Alert archive / Arizona / Special Weather Statements in 2016

Special Weather Statement, NWS Flagstaff, AZ

August 5, 2016Yavapai County, Arizona

NWS Flagstaff, AZ issued this special weather statement at Aug 5, 2016, 2:22 PM MST for Yavapai County, Arizona. It was in force for 23 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
Aug 5, 2016, 2:22 PM MST (21:22 UTC)
Expired
Aug 5, 2016, 2:45 PM MST
In force
23 min
Issued by
NWS Flagstaff, AZ

County Yavapai County, AZ

The radar

The Flagstaff radar (KFSX), 124 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:22 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

Flgstf/Belemont, AZ (KFGZ), launched 12:00Z, 9.4 hours before the alert went out and 74 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 12:00Z on 2016-08-05Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 274 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Flgstf/Belemont, AZ at 12:00Z on 2016-08-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 23 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
274 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-23 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
843 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
18 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
23 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
25 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

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What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this special weather statement 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 special weather statement went out at Aug 5, 10:09 AM MST, 4 hours 13 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 5, 10:09 AM MST, 4 hours 13 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Flagstaff AZ
1009 AM MST FRI AUG 5 2016

.SYNOPSIS...Deep monsoon moisture in place across northern Arizona
will cause scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms across
much of the region today. Beginning Saturday, a slow drying trend
will cause decreasing chances for showers and thunderstorms into
early next week.

&&

.UPDATE/DISCUSSION...A subtle short wave identifiable in WV
imagery southwest of Phoenix appears to be at least partially
forcing the convection over northeast Maricopa County and moving
into southeast Yavapai right now. The latest few runs of the HRRR
take this cluster of storms and move them up into northeastern
Arizona by this afternoon. Give the recent rains and the saturated
soils in the Navajo/Hopi nations, we've opted to add most of
northeastern Arizona to a Flash Flood Watch through 11 pm MST.

Precip chances and weather grids have been fine tuned as well.
Updated products have been sent.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION /403 AM MST/...Cloud cover is a bit more thin
this morning as compared to yesterday due to slightly less
vigorous convection overnight. GPS derived moisture measurements
and model data indicate that the atmosphere remains quite wet,
with precipitable water ranging between 1.0 to 1.25 inches across
the region. In addition, model soundings indicate that there may
be a little more instability today as compared to yesterday. This
is due to slight mid-level cooling and better daytime surface
heating. As a result, expect more widespread shower and
thunderstorm activity today.

Tightening gradients ahead of a West Coast trough will result in a
faster storm motion than we have seen over the last several days.
In general, individual storms are expected to move from the
southwest to northeast around 10 knots or so. Deep layer bulk
shear will remain quite low today, expect perhaps near the
Arizona/Utah border where shear may meet or exceed 30 knots.
Generally speaking, flash flooding continues to be the primary
threat from today's storms, with a greater potential for
organized, severe storms in the far northern portions of the area.

For the weekend...Atmospheric moisture and instability will be on
the decrease as a West Coast trough causes a drier southwesterly
wind to setup over northern Arizona. Precipitable Water is
forecast to drop into the 1.0 to 0.75 inch range, which is more
typical for this time of year. Mostly isolated to scattered
thunderstorms are forecast to begin first over higher terrain in
the mid to late morning, before moving to the northeast into
valley locations by the early afternoon. Shower and thunderstorm
coverage looks to be greater on Saturday than on Sunday. All in
all, typical low to moderate grade monsoon activity is expected.

For next week...Dry and stable conditions are forecast to lead to
low grade monsoon activity on Monday and Tuesday. The best chances
for showers are forecast near the Arizona/New Mexico border.
Northern Arizona could see an increase in moisture around
Wednesday of next week with the passage of a tropical system near
the Baja California peninsula. With that said, confidence is low
at this point.

&&

.AVIATION...For the 18Z package...SCT SHRA/TSRA with ISOLD MVFR/IFR
conditions across the area today moving north-northeast at 10-15 KTS
...storms decreasing in coverage and intensity after 03z. ISOLD/SCT
-shra/-tsra will continue overnight. Aviation discussion not updated
for TAF amendments.
&&

.FGZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...Flash Flood Watch through this evening FOR AZZ005-009>011-039-
040.

