Alert archive / Arizona / Dust Storm Warnings in 2019

Dust Storm Warning 2, NWS Tucson, AZ

July 24, 2019Pima County, Pinal County, Arizona

NWS Tucson, AZ issued this dust storm warning at Jul 24, 2019, 6:02 PM MST for Pima County, Pinal County, Arizona. It was in force for 67 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 24, 2019, 6:02 PM MST (01:02 UTC)
Expired
Jul 24, 2019, 7:09 PM MST
In force
67 min
Issued by
NWS Tucson, AZ
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Pima County, AZ, Pinal County, AZ

The radar

The Phoenix radar (KIWA), 88 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:03 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 (KTUS), launched 00:00Z, 1.0 hours before the alert went out and 73 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 2019-07-25Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 732 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Tuscon, AZ at 00:00Z on 2019-07-25The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -6 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
732 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-25 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2599 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
26 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-6 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
31 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this dust storm 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 dust storm warning went out at Jul 24, 2:30 PM MST, 3 hours 32 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 24, 2:30 PM MST, 3 hours 32 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
230 PM MST Wed Jul 24 2019

.SYNOPSIS...Isolated to scattered thunderstorms can be expected this
evening followed by clearing tonight. A subtle shift in the weather
pattern will result in limited thunderstorm activity the next few
days. However, an upswing in thunderstorms will return early next
week. High temperatures will also be trending upward through the
weekend.

&&

.DISCUSSION...A batch of scattered showers and thunderstorms
continued to spread across parts of southeast California northward
into southern Nevada and northwest Arizona. This activity was
associated with an inverted upper level trough passing through the
state today. On the backside or eastern fringes of this trough,
showers and thunderstorms were struggling to develop across
southeast Arizona. The main activity so for this afternoon was
confined to Santa Cruz county where some locally heavy rainfall has
been observed. After today, models showed the upper high over the
Four Corners region shifting south over east-central Arizona by
Thursday and becoming centered over central AZ by the weekend.
Overall, this shift in the upper high's position over the state will
result in hotter daytime highs and somewhat limited thunderstorm
coverage the next few days. Medium range models showed the upper
high building northward and becoming centered over the Four Corners
region again early next week. This would result in an upswing in
thunderstorm activity around Monday and Tuesday of next week.

&&

.AVIATION...Valid through 26/00Z.
Isolated to scattered -SHRA/-TSRA in the afternoon and evening
mainly to the south of KTUS but also to its east. Thunderstorms will
slowly dissipate after 25/06Z. KOLS will mainly be affected. Clouds
SCT 10k-14k ft MSL and SCT-BKN 20k ft MSL. MVFR cigs possible in
-SHRA/-TSRA. Sfc winds generally out of the E/SE at 8-12 kts with
the exception of KTUS which will see southwest winds early this
evening. Winds will become light and variable tonight. In the
vicinity of thunderstorms, winds will be much stronger with gusts
approaching 40 kts possible. Chances of thunderstorms and showers
are much lower Thursday afternoon. Aviation discussion not updated
for TAF amendments.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...Isolated to Scattered thunderstorms and showers will
continue into the evening mainly to the south of Tucson and over the
White Mountains. Isolated thunderstorms are also found to the west
and east of Tucson. Slight downtick in activity Thursday with just
isolated shower/ thunderstorm coverage expected. Friday into the
weekend expect isolated to scattered thunderstorms from central Pima
County eastward. Near thunderstorms winds will be gusty and erratic.
Otherwise, 20-foot winds today will generally be from the east to
southeast mainly under 15 mph. 20-foot winds Thursday into Sunday
will be primarily terrain driven at less than 15 mph.

&&

.TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...None.

&&

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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 24, 4:30 PM MST, 1 hour 32 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 24, 4:34 PM MST, 1 hour 28 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
434 PM MST Wed Jul 24 2019

AZZ504-514-250015-
Santa Catalina and Rincon Mountains including Mount
Lemmon/Summerhaven-Tucson Metro Area including Tucson/Green
Valley/Marana/Vail-
434 PM MST Wed Jul 24 2019

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

At 433 PM MST, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Tucson International Airport, moving north at 10 mph.

Half inch hail, wind gusts of 50 mph and blowing dust will be
possible with this storm.

Locations impacted include...
Tucson, Marana, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Casas Adobes, Drexel
Heights, Flowing Wells, South Tucson, Pascua Pueblo Yaqui
Reservation, Tucson Estates, Saguaro National Park West, Catalina
Foothills, Tucson International Airport, Valencia West, Summit and
San Xavier Mission.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Heavy rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 3212 11082 3206 11103 3228 11121 3238 11088
TIME...MOT...LOC 2333Z 160DEG 8KT 3216 11096

Carpenter

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 24, 5:34 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCPima, Pinal86 min
Jul 24, 5:52 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTWCPima, Pinal38 min
Jul 24, 6:58 PM MSTSpecial Weather StatementTWC47 min
Jul 24, 7:02 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTWCPima, Pinal43 min
Jul 25, 3:30 PM MSTSpecial Weather StatementTWCCochise45 min
Jul 25, 3:34 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTWCCochise, Pima41 min
Jul 25, 3:54 PM MSTSpecial Weather StatementTWC51 min
Jul 25, 3:55 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTWCPima50 min
Jul 25, 4:00 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTWCPima45 min
Jul 25, 4:04 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCPima116 min
Jul 25, 4:20 PM MSTSpecial Weather StatementTWCPima40 min
Jul 25, 4:37 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCPima73 min

Nearby

Dust Storm Warnings in Arizona, 2019Every dust storm warning in 2019

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.