Alert archive / Arizona / Flash Flood Warnings in 2021

Flash Flood Warning 159, NWS Phoenix, AZ

August 12, 2021Maricopa County, Arizona

NWS Phoenix, AZ issued this flash flood warning at Aug 12, 2021, 6:04 AM MST for Maricopa County, Arizona. It was in force for 4 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 12, 2021, 6:04 AM MST (13:04 UTC)
Expired
Aug 12, 2021, 10:00 AM MST
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Phoenix, AZ
Area
Storm-based polygon
Damage threat
Considerable
Flood severity
None

County Maricopa County, AZ

The radar

The Phoenix radar (KIWA), 66 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 13:04 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 12, 6:45 AM MSTFLASH FLOOD1 Ssw Cave Creek, AZLOW WATER CROSSINGS ALONG CAVE CREEK UPSTREAM OF CAREFREE HIGHWAY FLOODED. DATA FROM MARICOPA COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL STREAM GAGE ALONG CAVE CREEK LOCATED UPSTREAM OF LOW WATER CROSSINGS. STREAM GAGE EXCEEDED COUNTY SET ALARM STAGE.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Phoenix, AZ (KPSR), launched 12:00Z, 1.1 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-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Phoenix, AZ at 12:00Z on 2021-08-12Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1266 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, Phoenix, AZ at 12:00Z on 2021-08-12The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 57 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
1266 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-27 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
865 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
9 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
57 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
99 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

647 
WGUS55 KPSR 121304
FFWPSR
AZC013-121700-
/O.NEW.KPSR.FF.W.0159.210812T1304Z-210812T1700Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Phoenix AZ
604 AM MST Thu Aug 12 2021

The National Weather Service in Phoenix has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Maricopa County in south central Arizona...

* Until 1000 AM MST.

* At 604 AM MST, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated 
  thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Up to 
  1.5 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts up to 
  1 inch are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing 
  or expected to begin shortly.

  HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding. Thunderstorms
           producing flash flooding.

  SOURCE...Radar and automated gauges.

  IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams,
           urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Cave Creek, Carefree, Desert Mountain, Camp Creek and Seven 
  Springs.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

LAT...LON 3399 11183 3395 11180 3390 11180 3382 11181
      3377 11182 3374 11190 3369 11201 3368 11205
      3367 11208 3372 11208 3390 11200 3397 11196
      3400 11191

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR AND GAUGE INDICATED
FLASH FLOOD DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE

$$

CK
2 follow-up statements
338 
WGUS75 KPSR 121428
FFSPSR

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Phoenix AZ
728 AM MST Thu Aug 12 2021

AZC013-121700-
/O.CON.KPSR.FF.W.0159.000000T0000Z-210812T1700Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Maricopa AZ-
728 AM MST Thu Aug 12 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM MST THIS 
MORNING FOR MARICOPA COUNTY...

At 728 AM MST, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated 
thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Up to 
1.75 inches of rain have fallen. Flash flooding is ongoing or 
expected to begin shortly.

HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding. Thunderstorms producing
         flash flooding.

SOURCE...Radar and automated gauges.

IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams,
         urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses.

Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Cave Creek, Carefree, Desert Mountain, Camp Creek and Seven 
  Springs.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

LAT...LON 3399 11183 3395 11180 3390 11180 3382 11181
      3377 11182 3374 11190 3369 11201 3368 11205
      3367 11208 3372 11208 3390 11200 3397 11196
      3400 11191

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR AND GAUGE INDICATED
FLASH FLOOD DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE

$$

INS
301 
WGUS75 KPSR 121655
FFSPSR

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Phoenix AZ
955 AM MST Thu Aug 12 2021

AZC013-121705-
/O.EXP.KPSR.FF.W.0159.000000T0000Z-210812T1700Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Maricopa AZ-
955 AM MST Thu Aug 12 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 10 AM MST THIS MORNING FOR 
MARICOPA COUNTY...

Flood waters have receded. The heavy rain has ended. Flooding is no 
longer expected to pose a threat. Please continue to heed remaining 
road closures.

LAT...LON 3399 11183 3395 11180 3390 11180 3382 11181
      3377 11182 3374 11190 3369 11201 3368 11205
      3367 11208 3372 11208 3390 11200 3397 11196
      3400 11191

$$

SDB

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 11, 5:03 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPSRMaricopa42 min
Aug 11, 5:14 PM MSTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatPSRMaricopa3 hr
Aug 11, 5:14 PM MSTSpecial Weather StatementPSRMaricopa46 min
Aug 11, 5:30 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningPSRMaricopa2 hr
Aug 11, 5:30 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPSRMaricopa, Pinal45 min
Aug 11, 5:39 PM MSTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatPSRMaricopa3 hr
Aug 11, 5:49 PM MSTSpecial Weather StatementPSR41 min
Aug 11, 5:57 PM MSTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatPSRMaricopa6 hr
Aug 11, 6:07 PM MSTDust Storm WarningPSRMaricopa, Pinal53 min
Aug 11, 6:12 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPSRMaricopa, Pinal48 min
Aug 11, 6:19 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPSRMaricopa41 min
Aug 11, 6:20 PM MSTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatPSRMaricopa4 hr
Aug 11, 6:40 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningPSRMaricopa4 hr
Aug 11, 7:02 PM MSTSpecial Weather StatementPSR58 min
Aug 11, 7:11 PM MSTSpecial Weather StatementPSR64 min
Aug 11, 7:26 PM MSTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatPSRLa Paz3 hr
Aug 11, 7:53 PM MSTSpecial Weather StatementPSRLa Paz37 min
Aug 12, 2:00 AM MSTSpecial Weather StatementPSR45 min
Aug 12, 2:42 AM MSTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatPSRGila, Maricopa4 hr
Aug 12, 2:45 AM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryPSRMaricopa3 hr
Aug 12, 3:34 AM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryPSRMaricopa3 hr
Aug 12, 4:16 AM MSTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatPSRMaricopa4 hr
Aug 12, 4:33 AM MSTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatPSRMaricopa4 hr
Aug 12, 5:17 AM MSTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatPSRMaricopa6 hr
Aug 12, 6:21 AM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryPSRMaricopa46 min
Aug 12, 7:00 AM MSTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatPSRMaricopa4 hr
Aug 12, 10:09 AM MSTAreal Flood WarningPSRGila8 hr
Aug 12, 10:46 AM MSTAreal Flood WarningPSRMaricopa15 hr
Aug 12, 1:30 PM MSTFlash Flood WatchPSRGila, Maricopa, Pinal5 days
Aug 12, 2:11 PM MSTSpecial Weather StatementPSRLa Paz34 min
Aug 12, 2:30 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryPSRMaricopa3 hr
Aug 12, 2:45 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryPSRLa Paz3 hr
Aug 12, 2:54 PM MSTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatPSRLa Paz, Maricopa4 hr
Aug 12, 3:11 PM MSTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatPSRMaricopa5 hr
Aug 12, 3:34 PM MSTSpecial Weather StatementPSR41 min
Aug 12, 4:14 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryPSRMaricopa, Yuma3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Arizona, 2021Every flash flood warning in 2021

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.