Alert archive / Arizona / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2013

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 56, NWS Tucson, AZ

July 26, 2013Pima County, Arizona

NWS Tucson, AZ issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 26, 2013, 3:10 PM MST for Pima County, Arizona. It was in force for 50 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 26, 2013, 3:10 PM MST (22:10 UTC)
Expired: Jul 26, 2013, 4:00 PM MST
In force: 50 min
Issued by: NWS Tucson, AZ
Area: Storm-based polygon

County Pima County, AZ

The radar

The Tucson radar (KEMX), 90 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:12 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 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

Tuscon, AZ (KDMA), launched 12:00Z, 10.2 hours before the alert went out and 53 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 917 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -105 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1463 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 2 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: -19 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: -23 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.

631 
WUUS55 KTWC 262210
SVRTWC
AZC019-262300-
/O.NEW.KTWC.SV.W.0056.130726T2210Z-130726T2300Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ
310 PM MST FRI JUL 26 2013

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TUCSON HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  NORTH CENTRAL PIMA COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ARIZONA...

* UNTIL 400 PM MST

* AT 303 PM MST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS
  OF 60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF AVRA
  VALLEY...OR 12 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MARANA...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT
  5 MPH.

* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
  PICTURE ROCKS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

SEEK SHELTER INDOORS. EXPECT DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH...
LARGE HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY RAIN WITH THIS STORM.

&&

LAT...LON 3228 11121 3221 11134 3225 11153 3241 11170
      3250 11168 3249 11126
TIME...MOT...LOC 2210Z 229DEG 5KT 3235 11136

$$

GL

2 follow-up statements

220 
WWUS55 KTWC 262229
SVSTWC

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ
329 PM MST FRI JUL 26 2013

AZC019-262300-
/O.CON.KTWC.SV.W.0056.000000T0000Z-130726T2300Z/
PIMA AZ-
329 PM MST FRI JUL 26 2013

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 400 PM MST
FOR NORTH CENTRAL PIMA COUNTY...

AT 321 PM MST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS IN
EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 6 MILES SOUTH OF AVRA
VALLEY...OR 11 MILES WEST OF MARANA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 5 MPH.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

SEEK SHELTER INDOORS. EXPECT DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH...
LARGE HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY RAIN WITH THIS STORM.

&&

LAT...LON 3228 11121 3221 11134 3225 11153 3241 11170
      3250 11168 3249 11126
TIME...MOT...LOC 2229Z 229DEG 5KT 3237 11134

$$

GL

853 
WWUS55 KTWC 262256
SVSTWC

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ
356 PM MST FRI JUL 26 2013

AZC019-262305-
/O.EXP.KTWC.SV.W.0056.000000T0000Z-130726T2300Z/
PIMA AZ-
356 PM MST FRI JUL 26 2013

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR NORTH CENTRAL PIMA COUNTY WILL
EXPIRE AT 400 PM MST...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM NEAR AVRA VALLEY HAS WEAKENED BELOW SEVERE 
THRESHOLDS. THUS...THE WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE. 

LAT...LON 3228 11121 3221 11134 3225 11153 3241 11170
      3250 11168 3249 11126
TIME...MOT...LOC 2255Z 229DEG 5KT 3239 11131

$$

GL

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 Tucson, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jul 26, 1:31 PM MST, 1 hour 39 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 26, 1:31 PM MST, 1 hour 39 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ
131 PM MST FRI JUL 26 2013

.SYNOPSIS...AMPLE MOISTURE WILL MAINTAIN SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS
THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. A DISTINCT DOWNWARD TREND IN THE
MONSOON WILL COMMENCE STARTING SATURDAY WITH FEWER SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS. BY SUNDAY INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...MOST OF SOUTHEAST
ARIZONA WILL BE DRY EXCEPT FOR EASTERN AREAS WHERE A SLIGHT CHANCE
OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE. INCREASED MOISTURE IS
EXPECTED BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK BRINGING THE CHANCE OF STORMS
BACK TO MOST OF THE AREA.