&&

PUBLIC...Taylor/RR
AVIATION...MAS

For Northern Arizona weather information visit
weather.gov/flagstaff
Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 5, 10:02 AM MST, 4 hours 20 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
1002 AM MST FRI AUG 5 2016

AZZ004>018-037>040-060730-
KAIBAB PLATEAU-MARBLE AND GLEN CANYONS-GRAND CANYON COUNTRY-
COCONINO PLATEAU-YAVAPAI COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
NORTHEAST PLATEAUS AND MESAS HWY 264 NORTHWARD-CHINLE VALLEY-
CHUSKA MOUNTAINS AND DEFIANCE PLATEAU-
LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN COCONINO COUNTY-
LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN NAVAJO COUNTY-
LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN APACHE COUNTY-
WESTERN MOGOLLON RIM-EASTERN MOGOLLON RIM-WHITE MOUNTAINS-
NORTHERN GILA COUNTY-YAVAPAI COUNTY VALLEYS AND BASINS-
OAK CREEK AND SYCAMORE CANYONS-BLACK MESA AREA-
NORTHEAST PLATEAUS AND MESAS SOUTH OF HWY 264-
1002 AM MST FRI AUG 5 2016

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

DEEP MONSOON MOISTURE WILL PRODUCE SCATTERED SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THIS EVENING. LOCALIZED FLOODING IS THE
PRIMARY HAZARD. A CLUSTER OF STORMS CURRENTLY OVER THE PHOENIX AREA
SUPPORTED BY AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MAY AFFECT NORTHEASTERN
ARIZONA BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON...WHERE RECENT RAINS HAVE LEFT SOILS
SATURATED. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS AREA. SEE
PHXFFAFGZ FOR DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

A DRYING TREND IS FORECAST FOR THE WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK. AN
UPTICK IN THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IS POSSIBLE ON WEDNESDAY AND
THURSDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

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

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 5, 10:27 AM MST, 3 hours 55 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
1027 AM MST FRI AUG 5 2016

AZZ008-018-037-051800-
YAVAPAI COUNTY VALLEYS AND BASINS AZ-YAVAPAI COUNTY  MOUNTAINS AZ-
NORTHERN GILA COUNTY AZ-
1027 AM MST FRI AUG 5 2016

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR GILA AND YAVAPAI COUNTIES UNTIL
1100 AM MST...

AT 1027 AM MST...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 11
MILES NORTHEAST OF HORSESHOE RESERVOIR...OR 16 MILES NORTHWEST OF
SYCAMORE CREEK...MOVING NORTH AT 10 MPH.

WIND GUSTS OF 50 TO 55 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
FLOWING SPRINGS...EAST VERDE ESTATES...CHILDS POWER PLANT AND TONTO
NATURAL BRIDGE STATE PARK.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.

&&

LAT...LON 3404 11145 3409 11179 3440 11181 3434 11132
TIME...MOT...LOC 1727Z 200DEG 10KT 3415 11160

MOTTICE
Special weather statement, Aug 5, 2:22 PM MST, 0 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
222 PM MST FRI AUG 5 2016

AZZ008-037-052145-
YAVAPAI COUNTY VALLEYS AND BASINS AZ-YAVAPAI COUNTY  MOUNTAINS AZ-
222 PM MST FRI AUG 5 2016

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR YAVAPAI COUNTY UNTIL 245 PM
MST...

AT 222 PM MST...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM
JUST NORTH OF PAULDEN...OR 11 MILES NORTH OF CHINO VALLEY...MOVING
SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH.

DIME SIZE HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
PAULDEN.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.

&&

LAT...LON 3491 11262 3501 11244 3488 11230 3476 11254
TIME...MOT...LOC 2122Z 313DEG 10KT 3492 11249

MOTTICE

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 4, 5:22 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningFGZGila3 hr
Aug 5, 9:48 AM MSTFlash Flood WatchFGZApache, Coconino, Navajo10 hr
Aug 5, 10:27 AM MSTSpecial Weather StatementFGZ33 min
Aug 5, 10:49 AM MSTFlash Flood WarningFGZGila3 hr
Aug 5, 12:54 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryFGZNavajo2 hr
Aug 5, 1:19 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryFGZNavajo3 hr
Aug 5, 2:54 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningFGZApache2 hr
Aug 5, 3:25 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryFGZCoconino3 hr
Aug 5, 4:43 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryFGZApache, Navajo6 hr

Nearby

Special Weather Statements in Arizona, 2016Every special weather statement in 2016

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.