Alert archive / Arizona / Flash Flood Watches in 2012

Flash Flood Watch 2, NWS Tucson, AZ

July 29, 20126 counties in Arizona

NWS Tucson, AZ issued this flash flood watch at Jul 29, 2012, 9:56 AM MST for 6 counties in Arizona. It took effect at Jul 29, 2012, 12:00 PM MST. It was in force for 8 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 29, 2012, 9:56 AM MST (16:56 UTC)
In effect from
Jul 29, 2012, 12:00 PM MST
Expired
Jul 29, 2012, 8:05 PM MST
In force
8 hr
Issued by
NWS Tucson, AZ
Flood severity
None

Counties Cochise County, AZ, Graham County, AZ, Greenlee County, AZ, Pima County, AZ, Pinal County, AZ, Santa Cruz County, AZ

The radar

The Tucson radar (KEMX), 61 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 16:59 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

Tuscon, AZ (KTUS), launched 12:00Z, 4.9 hours before the alert went out and 49 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, Tuscon, AZ at 12:00Z on 2012-07-29Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 397 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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, Tuscon, AZ at 12:00Z on 2012-07-29The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 5 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
397 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-117 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1146 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
16 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
5 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
5 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.

044 
WGUS65 KTWC 291656
FFATWC

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ
956 AM MST SUN JUL 29 2012

...HEAVY RAIN ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST ARIZONA...

AZZ501>515-300100-
/O.NEW.KTWC.FF.A.0002.120729T1900Z-120730T0900Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
WESTERN PIMA COUNTY-TOHONO O'ODHAM NATION-
UPPER SANTA CRUZ RIVER VALLEY/ALTAR VALLEY-TUCSON METRO AREA-
SOUTH CENTRAL PINAL COUNTY-SOUTHEAST PINAL COUNTY-
UPPER SAN PEDRO RIVER VALLEY-
EASTERN COCHISE COUNTY BELOW 5000 FEET-UPPER GILA RIVER VALLEY-
WHITE MOUNTAINS OF GRAHAM AND GREENLEE COUNTIES-
GALIURO AND PINALENO MOUNTAINS-CHIRICAHUA MOUNTAINS-
DRAGOON AND MULE AND HUACHUCA AND SANTA RITA MOUNTAINS-
CATALINA AND RINCON MOUNTAINS-BABOQUIVARI MOUNTAINS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...AJO...ORGAN PIPE CACTUS N.M....SELLS...
NOGALES...TUCSON...GREEN VALLEY...MARANA...VAIL...
PICACHO PEAK STATE PARK...MAMMOTH...ORACLE...SIERRA VISTA...
BENSON...WILLCOX...CLIFTON...SAFFORD...HANNAGAN MEADOW...
MOUNT GRAHAM...CHIRICAHUA NM...BISBEE...CANELO HILLS...
MADERA CANYON...MOUNT LEMMON...SUMMERHAVEN
956 AM MST SUN JUL 29 2012

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TUCSON HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR A PORTION OF SOUTHEAST ARIZONA... 
  INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS...BABOQUIVARI MOUNTAINS... 
  CATALINA AND RINCON MOUNTAINS...CHIRICAHUA MOUNTAINS...DRAGOON 
  AND MULE AND HUACHUCA AND SANTA RITA MOUNTAINS...EASTERN 
  COCHISE COUNTY BELOW 5000 FEET...GALIURO AND PINALENO 
  MOUNTAINS...SOUTH CENTRAL PINAL COUNTY...SOUTHEAST PINAL 
  COUNTY...TOHONO O'ODHAM NATION...TUCSON METRO AREA...UPPER 
  GILA RIVER VALLEY...UPPER SAN PEDRO RIVER VALLEY...UPPER SANTA 
  CRUZ RIVER VALLEY/ALTAR VALLEY...WESTERN PIMA COUNTY AND WHITE 
  MOUNTAINS OF GRAHAM AND GREENLEE COUNTIES. 

* THROUGH LATE TONIGHT

* A VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE WILL LEAD TO THE
  DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND
  TONIGHT WITH STORMS LINGERING INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF
  MONDAY. MANY OF THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY
  HEAVY RAIN IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME...THUS INCREASING THE
  THREAT OF FLASH FLOODING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE BECOMING FAVORABLE
FOR WIDESPREAD FLASH FLOODING TO DEVELOP. MONITOR FORECASTS CLOSELY
AND BE READY TO TAKE QUICK ACTION IF FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS ARE ISSUED.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO OR TELEVISION
STATIONS...OR YOUR CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER FOR UPDATES ON THIS
FLASH FLOOD THREAT.

&&

$$
3 follow-up statements
999 
WGUS65 KTWC 292146
FFATWC

FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ
246 PM MST SUN JUL 29 2012

...HEAVY RAIN ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST ARIZONA...