&&

.DISCUSSION...LATEST RADAR IMAGERY SHOWS THAT SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS ARE STARTING TO FILL INTO THE VALLEY AREAS NICELY
AFTER BEING PRIMARILY ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN DURING THE LATE
MORNING HOURS. THE PRIMARY CONCERN WILL CONTINUE TO BE HEAVY
RAINFALL AND FLASH FLOODING AS THESE STORMS ARE VERY SLOW MOVERS
GIVEN LACK OF STEERING. CAN'T RULE OUT A WET MICROBURST OR TWO AS
WELL WITH THE STRONGEST STORMS. BELIEVE THAT THE BEST THREAT OF
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EARLY EVENING
HOURS THEN DIMINISH OVER THE COURSE OF THE EVENING.

TODAY LOOKS TO BE THE LAST REAL ACTIVE DAY FOR AWHILE AS HIGH
PRESSURE ALOFT RECENTERS ITSELF ACROSS SONORA ALLOWING FOR DRIER AIR
TO MOVE IN FROM THE WEST. SATURDAY WILL STILL BE A TRANSITIONAL DAY
AS MOISTURE WILL REMAIN PRIMARILY ACROSS GRAHAM/GREENLEE/COCHISE
COUNTIES WHERE A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE
WITH JUST A SLIGHT CHANCES WESTWARD INTO TUCSON. BY
SUNDAY...MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY WILL REMAIN LIMITED SUCH THAT ONLY
A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED FROM
TUCSON EASTWARD. IT NOW LOOKS LIKE MONDAY INTO TUESDAY WILL BE THE
PEAK OF THE DOWNTREND OF THE MONSOON BEFORE MOISTURE STARTS TO
PICKUP FROM THE SOUTH AND EAST AS THE FLOW CHANGES BY THE MIDDLE OF
NEXT WEEK TO ALLOW MORE MOISTURE IN FROM THE EAST AND SOUTHEAST.
MEANWHILE...TEMPERATURES WILL RETURN TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL VALUES
THIS WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK.

&&

.AVIATION...ANOTHER ACTIVE THUNDERSTORM DAY WITH ABUNDANT CB IN THE
VICINITY THROUGH 26/04Z. FAVORED TIME FOR THUNDERSTORMS TO IMPACT
TERMINALS IS THROUGH 25/24Z...WITH ADDITIONAL SHOWER ACTIVITY AND
ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE THROUGH THE 26/04Z. CIGS IN THE MVFR
RANGE EXPECTED WITH THUNDERSTORMS...BUT SHOULD OTHERWISE REMAIN VFR.
WINDS WILL REMAIN GENERALLY LESS THAN 10 KTS OUTSIDE OF
THUNDERSTORMS...WITH STRONG A ERRATIC WINDS NEAR THUNDERSTORMS.
AVIATION DISCUSSION NOT UPDATED FOR TAF AMENDMENTS.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...AN ACTIVE THUNDERSTORM DAY IS ON TAP THROUGH THE
AFTERNOON AND EVENING. HIGH MOISTURE VALUES WILL KEEP FIRE WEATHER
CONCERNS VERY LOW...BUT MAY LEAD TO HEAVY RAIN AND FLASH FLOODING.
TYPICAL LIGHT WINDS FOLLOWING NORMAL DIURNAL TRENDS ARE
EXPECTED...WITH STRONG AND ERRATIC WINDS AROUND THUNDERSTORMS. MOIST
AIR WILL REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH SATURDAY BUT A WARM AND DRYING
TREND SHOULD BEGIN BY SUNDAY ALONG WITH BREEZIER WEST WINDS.

&&

.TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE.

&&

GL

VISIT US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER...YOUTUBE...AND AT WEATHER.GOV/TUCSON

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 26, 2:28 PM MST, 42 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ
228 PM MST FRI JUL 26 2013

AZZ504-507-514-262215-
SANTA CATALINA AND RINCON MOUNTAINS INCLUDING MOUNT
LEMMON/SUMMERHAVEN AZ-TUCSON METRO AREA INCLUDING TUCSON/GREEN
VALLEY/MARANA/VAIL AZ-UPPER SAN PEDRO RIVER VALLEY INCLUDING SIERRA
VISTA/BENSON AZ-
228 PM MST FRI JUL 26 2013

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN PIMA COUNTY UNTIL
315 PM MST...

AT 224 PM MST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR TUCSON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.

AREAS AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...CATALINA FOOTHILLS...SAGUARO
NATIONAL PARK EAST...AND SABINO CANYON.

