Alert archive / Arizona / Flash Flood Watches in 2021

Flash Flood Watch 4, NWS Tucson, AZ

July 29, 2021Pima County, Pinal County, Arizona

NWS Tucson, AZ issued this flash flood watch at Jul 29, 2021, 2:06 PM MST for Pima County, Pinal County, Arizona. It took effect at Jul 30, 2021, 12:00 PM MST. It was in force for 17 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 29, 2021, 2:06 PM MST (21:06 UTC)
In effect from
Jul 30, 2021, 12:00 PM MST
Expired
Jul 31, 2021, 5:00 AM MST
In force
17 hr
Issued by
NWS Tucson, AZ
Flood severity
None

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 21:05 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 12:00Z, 9.1 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 12:00Z on 2021-07-29Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 153 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 12:00Z on 2021-07-29The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -36 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
153 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-305 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2293 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
14 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-36 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
23 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

832 
WGUS65 KTWC 292106
FFATWC

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Flood Watch
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
206 PM MST Thu Jul 29 2021

AZZ501-502-300515-
/O.NEW.KTWC.FF.A.0004.210730T1900Z-210731T1200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Western Pima County-Tohono O'odham Nation-
Including the cities of Organ Pipe Cactus N.M., Sells, and Ajo
206 PM MST Thu Jul 29 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE 
FRIDAY NIGHT...

The National Weather Service in Tucson has issued a

* Flash Flood Watch for a portion of Southeast Arizona, including 
  the following areas, Tohono O'odham Nation and Western Pima County.

* From Friday afternoon through late Friday night.

* Additional showers and thunderstorms, some with very heavy 
  downpours, will be likely again Friday afternoon and Friday night. 
  Therefore, there will be an increased threat of flash flooding. 
  Larger washes such as the Vamori and San Simon may experience high 
  flows due to local runoff from heavy rains.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action 
should Flash Flood Warnings be issued.

&&

$$

JD
5 follow-up statements
946 
WGUS65 KTWC 300448
FFATWC

Flood Watch
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
948 PM MST Thu Jul 29 2021

AZZ501-502-302100-
/O.CON.KTWC.FF.A.0004.210730T1900Z-210731T1200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Western Pima County-Tohono O'odham Nation-
Including the cities of Organ Pipe Cactus N.M., Sells, and Ajo
948 PM MST Thu Jul 29 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH 
LATE FRIDAY NIGHT...

The Flash Flood Watch continues for

* A portion of Southeast Arizona, including the following areas, 
  Tohono O'odham Nation and Western Pima County.

* From Friday afternoon through late Friday night.

* Additional showers and thunderstorms, some with very heavy 
  downpours, will be likely again Friday afternoon and Friday night. 
  Therefore, there will be an increased threat of flash flooding. 
  Larger washes such as the Vamori and San Simon may experience high 
  flows due to local runoff from heavy rains.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action 
should Flash Flood Warnings be issued.

&&

$$

RH
290 
WGUS65 KTWC 300957
FFATWC

Flood Watch
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
257 AM MST Fri Jul 30 2021

AZZ501-502-311200-
/O.CON.KTWC.FF.A.0004.210730T1900Z-210731T1200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Western Pima County-Tohono O'odham Nation-
Including the cities of Organ Pipe Cactus N.M., Sells, and Ajo
257 AM MST Fri Jul 30 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON MST TODAY THROUGH 
LATE TONIGHT...

The Flash Flood Watch continues for

* A portion of Southeast Arizona, including the following areas, 
  Tohono O'odham Nation and Western Pima County.

* From Noon MST today through late tonight.

* Additional showers and thunderstorms, some with very heavy 
  downpours, will be likely again today and tonight. 
  Therefore, there will be an increased threat of flash flooding. 
  Larger washes such as the Vamori and San Simon may experience high 
  flows due to local runoff from heavy rains.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action 
should Flash Flood Warnings be issued.

&&

$$

JRM
588 
WGUS65 KTWC 302101
FFATWC

Flood Watch
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
201 PM MST Fri Jul 30 2021

AZZ501-502-310515-
/O.CON.KTWC.FF.A.0004.000000T0000Z-210731T1200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Western Pima County-Tohono O'odham Nation-
Including the cities of Organ Pipe Cactus N.M., Sells, and Ajo
201 PM MST Fri Jul 30 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

The Flash Flood Watch continues for

* A portion of Southeast Arizona, including the following areas, 
  Tohono O'odham Nation and Western Pima County.

* Through late tonight.

* Additional showers and thunderstorms, some with very heavy 
  downpours, will be likely through tonight. Therefore, there will 
  be an increased threat of flash flooding. Larger washes such as 
  the Vamori and San Simon may experience high flows due to local 
  runoff from heavy rains.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action 
should Flash Flood Warnings be issued.

&&

$$

JD
045 
WGUS65 KTWC 310533
FFATWC

Flood Watch
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
1033 PM MST Fri Jul 30 2021

AZZ501-502-311200-
/O.CON.KTWC.FF.A.0004.000000T0000Z-210731T1200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Western Pima County-Tohono O'odham Nation-
Including the cities of Organ Pipe Cactus N.M., Sells, and Ajo
1033 PM MST Fri Jul 30 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM MST SATURDAY...

The Flash Flood Watch continues for

* A portion of Southeast Arizona, including the following areas, 
  Tohono O'odham Nation and Western Pima County.

* Until 5 AM MST Saturday.

* Additional showers and thunderstorms, some with very heavy 
  downpours, will be likely through tonight. Therefore, there will 
  be an increased threat of flash flooding. Larger washes such as 
  the Vamori and San Simon may experience high flows due to local 
  runoff from heavy rains.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action 
should Flash Flood Warnings be issued.

&&

$$

WJM
372 
WGUS65 KTWC 311150
FFATWC

Flood Watch
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
450 AM MST Sat Jul 31 2021

AZZ501-502-311300-
/O.EXP.KTWC.FF.A.0004.000000T0000Z-210731T1200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Western Pima County-Tohono O'odham Nation-
Including the cities of Organ Pipe Cactus N.M., Sells, and Ajo
450 AM MST Sat Jul 31 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH WILL EXPIRE AT 5 AM MST EARLY THIS MORNING...

The Flash Flood Watch for a portion of Southeast Arizona, including 
the following areas, Tohono O'odham Nation and Western Pima County 
will expire at 5 AM MST early this morning.

Flooding is no longer expected to pose a threat. Please continue to 
heed remaining road closures.

$$

JRM

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 28, 8:12 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCCochise63 min
Jul 29, 1:20 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTWCPima40 min
Jul 29, 1:55 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCPima2 hr
Jul 29, 2:08 PM MSTSpecial Weather StatementTWC37 min
Jul 29, 2:42 PM MSTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatTWCPima2 hr
Jul 29, 2:44 PM MSTSpecial Weather StatementTWCCochise61 min
Jul 29, 3:03 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCCochise117 min
Jul 29, 3:10 PM MSTSpecial Weather StatementTWCGraham35 min
Jul 29, 4:54 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCGraham2 hr
Jul 29, 4:54 PM MSTSpecial Weather StatementTWC36 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Watches in Arizona, 2021Every flash flood watch 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.