Alert archive / Arizona / Flash Flood Warnings in 2014

Flash Flood Warning 71, NWS Tucson, AZ

September 17, 2014Graham County, Arizona

NWS Tucson, AZ issued this flash flood warning at Sep 17, 2014, 8:38 AM MST for Graham County, Arizona. It was in force for 9 hr. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Sep 17, 2014, 8:38 AM MST (15:38 UTC)
Expired
Sep 17, 2014, 5:30 PM MST
In force
9 hr
Issued by
NWS Tucson, AZ
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

County Graham County, AZ

The radar

The Tucson radar (KEMX), 127 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:41 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Sep 17, 10:28 AM MSTFLASH FLOOD1 Nne Pima, AZASH CREEK IS RUNNING OVER BANKS AND INTO HOUSING AREA IN TOWN

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Tuscon, AZ (KDMA), launched 12:00Z, 3.6 hours before the alert went out and 123 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 2014-09-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 301 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 2014-09-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -1 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
301 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-36 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1064 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
10 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-1 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
49 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.

653 
WGUS55 KTWC 171538
FFWTWC
AZC009-171830-
/O.NEW.KTWC.FF.W.0071.140917T1538Z-140917T1830Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ
838 AM MST WED SEP 17 2014

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TUCSON HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  CENTRAL GRAHAM COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST ARIZONA...

* UNTIL 1130 AM MST

* AT 830 AM MST...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS REPORTED FLASH     
  FLOODING FROM RAINS THAT OCCURRED EARLIER THIS MORNING FROM AROUND 
  FRYE MESA DAM TO THE TOWN OF PIMA. REPORTS FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT    
  AS WELL AS A TRAINED SPOTTER INDICATE THAT WATER IS FLOWING     
  RAPIDLY IN ASH CREEK WHICH HAS RESULTED IN THE CLOSURE OF CLUFF    
  RANCH RD...WITH A FEW HOMES ALSO BEING IMPACTED BY THE HIGH        
  WATERS. THE CLUFF RANCH ALERT GAUGE WHICH IS SOUTH OF PIMA         
  REPORTED 2.6 INCHES OF RAIN DURING THE PAST SIX HOURS.    

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF WASHES
AND STREAMS...COUNTRY ROADS...AS WELL AS FARMLAND ALONG THE BANKS OF
CREEKS AND STREAMS.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY.

&&

LAT...LON 3290 10989 3292 10978 3272 10977 3270 10989

$$
2 follow-up statements
105 
WGUS55 KTWC 171828
FFWTWC
AZC009-180030-
/O.EXT.KTWC.FF.W.0071.000000T0000Z-140918T0030Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ
1128 AM MST WED SEP 17 2014

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TUCSON HAS EXTENDED THE

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  CENTRAL GRAHAM COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST ARIZONA...

* UNTIL 530 PM MST WEDNESDAY

* AT 1112 AM MST...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS REPORTED THAT     
  FLASH FLOODING CONTINUES ACROSS CENTRAL PORTIONS OF GRAHAM COUNTY  
  DUE TO HEAVY RAINS THAT OCCURRED EARLIER THIS MORNING ACROSS THE   
  PINALENO MOUNTAINS. THE ALERT GAUGE AT CLUFF RANCH RESERVOIR       
  RECEIVED 3.11 INCHES OF RAIN IN THE PAST 24 HOURS...WITH THE BULK  
  OF THAT OCCURRING IN THE PAST 6 TO 8 HOURS. OFFICIALS FROM GRAHAM  
  COUNTY INDICATED THAT CLUFF RANCH ROAD REMAINS CLOSED AT ASH       
  CREEK. IN ADDITION...SEVERAL HOMES HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THE       
  RISING WATER IN AND AROUND THE TOWN OF PIMA. WITH HEAVY RAIN STILL 
  EXPECTED TO ADD TO THE SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL AMOUNTS FROM EARLIER   
  TODAY...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO 530 PM MST    
  THIS AFTERNOON. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF WASHES
AND STREAMS...COUNTRY ROADS...AS WELL AS FARMLAND ALONG THE BANKS OF
CREEKS AND STREAMS.

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODING. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT QUICKLY. MOVE
UP TO HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY IN AREAS
SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY.

&&

LAT...LON 3290 10989 3292 10978 3272 10977 3270 10989

$$
237 
WGUS75 KTWC 180036
FFSTWC

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ
536 PM MST WED SEP 17 2014

AZC009-180044-
/O.EXP.KTWC.FF.W.0071.000000T0000Z-140918T0030Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
GRAHAM AZ-
536 PM MST WED SEP 17 2014

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS EXPIRED FOR CENTRAL GRAHAM COUNTY...

AT 534 PM MST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED  
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THAT PRODUCED HEAVY RAINFALL EARLIER TODAY 
HAD MOVED NORTHEAST OF THE AREA. THE THREAT FOR HEAVY RAINFALL 
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING FLASH FLOODING HAD ENDED. THUS...THE FLASH 
FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

LAT...LON 3290 10989 3292 10978 3272 10977 3270 10989

$$

FRANCIS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 16, 5:32 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCCochise118 min
Sep 16, 10:14 PM MSTSpecial Weather StatementTWCCochise46 min
Sep 17, 12:01 AM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTWCCochise44 min
Sep 17, 12:10 AM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCCochise, Pima, Santa Cruz110 min
Sep 17, 12:44 AM MSTSpecial Weather StatementTWCCochise46 min
Sep 17, 1:07 AM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCPima, Santa Cruz83 min
Sep 17, 1:15 AM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCPima2 hr
Sep 17, 1:01 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCCochise, Pima89 min
Sep 17, 1:12 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCCochise, Graham78 min
Sep 17, 2:09 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCCochise, Santa Cruz3 hr
Sep 17, 4:04 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCGraham, Greenlee3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Arizona, 2014Every flash flood warning in 2014

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.