AZZ510-292300-
/O.CAN.KTWC.FF.A.0002.000000T0000Z-120730T0900Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
WHITE MOUNTAINS OF GRAHAM AND GREENLEE COUNTIES-
INCLUDING THE CITY OF...HANNAGAN MEADOW
246 PM MST SUN JUL 29 2012

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS CANCELLED...

THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR A PORTION OF SOUTHEAST ARIZONA HAS BEEN
CANCELLED.

THE THREAT OF FLASH FLOODING HAS LESSENED THIS AFTERNOON AND NOT
EXPECTING WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT THAT MAY
PRODUCE HEAVY RAIN AND FLASH FLOODING. THUS THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH
HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

$$

AZZ501>509-511>515-300700-
/O.CON.KTWC.FF.A.0002.000000T0000Z-120730T0900Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
WESTERN PIMA COUNTY-TOHONO O'ODHAM NATION-
UPPER SANTA CRUZ RIVER VALLEY/ALTAR VALLEY-TUCSON METRO AREA-
SOUTH CENTRAL PINAL COUNTY-SOUTHEAST PINAL COUNTY-
UPPER SAN PEDRO RIVER VALLEY-
EASTERN COCHISE COUNTY BELOW 5000 FEET-UPPER GILA RIVER VALLEY-
GALIURO AND PINALENO MOUNTAINS-CHIRICAHUA MOUNTAINS-
DRAGOON AND MULE AND HUACHUCA AND SANTA RITA MOUNTAINS-
CATALINA AND RINCON MOUNTAINS-BABOQUIVARI MOUNTAINS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...AJO...ORGAN PIPE CACTUS N.M....SELLS...
NOGALES...TUCSON...GREEN VALLEY...MARANA...VAIL...
PICACHO PEAK STATE PARK...MAMMOTH...ORACLE...SIERRA VISTA...
BENSON...WILLCOX...MOUNT GRAHAM...CHIRICAHUA NM...BISBEE...
CANELO HILLS...MADERA CANYON...MOUNT LEMMON...SUMMERHAVEN
246 PM MST SUN JUL 29 2012

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 AM MST MONDAY...

THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR

* A PORTION OF SOUTHEAST ARIZONA...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING 
  AREAS...BABOQUIVARI MOUNTAINS...CATALINA AND RINCON 
  MOUNTAINS...CHIRICAHUA MOUNTAINS...DRAGOON AND MULE AND 
  HUACHUCA AND SANTA RITA MOUNTAINS...EASTERN COCHISE COUNTY 
  BELOW 5000 FEET...GALIURO AND PINALENO MOUNTAINS...SOUTH 
  CENTRAL PINAL COUNTY...SOUTHEAST PINAL COUNTY...TOHONO O'ODHAM 
  NATION...TUCSON METRO AREA...UPPER GILA RIVER VALLEY...UPPER 
  SAN PEDRO RIVER VALLEY...UPPER SANTA CRUZ RIVER VALLEY/ALTAR 
  VALLEY AND WESTERN PIMA COUNTY. 

* UNTIL 2 AM MST MONDAY

* SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH HEAVY
  RAIN...HAVE BEEN OCCURRING THIS AFTERNOON IN A VERY MOIST AND
  UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE IN
  AREAL COVERAGE INTO THIS EVENING BEFORE DISSIPATING EARLY MONDAY
  MORNING. MANY OF THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY
  HEAVY RAIN IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME...THUS INCREASING THE
  THREAT OF FLASH FLOODING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE BECOMING FAVORABLE
FOR WIDESPREAD FLASH FLOODING TO DEVELOP. MONITOR FORECASTS
CLOSELY AND BE READY TO TAKE QUICK ACTION IF FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS
ARE ISSUED.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO OR TELEVISION
STATIONS...OR YOUR CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER FOR UPDATES ON THIS
FLASH FLOOD THREAT.

&&

$$
806 
WGUS65 KTWC 300104
FFATWC

FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ
604 PM MST SUN JUL 29 2012

...HEAVY RAIN ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST ARIZONA...

AZZ508-511-512-300215-
/O.CAN.KTWC.FF.A.0002.000000T0000Z-120730T0900Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
EASTERN COCHISE COUNTY BELOW 5000 FEET-
GALIURO AND PINALENO MOUNTAINS-CHIRICAHUA MOUNTAINS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WILLCOX...MOUNT GRAHAM...CHIRICAHUA NM
604 PM MST SUN JUL 29 2012

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS CANCELLED...

THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR A PORTION OF SOUTHEAST ARIZONA HAS BEEN
CANCELLED.

