Alert archive / Arizona / Flash Flood Warnings in 2018

Flash Flood Warning 35, NWS Tucson, AZ

September 19, 2018Pinal County, Arizona

NWS Tucson, AZ issued this flash flood warning at Sep 19, 2018, 1:38 PM MST for Pinal County, Arizona. It was in force for 2 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: Sep 19, 2018, 1:38 PM MST (20:38 UTC)
Expired: Sep 19, 2018, 3:45 PM MST
In force: 2 hr
Issued by: NWS Tucson, AZ
Area: Storm-based polygon
Flood severity: None

County Pinal County, AZ

The radar

The Tucson radar (KEMX), 83 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:38 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 (KDMA), launched 12:00Z, 8.6 hours before the alert went out and 46 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: 539 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -172 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1723 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 12 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: -12 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 64 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

996 
WGUS55 KTWC 192038
FFWTWC
AZC021-192245-
/O.NEW.KTWC.FF.W.0035.180919T2038Z-180919T2245Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
138 PM MST WED SEP 19 2018

The National Weather Service in Tucson has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  South central Pinal County in southeastern Arizona...

* Until 345 PM MST.

* At 138 PM MST, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated
  heavy rain falling across the warned area. Up to two inches of rain
  have already fallen. Flash flooding is expected to begin shortly.

* Some locations that will experience flooding include...
  Saddlebrooke and Oracle Junction. 

This includes the following highways...
 Route 77 between mile markers 89 and 95.
 Route 79 between mile markers 92 and 96.

LAT...LON 3261 11088 3252 11090 3252 11110 3261 11116

$$

2 follow-up statements

568 
WGUS75 KTWC 192203
FFSTWC

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
303 PM MST WED SEP 19 2018

AZC021-192245-
/O.CON.KTWC.FF.W.0035.000000T0000Z-180919T2245Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Pinal-
303 PM MST WED SEP 19 2018

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 345 PM MST FOR
SOUTH CENTRAL PINAL COUNTY...

At 258 PM MST, the heaviest rain had ended, but flooding of washes 
and ponding of water in poor drainage areas will continue. The Big 
wash and the Canada Del Oro (CDO) wash will continue to experience 
elevated flows through this evening. 

Some locations that will experience flooding include...
Saddlebrooke and Oracle Junction. 

This includes the following highways...
 Route 77 between mile markers 89 and 95.
 Route 79 between mile markers 92 and 96.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

LAT...LON 3261 11088 3252 11090 3252 11110 3261 11116

$$

571 
WGUS75 KTWC 192238
FFSTWC

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
338 PM MST WED SEP 19 2018

AZC021-192245-
/O.EXP.KTWC.FF.W.0035.000000T0000Z-180919T2245Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Pinal-
338 PM MST WED SEP 19 2018

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL PINAL COUNTY WILL EXPIRE
AT 345 PM MST...

The heavy rain has ended. Flash Flooding is no longer expected to 
pose a threat. However, please continue to heed any remaining road 
closures and avoid nearby washes with elevated flows. 

Remember, a Flash Flood Watch remains in effect through this 
evening. 

LAT...LON 3261 11088 3252 11090 3252 11110 3261 11116

$$

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Sep 19, 10:56 AM MST	Areal Flood Advisory	TWC	Pima, Pinal	109 min
Sep 19, 12:41 PM MST	Areal Flood Advisory	TWC	Pima, Pinal	109 min
Sep 19, 1:01 PM MST	Areal Flood Advisory	TWC	Pima, Pinal	119 min
Sep 19, 1:36 PM MST	Flash Flood Warning	TWC	Pima, Pinal	3 hr
Sep 19, 2:27 PM MST	Areal Flood Advisory	TWC	Pima, Santa Cruz	3 hr
Sep 19, 3:10 PM MST	Areal Flood Advisory	TWC	Pinal	2 hr
Sep 19, 4:56 PM MST	Areal Flood Advisory	TWC	Pima	2 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Arizona, 2018 Every flash flood warning in 2018

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.