Alert archive / California / Flash Flood Warnings in 2023

Flash Flood Warning 27, NWS Phoenix, AZ

September 1, 2023Imperial County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, California

NWS Phoenix, AZ issued this flash flood warning at Sep 1, 2023, 2:57 PM PDT for Imperial County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, California. It was in force for 6 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Sep 1, 2023, 2:57 PM PDT (21:57 UTC)
Expired
Sep 1, 2023, 9:15 PM PDT
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Phoenix, AZ
Area
Storm-based polygon
Damage threat
Considerable
Flood severity
None

Counties Imperial County, CA, Riverside County, CA, San Bernardino County, CA

The radar

The San Diego radar (KNKX), 154 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:59 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

San Diego, CA (KNKX), launched 12:00Z, 10.0 hours before the alert went out and 174 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, San Diego, CA at 12:00Z on 2023-09-01Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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, San Diego, CA at 12:00Z on 2023-09-01The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 59 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1085 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
14 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
59 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
75 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

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 Sep 1, 1:07 PM PDT, 1 hour 50 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 1, 1:07 PM PDT, 1 hour 50 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Phoenix AZ
107 PM MST Fri Sep 1 2023

.SYNOPSIS...
Widespread showers and thunderstorms will impact the region
through tonight. Locally heavy rainfall is expected. Flash
flooding will be the primary concern into this evening, with
localized amounts exceeding 2 inches, especially for southwest
Arizona and Southeast California. As a result, a Flood Watch is in
effect for much of the area through this evening. Some strong to
severe storms are also possible for southwest Arizona and
southeast California with localized damaging winds. After a few
isolated storms linger on Saturday, dry conditions will set in
with a warming trend. Temperatures will start the weekend below
normal with a return to near or above normal conditions next
week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Strong dynamical system across the region as an upper low digs
south across CA with a moist southerly flow entrenched across the
region with precipitable waters from 1.5 to 2 inches. Strong
upper jet dynamics in the entrance region allowing for enhanced
diffluence aloft setting the stage for strong storms and potential
flash flooding. The latest mesoanalysis showing the best
instability across southwest AZ and southeast CA where sunshine
has worked to warm temperatures. Already seeing strong storms across
Yuma County with very heavy rainfall. South central AZ, including
Phoenix, has been under plenty of debris clouds and even some
light rain keeping daytime heating limited and inhibiting
convection so far.

Strong storms will continue to increase across southwest AZ and
southeast CA into early this evening. Given the high moisture
content, flash flooding will likely be the main threat, but
localized strong and damaging winds are also possible. While the
threat for flash flooding looks to be decreasing across the
Phoenix area, not ready to rule it out. Additional convection
developing across southeast AZ is expected to lift northwest
toward the valley by late evening and would likely produce some
locally heavy downpours with strong moisture transport into the
area.

After tonight, things quiet down quite a bit. Isolated storms are
still possible on Saturday with lingering moisture, but as the
upper low across CA lifts northeast and weakens, flow turns more
west/southwest bring drier air into the region beginning Sunday.
Next week, upper heights build westward across the area and
temperatures will begin to rebound back to near or above normal
levels.

&&

.AVIATION...Updated at 1730Z.

South-Central AZ including KPHX, KIWA, KSDL, KDVT:
Main aviation focus through tonight will be the coverage and
timing of any shower/thunderstorm activity along with breezy
southerly winds. More stable conditions occurring across the
valley late this morning after last nights convection. Recovery
for storms will be questionable for much of the day. Will be
monitoring instability for better threat of storms later this
evening. For now, have included just VCSH in the TAFs for the
favored times of showers for a period this afternoon and then
again later this evening. Southeasterly winds favored for much of
the day with a slight shift to south expected by mid afternoon.
They will also become gusty later this afternoon. Any shift to
westerly winds would have to be thunderstorm driven outflows from
the west, but that chance is low at this time but will continue to
monitor trends. Overnight winds will settle in out of the typical
east. Otherwise, BKN/OVC mid/high clouds will prevail through the
forecast period.