LAT...LON 3233 11113 3249 11070 3229 11053 3210 11053
      3209 11094 3215 11108
TIME...MOT...LOC 2128Z 224DEG 14KT 3226 11085

Local storm report, Jul 26, 2:51 PM MST, 19 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ
251 PM MST FRI JUL 26 2013

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0206 PM     FLASH FLOOD      2 SE SADDLEBROOKE       32.51N 110.88W
07/26/2013                   PINAL              AZ   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SADDLEBROOK WASH IS BANK FULL.

&&

EVENT NUMBER TWC1300081

GL

Local storm report, Jul 26, 2:52 PM MST, 18 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ
252 PM MST FRI JUL 26 2013

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0220 PM     TSTM WND DMG     TUCSON                  32.24N 110.94W
07/26/2013                   PIMA               AZ   TWITTER

            DOWN POWER POLES AT PARK AND FAIR.

&&

EVENT NUMBER TWC1300082

GL

Local storm report, Jul 26, 2:53 PM MST, 17 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ
253 PM MST FRI JUL 26 2013

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0200 PM     TSTM WND DMG     TUCSON                  32.24N 110.94W
07/26/2013                   PIMA               AZ   BROADCAST MEDIA

            ROOF BLOWN OFF AT VAN BUSKIRK ELEM

&&

EVENT NUMBER TWC1300083

JM

Local storm report, Jul 26, 2:58 PM MST, 12 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ
258 PM MST FRI JUL 26 2013

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0255 PM     FLASH FLOOD      5 NW SAGUARO NATIONAL P 32.24N 110.79W
07/26/2013                   PIMA               AZ   TRAINED SPOTTER

            FLASH FLOODING WAS OCCURRING NEAR SPEEDWAY AND HARRISON
            ROADS. WATER WAS FLOWING THROUGH NEARBY WASHES AS WELL
            THAT FEED INTO THE TANQUE VERDE RIVER.

&&

EVENT NUMBER TWC1300084

BROST

Local storm report, Jul 26, 2:59 PM MST, 11 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ
259 PM MST FRI JUL 26 2013

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0258 PM     FLASH FLOOD      2 NE ORO VALLEY         32.45N 110.94W
07/26/2013                   PIMA               AZ   TWITTER

            SWIFT WATER RESCUE NEAR RANCHO VISTOSO AND ORACLE.
            TEENAGER TRAPPED IN FLOODED WASH.

&&

EVENT NUMBER TWC1300085

GL

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 25, 5:17 PM MST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TWC	Pima	28 min
Jul 26, 9:52 AM MST	Special Weather Statement	TWC	Graham	38 min
Jul 26, 12:48 PM MST	Areal Flood Advisory	TWC	Pima, Pinal	3 hr
Jul 26, 1:08 PM MST	Special Weather Statement	TWC	Santa Cruz	52 min
Jul 26, 1:12 PM MST	Areal Flood Advisory	TWC	Pima	3 hr
Jul 26, 1:31 PM MST	Areal Flood Advisory	TWC	Graham	119 min
Jul 26, 1:44 PM MST	Flash Flood Warning	TWC	Pima	2 hr
Jul 26, 1:50 PM MST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TWC	Pima	40 min
Jul 26, 2:02 PM MST	Flash Flood Warning	TWC	Pima, Pinal	118 min
Jul 26, 2:05 PM MST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TWC	Pima	40 min
Jul 26, 2:17 PM MST	Flash Flood Warning	TWC	Pima	118 min
Jul 26, 2:28 PM MST	Special Weather Statement	TWC		47 min
Jul 26, 2:41 PM MST	Areal Flood Advisory	TWC	Pima	3 hr
Jul 26, 2:46 PM MST	Areal Flood Advisory	TWC	Pima, Pinal	3 hr
Jul 26, 2:54 PM MST	Areal Flood Advisory	TWC	Cochise, Santa Cruz	111 min
Jul 26, 3:29 PM MST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	TWC	Cochise	31 min
Jul 26, 3:35 PM MST	Flash Flood Warning	TWC	Pima	115 min
Jul 26, 3:51 PM MST	Flash Flood Warning	TWC	Cochise, Santa Cruz	3 hr

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Arizona, 2013 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2013

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.