THE THREAT OF WIDESPREAD FLASH FLOODING HAS LESSENED THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING WITH LESS SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY
EXPECTED. THUS THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

$$

AZZ501>507-509-513>515-300900-
/O.CON.KTWC.FF.A.0002.000000T0000Z-120730T0900Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
WESTERN PIMA COUNTY-TOHONO O'ODHAM NATION-
UPPER SANTA CRUZ RIVER VALLEY/ALTAR VALLEY-TUCSON METRO AREA-
SOUTH CENTRAL PINAL COUNTY-SOUTHEAST PINAL COUNTY-
UPPER SAN PEDRO RIVER VALLEY-UPPER GILA RIVER VALLEY-
DRAGOON AND MULE AND HUACHUCA AND SANTA RITA MOUNTAINS-
CATALINA AND RINCON MOUNTAINS-BABOQUIVARI MOUNTAINS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...AJO...ORGAN PIPE CACTUS N.M....SELLS...
TUCSON...GREEN VALLEY...MARANA...VAIL...PICACHO PEAK STATE PARK...
MAMMOTH...ORACLE...MADERA CANYON...MOUNT LEMMON...SUMMERHAVEN
604 PM MST SUN JUL 29 2012

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 AM MST MONDAY...

THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR

* A PORTION OF SOUTHEAST ARIZONA...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING 
  AREAS...BABOQUIVARI MOUNTAINS...CATALINA AND RINCON 
  MOUNTAINS...DRAGOON AND MULE AND HUACHUCA AND SANTA RITA 
  MOUNTAINS...SOUTH CENTRAL PINAL COUNTY...SOUTHEAST PINAL 
  COUNTY...TOHONO O'ODHAM NATION...TUCSON METRO AREA...UPPER 
  GILA RIVER VALLEY...UPPER SAN PEDRO RIVER VALLEY...UPPER SANTA 
  CRUZ RIVER VALLEY/ALTAR VALLEY AND WESTERN PIMA COUNTY. 

* UNTIL 2 AM MST MONDAY

* SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH HEAVY RAIN...
  HAVE BEEN OCCURRING THIS AFTERNOON IN A VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE
  ATMOSPHERE. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE STARTING TO DECREASE
  IN AREAL COVERAGE ACROSS EASTERN AREAS LATE THIS AFTERNOON.
  ADDITIONAL STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN
  IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME...THUS INCREASING THE THREAT OF FLASH
  FLOODING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE BECOMING FAVORABLE
FOR WIDESPREAD FLASH FLOODING TO DEVELOP. MONITOR FORECASTS
CLOSELY AND BE READY TO TAKE QUICK ACTION IF FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS
ARE ISSUED.

&&

$$

MEYER
747 
WGUS65 KTWC 300305
FFATWC

FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ
805 PM MST SUN JUL 29 2012

AZZ501>507-509-513>515-300415-
/O.CAN.KTWC.FF.A.0002.000000T0000Z-120730T0900Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
WESTERN PIMA COUNTY-TOHONO O'ODHAM NATION-
UPPER SANTA CRUZ RIVER VALLEY/ALTAR VALLEY-TUCSON METRO AREA-
SOUTH CENTRAL PINAL COUNTY-SOUTHEAST PINAL COUNTY-
UPPER SAN PEDRO RIVER VALLEY-UPPER GILA RIVER VALLEY-
DRAGOON AND MULE AND HUACHUCA AND SANTA RITA MOUNTAINS-
CATALINA AND RINCON MOUNTAINS-BABOQUIVARI MOUNTAINS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...AJO...TUCSON...GREEN VALLEY...MARANA...
VAIL...PICACHO PEAK STATE PARK...MAMMOTH...ORACLE...
MADERA CANYON...MOUNT LEMMON...SUMMERHAVEN
805 PM MST SUN JUL 29 2012

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS CANCELLED...

THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR A PORTION OF SOUTHEAST ARIZONA HAS BEEN
CANCELLED. ADDITIONAL LIGHT TO MODERATE RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE
OVERNIGHT WITH RUNOFF AND ELEVATED WASH LEVELS CONTINUING FROM
EARLIER EXCESSIVE RAINFALL...HOWEVER THE THE WIDESPREAD FLASH
FLOOD POTENTIAL HAS SIGNIFICANTLY DIMINISHED.

$$

MEYER

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 28, 5:32 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCPinal118 min
Jul 28, 6:00 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCPima90 min
Jul 29, 11:23 AM MSTSpecial Weather StatementTWC37 min
Jul 29, 11:43 AM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCPima92 min
Jul 29, 12:44 PM MSTSpecial Weather StatementTWCGraham31 min
Jul 29, 1:19 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCCochise, Pima, Santa Cruz3 hr
Jul 29, 2:01 PM MSTSpecial Weather StatementTWC44 min
Jul 29, 2:16 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCPima, Pinal119 min
Jul 29, 2:44 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCPima91 min
Jul 29, 3:12 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCPinal2 hr
Jul 29, 3:26 PM MSTSpecial Weather StatementTWCPinal49 min
Jul 29, 4:13 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCPima2 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Watches in Arizona, 2012Every flash flood watch 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.