 193 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, San Diego, CA at 12:00Z on 2012-07-30Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, San Diego, CA at 12:00Z on 2012-07-30The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -18 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1583 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
19 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-18 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
7 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.

136 
WGUS55 KPSR 302212
FFWPSR
CAC025-310115-
/O.NEW.KPSR.FF.W.0025.120730T2212Z-120731T0115Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
312 PM PDT MON JUL 30 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PHOENIX HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  CENTRAL IMPERIAL COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA...

* UNTIL 615 PM PDT

* AT 308 PM PDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED
  THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN FROM EAST OF IMPERIAL...TO
  NORTHEAST OF GLAMIS. MOVEMENT WAS SLOWLY SOUTH.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO HOLTVILLE

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

RADAR INDICATES THAT UP TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN IN THE AREA 
FROM EAST OF IMPERIAL TO SOUTHEAST OF GLAMIS. RUNOFF FROM THE HEAVY 
RAIN WILL CAUSE FLOODING IN THE AREA.

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN MOTORIZED VEHICLES. WHEN ENCOUNTERING
FLOODED ROADS...MAKE THE SMART CHOICE...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

&&

LAT...LON 3328 11546 3338 11474 3273 11472 3268 11540

$$

WOODALL
3 follow-up statements
399 
WGUS75 KPSR 302300
FFSPSR

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
400 PM PDT MON JUL 30 2012

CAC025-310115-
/O.CON.KPSR.FF.W.0025.000000T0000Z-120731T0115Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
IMPERIAL CA-
400 PM PDT MON JUL 30 2012

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 615 PM PDT FOR
EASTERN IMPERIAL COUNTY...

AT 356 PM PDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED 
THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG THE INTERSTATE 8 CORRIDOR 
FROM EAST OF IMPERIAL...TO NEAR ALGODONES DUNES. LIGHT TO MODERATE 
RAIN EXTENDED NORTH TO NEAR GLAMIS. MOVEMENT OF THE RAIN WAS SLOWLY 
SOUTH. 

RADAR INDICATES THAT OVER 2 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN ALONG THE 
INTERSTATE 8 CORRIDOR SOUTHEAST OF HOLTVILLE. THE HEAVY RAIN WILL 
CONTINUE THE THREAT OF RUNOFF AND FLASH FLOODING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT PEOPLE ALONG THE BANKS OF WASHES AND
CREEKS SHOULD MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY. NORMALLY DRY WASHES
AND STREAMS WILL SUDDENLY HAVE RUNNING WATER AND MAKE UNBRIDGED
CROSSINGS IMPASSABLE. STREETS...UNDERPASSES...AND LOW SPOTS WILL
BECOME INUNDATED MAKING DRIVING HAZARDOUS IN THE WARNED AREA.

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN MOTORIZED VEHICLES. WHEN ENCOUNTERING
FLOODED ROADS...MAKE THE SMART CHOICE...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

&&

LAT...LON 3314 11545 3338 11474 3273 11472 3268 11540

$$

WOODALL
339 
WGUS75 KPSR 302343
FFSPSR

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
443 PM PDT MON JUL 30 2012

CAC025-310115-
/O.CON.KPSR.FF.W.0025.000000T0000Z-120731T0115Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
IMPERIAL CA-
443 PM PDT MON JUL 30 2012

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 615 PM PDT FOR
CENTRAL IMPERIAL COUNTY...

AT 439 PM PDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED 
LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN FROM NEAR GLAMIS...TO SOUTH OF HOLTVILLE. 
MOVEMENT WAS SLOWLY SOUTH.

ALTHOUGH THE HEAVY RAIN THAT PROMPTED THE WARNING HAD 
DIMINISHED...RUNOFF FROM THE EARLIER STORMS WILL CONTINUE THE THREAT 
OF FLOODING FROM HOLTVILLE TO THE SOUTH AND EAST...ESPECIALLY ALONG 
THE INTERSTATE 8 AND HIGHWAY 98 CORRIDORS.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO HOLTVILLE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT PEOPLE ALONG THE BANKS OF WASHES AND
CREEKS SHOULD MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY. NORMALLY DRY WASHES
AND STREAMS WILL SUDDENLY HAVE RUNNING WATER AND MAKE UNBRIDGED
CROSSINGS IMPASSABLE. STREETS...UNDERPASSES...AND LOW SPOTS WILL
BECOME INUNDATED MAKING DRIVING HAZARDOUS IN THE WARNED AREA.

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN MOTORIZED VEHICLES. WHEN ENCOUNTERING
FLOODED ROADS...MAKE THE SMART CHOICE...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

&&

LAT...LON 3314 11545 3319 11473 3273 11472 3268 11540

$$

WOODALL
349 
WGUS75 KPSR 310022
FFSPSR

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
522 PM PDT MON JUL 30 2012

CAC025-310115-
/O.CON.KPSR.FF.W.0025.000000T0000Z-120731T0115Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
IMPERIAL CA-
522 PM PDT MON JUL 30 2012

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 615 PM PDT FOR
CENTRAL IMPERIAL COUNTY...

AT 517 PM PDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED 
LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN FROM NORTHWEST OF GLAMIS...TO SOUTHEAST OF 
HOLTVILLE.

ALTHOUGH THE HEAVY RAIN THAT PROMPTED THE WARNING HAD 
DIMINISHED...RUNOFF FROM THE EARLIER STORMS WILL LIKELY PRODUCE 
FLOODING.

ADDITIONALLY...VERY HEAVY RAIN TO THE WEST OF EL CENTRO AND BRAWLEY 
MAY ENTER THE WARNING AREA BY 600 PM. THIS COULD INCREASE THE FLASH 
FLOOD THREAT AGAIN.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO WIEST AND
GLAMIS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT PEOPLE ALONG THE BANKS OF WASHES AND
CREEKS SHOULD MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY. NORMALLY DRY WASHES
AND STREAMS WILL SUDDENLY HAVE RUNNING WATER AND MAKE UNBRIDGED
CROSSINGS IMPASSABLE. STREETS...UNDERPASSES...AND LOW SPOTS WILL
BECOME INUNDATED MAKING DRIVING HAZARDOUS IN THE WARNED AREA.

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN MOTORIZED VEHICLES. WHEN ENCOUNTERING
FLOODED ROADS...MAKE THE SMART CHOICE...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

&&

LAT...LON 3314 11545 3319 11473 3273 11472 3268 11540

$$

WOODALL

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 30, 12:25 PM PDTFlash Flood WatchPSR9 hr
Jul 30, 1:30 PM PDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPSRRiverside2 hr
Jul 30, 2:23 PM PDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPSRRiverside, San Bernardino52 min
Jul 30, 2:45 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementPSRImperial45 min
Jul 30, 3:33 PM PDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPSRImperial, Riverside57 min
Jul 30, 4:15 PM PDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPSRImperial24 min
Jul 30, 4:38 PM PDTFlash Flood WarningPSRImperial3 hr
Jul 30, 4:50 PM PDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPSRImperial40 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in California, 2012Every flash flood warning in 2012

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.