Alert archive / Arizona / Flash Flood Warnings in 2017

Flash Flood Warning 50, NWS Tucson, AZ

August 1, 2017Pima County, Arizona

NWS Tucson, AZ issued this flash flood warning at Aug 1, 2017, 5:46 PM MST for Pima County, Arizona. It was in force for 3 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
Aug 1, 2017, 5:46 PM MST (00:46 UTC)
Expired
Aug 1, 2017, 8:45 PM MST
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Tucson, AZ
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

County Pima County, AZ

The radar

The Tucson radar (KEMX), 42 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:48 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
Aug 1, 6:30 PM MSTFLASH FLOOD7 Ne Saguaro National P, AZFLASH FLOOD ALONG TANQUE VERDE WASH. THREE PEOPLE TRAPPED AT TANQUE VERDE FALLS AND ARE UNABLE TO CROSS THE WASH TO EXIT THE AREA DUE TO HIGH WATER. TIME IS APPROXIMATE BASED ON SUDDEN INCREASE IN FLOW PER STREAM GAUGE DATA.

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 00:00Z, 0.8 hours before the alert went out and 25 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 00:00Z on 2017-08-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 144 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 00:00Z on 2017-08-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 4 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
144 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-50 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2139 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
11 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
4 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
58 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

680 
WGUS55 KTWC 020046
FFWTWC
AZC019-020345-
/O.NEW.KTWC.FF.W.0050.170802T0046Z-170802T0345Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
546 PM MST TUE AUG 1 2017

The National Weather Service in Tucson has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Eastern Pima County in southeastern Arizona...

* Until 845 PM MST

* At 545 PM MST, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated
  thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Up to 
  one and a half inches of rain has already fallen. Flash flooding 
  is expected to begin shortly. 

* Some locations that will experience flooding include...
  Tucson, Tanque Verde and Catalina Foothills. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.

A Flash Flood Warning means that flooding is imminent or occurring.
If you are in the warned area move to higher ground immediately.
Residents living along streams and creeks should take immediate
precautions to protect life and property.

&&

LAT...LON 3230 11056 3220 11056 3222 11083 3233 11082

$$

LEINS
2 follow-up statements
460 
WGUS75 KTWC 020139
FFSTWC

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
639 PM MST TUE AUG 1 2017

AZC019-020345-
/O.CON.KTWC.FF.W.0050.000000T0000Z-170802T0345Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Pima-
639 PM MST TUE AUG 1 2017

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 845 PM MST FOR
EASTERN PIMA COUNTY...

At 636 PM MST, Doppler radar indicated that storms had weakened 
across the Tucson metro area, but that one and a half inches of rain 
had fallen in the Tanque Verde basin in less than an hour. Flow has 
already started on Tanque Verde Creek according to the Tanque Verde 
Guest Ranch stream gauge. Flash flooding is expected to begin 
downstream shortly.

Normally dry washes and low water crossings may be inundated in the
following locations...
Tucson, Tanque Verde and Catalina Foothills. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.

A Flash Flood Warning means that flooding is imminent or occurring.
If you are in the warned area move to higher ground immediately.
Residents living along streams and creeks should take immediate
precautions to protect life and property.

&&

LAT...LON 3230 11056 3220 11056 3222 11083 3233 11082

$$

LEINS
619 
WGUS75 KTWC 020338
FFSTWC

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
838 PM MST TUE AUG 1 2017

AZC019-020347-
/O.EXP.KTWC.FF.W.0050.000000T0000Z-170802T0345Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Pima-
838 PM MST TUE AUG 1 2017

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR EASTERN PIMA COUNTY WILL EXPIRE AT 845
PM MST...

The heavy rain has ended, however Tanque Verde Wash is still running 
and low water crossings are likely to be inundated for the remainder 
of the night. Please continue to heed any remaining road closures.

LAT...LON 3230 11056 3220 11056 3222 11083 3233 11082

$$

LEINS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 1, 5:09 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCGraham2 hr
Aug 1, 5:12 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCPima3 hr
Aug 1, 5:27 PM MSTSpecial Weather StatementTWC63 min
Aug 1, 5:47 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCPinal118 min
Aug 1, 6:02 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCPinal88 min
Aug 1, 6:16 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCCochise119 min
Aug 1, 6:30 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCPinal3 hr
Aug 1, 7:28 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCPima3 hr
Aug 2, 11:20 AM MSTSpecial Weather StatementTWC40 min
Aug 2, 11:40 AM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCPima2 hr
Aug 2, 11:51 AM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCPima114 min
Aug 2, 12:08 PM MSTSpecial Weather StatementTWCSanta Cruz52 min
Aug 2, 12:12 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCPima2 hr
Aug 2, 12:27 PM MSTSpecial Weather StatementTWC48 min
Aug 2, 12:39 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCPima3 hr
Aug 2, 1:17 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCPima118 min
Aug 2, 1:29 PM MSTSpecial Weather StatementTWCPinal46 min
Aug 2, 1:32 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCSanta Cruz118 min
Aug 2, 1:51 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCPima, Pinal3 hr
Aug 2, 1:58 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTWCPima32 min
Aug 2, 2:06 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCCochise114 min
Aug 2, 2:29 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCPima, Pinal3 hr
Aug 2, 3:01 PM MSTSpecial Weather StatementTWC44 min
Aug 2, 3:05 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCPinal3 hr
Aug 2, 3:59 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTWCPima46 min
Aug 2, 4:03 PM MSTSpecial Weather StatementTWCPima42 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Arizona, 2017Every flash flood warning in 2017

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.