Alert archive / Arizona / Flash Flood Warnings in 2023

Flash Flood Warning 10, NWS Phoenix, AZ

August 17, 2023Maricopa County, Pinal County, Arizona

NWS Phoenix, AZ issued this flash flood warning at Aug 17, 2023, 6:16 PM MST for Maricopa County, Pinal County, Arizona. It was in force for 119 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: Aug 17, 2023, 6:16 PM MST (01:16 UTC)
Expired: Aug 17, 2023, 8:15 PM MST
In force: 119 min
Issued by: NWS Phoenix, AZ
Area: Storm-based polygon
Flood severity: None

Counties Maricopa County, AZ, Pinal County, AZ

The radar

The Phoenix radar (KIWA), 29 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:20 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 forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Phoenix, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Aug 17, 5:45 PM MST, 31 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 17, 5:45 PM MST, 31 minutes before

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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 17, 2:07 PM MST, 4 hours 9 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Phoenix AZ
207 PM MST Thu Aug 17 2023

AZZ547-556>558-172145-
Mazatzal Mountains AZ-Tonto Basin AZ-Rio Verde/Salt River AZ-
Pinal/Superstition Mountains AZ-
207 PM MST Thu Aug 17 2023

...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of Gila and Maricopa
Counties through 245 PM MST...

At 206 PM MST, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Tonto National Monument, or 7 miles southeast of Roosevelt. This
storm was nearly stationary.

HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and pea size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Roosevelt, Roosevelt Dam, Tonto National Monument, and Roosevelt
Estates.

This includes AZ Route 188 between mile markers 226 and 245.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

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

Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.

If on or near Apache Lake and Roosevelt Lake, get out of the water
and move indoors or inside a vehicle. Remember, lightning can strike
out to 10 miles from the parent thunderstorm. If you can hear
thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning. Move to
safe shelter now! Do not be caught on the water in a thunderstorm.

&&

LAT...LON 3372 11095 3351 11090 3347 11115 3365 11128
      3375 11097
TIME...MOT...LOC 2106Z 164DEG 1KT 3357 11108

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

SDB

Special weather statement, Aug 17, 3:37 PM MST, 2 hours 39 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Phoenix AZ
337 PM MST Thu Aug 17 2023

AZZ553-554-559-172330-
Sonoran Desert Natl Monument AZ-Northwest Pinal County AZ-
West Pinal County AZ-
337 PM MST Thu Aug 17 2023

...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of Maricopa and Pinal
Counties through 430 PM MST...

At 337 PM MST, Doppler radar was tracking a cluster of strong
thunderstorms 7 miles southeast of Freeman, or 26 miles west of Casa
Grande, moving north at 15 mph.

HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects.

Locations impacted include...
Maricopa, Estrella, Freeman, Big Horn, Sonoran National Monument,
Kaka, Ak-Chin Village, and Mobile.

This includes the following highways...
AZ Interstate 8 between mile markers 124 and 159.
AZ Route 238 between mile markers 6 and 30, and between mile markers
42 and 44.
AZ Route 347 between mile markers 161 and 175.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

&&

LAT...LON 3302 11259 3309 11195 3276 11202 3276 11205
      3272 11207 3272 11214 3269 11215 3268 11220
      3251 11221 3251 11263
TIME...MOT...LOC 2237Z 188DEG 15KT 3278 11218

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

MS

Special weather statement, Aug 17, 4:55 PM MST, 1 hour 21 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Phoenix AZ
455 PM MST Thu Aug 17 2023

AZZ548-551-553-555-180045-
Northwest Pinal County AZ-East Valley AZ-
Southeast Valley/Queen Creek AZ-Apache Junction/Gold Canyon AZ-
455 PM MST Thu Aug 17 2023

...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of Maricopa and Pinal
Counties through 545 PM MST...

At 455 PM MST, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
San Tan Valley, or 12 miles southwest of Gold Canyon. This storm was
nearly stationary.

HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and pea size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Mesa, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Chandler Heights, Phoenix Mesa Gateway
Airport, San Tan Mountain Park, Magma, and San Tan Valley.

This includes the following highways...
US Highway 60 near mile marker 205.
AZ Route 202 between mile markers 35 and 37.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

&&

LAT...LON 3311 11143 3311 11168 3333 11171 3333 11143
TIME...MOT...LOC 2355Z 179DEG 4KT 3320 11153

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

MS

Special weather statement, Aug 17, 4:57 PM MST, 1 hour 19 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Phoenix AZ
457 PM MST Thu Aug 17 2023

AZZ538-539-559-180045-
Sonoran Desert Natl Monument AZ-Tonopah Desert AZ-Gila Bend AZ-
457 PM MST Thu Aug 17 2023

...A cluster of strong thunderstorms will impact portions of
Maricopa County through 545 PM MST...

At 457 PM MST, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms over
Gila Bend Auxiliary Field, or near Gila Bend, moving north at 15 mph.

HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and pea size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Gila Bend, Gila Bend Auxiliary Field, Bosque, and Cotton Center.

This includes the following highways...
AZ Interstate 8 between mile markers 103 and 129.
AZ Route 238 between mile markers 1 and 10.
AZ Route 85 between mile markers 1 and 20, and between mile markers
119 and 132.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

&&

LAT...LON 3257 11241 3256 11281 3302 11300 3314 11256
TIME...MOT...LOC 2357Z 164DEG 13KT 3287 11270

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

MS

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Aug 17, 5:06 PM MST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PSR	Maricopa, Pinal	39 min
Aug 17, 5:18 PM MST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PSR	Maricopa	12 min
Aug 17, 5:43 PM MST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PSR	Maricopa, Pinal	32 min
Aug 17, 5:51 PM MST	Areal Flood Advisory	PSR	Maricopa, Pinal	25 min
Aug 17, 6:11 PM MST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PSR	Maricopa, Pinal	34 min
Aug 17, 6:57 PM MST	Special Weather Statement	PSR		33 min
Aug 17, 7:03 PM MST	Dust Storm Advisory	PSR	Maricopa, Pinal	42 min
Aug 17, 7:34 PM MST	Special Weather Statement	PSR	La Paz	41 min
Aug 17, 9:15 PM MST	Flash Flood Warning Considerable damage threat	PSR	La Paz, Yuma	3 hr
Aug 18, 1:18 PM MST	Wind Advisory	PSR	La Paz, Maricopa, Pinal, Yuma	60 hr
Aug 18, 4:09 PM MST	Special Weather Statement	PSR		36 min
Aug 18, 4:05 PM MST	Areal Flood Advisory	PSR	Riverside, San Bernardino	42 min
Aug 18, 4:47 PM MST	Flash Flood Warning Considerable damage threat	PSR	Riverside, San Bernardino	3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Arizona, 2023 Every flash flood warning in 2023

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.