Southeast California/Southwest Arizona including KIPL and KBLH:
Main concerns this forecast period will be thunderstorm threats
and gusty winds. Easterly winds will become southerly and gusty by
mid afternoon before shifting to the southwest this evening. Wind
gusts 20 to 30 kts are likely. Thunderstorm activity will increase
across the region by mid afternoon. Greatest threat will be from
about 22z-03z late this afternoon into this evening.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
Anomalous moisture will translate to cooler temperatures and greater
chances for rain today. Chances for wetting rains are highest into
the evening. Localized flash flooding is also possible. Outside
of thunderstorm winds, breezy southerly winds are expected into
the evening, particularly across southeast California and
southwest Arizona. Min RHs over the next couple of days will be
elevated around 35-45%. Rain chances linger around Saturday
before much drier air is ushered in, eliminating rain chances by
the start of next week. Min RHs are expected to fall to around
15-25% by early next week. Below normal temperatures will
gradually trend upward again next week as ridging is expected to
build back into the region.

&&

.PSR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AZ...Flood Watch until midnight MST tonight for AZZ530-531-533-534-
     536>559-561-562.

CA...Flood Watch until midnight PDT tonight for CAZ560>570.

&&

DISCUSSION...Frieders
AVIATION...Frieders
FIRE WEATHER...Frieders

In the hours before

Local storm report, Sep 1, 2:29 PM PDT, 28 minutes before
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Local storm report, Sep 1, 2:36 PM PDT, 21 minutes before
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Local storm report, Sep 1, 2:40 PM PDT, 17 minutes before
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Local storm report, Sep 1, 2:45 PM PDT, 12 minutes before
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Local storm report, Sep 1, 2:48 PM PDT, 9 minutes before
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Local storm report, Sep 1, 2:52 PM PDT, 5 minutes before
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The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 31, 5:43 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementPSRGila47 min
Aug 31, 6:16 PM PDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPSRGila44 min
Aug 31, 7:05 PM PDTDust Storm WarningPSRMaricopa, Pinal55 min
Aug 31, 7:15 PM PDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPSRMaricopa, Pinal45 min
Aug 31, 7:58 PM PDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPSRPinal3 hr
Aug 31, 8:02 PM PDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatPSRMaricopa, Pinal73 min
Aug 31, 8:14 PM PDTDust Storm WarningPSRMaricopa, Pinal31 min
Aug 31, 8:24 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementPSRMaricopa66 min
Aug 31, 8:33 PM PDTDust Storm WarningPSRMaricopa, Pinal83 min
Aug 31, 8:36 PM PDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPSRMaricopa, Pinal69 min
Aug 31, 8:47 PM PDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatPSRMaricopa, Pinal58 min
Aug 31, 9:11 PM PDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPSRMaricopa35 min
Aug 31, 9:18 PM PDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPSRMaricopa, Pinal117 min
Aug 31, 9:45 PM PDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPSRMaricopa60 min
Aug 31, 10:00 PM PDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatPSRMaricopa3 hr
Aug 31, 10:12 PM PDTDust Storm WarningPSRLa Paz, Maricopa63 min
Aug 31, 11:05 PM PDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPSRMaricopa3 hr
Sep 1, 1:18 AM PDTAreal Flood WarningPSRMaricopa3 hr
Sep 1, 2:54 AM PDTAreal Flood WarningPSRMaricopa4 hr
Sep 1, 11:01 AM PDTSpecial Weather StatementPSRYuma3 hr
Sep 1, 11:33 AM PDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPSRMaricopa, Yuma42 min
Sep 1, 11:42 AM PDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatPSRYuma3 hr
Sep 1, 12:06 PM PDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPSRMaricopa, Yuma3 hr
Sep 1, 12:19 PM PDTDust Storm AdvisoryPSRLa Paz, Yuma56 min
Sep 1, 12:23 PM PDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPSRLa Paz, Yuma52 min
Sep 1, 12:28 PM PDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatPSRLa Paz, Yuma4 hr
Sep 1, 1:04 PM PDTDust Storm WarningPSRYuma86 min
Sep 1, 1:24 PM PDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatPSRLa Paz6 hr
Sep 1, 1:59 PM PDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPSRLa Paz, Maricopa3 hr
Sep 1, 2:03 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementPSR42 min
Sep 1, 2:31 PM PDTDust Storm AdvisoryPSRYuma119 min
Sep 1, 4:30 AM PDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPSRRiverside15 min
Sep 1, 4:45 AM PDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatPSRRiverside4 hr
Sep 1, 12:58 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementPSRImperial3 hr
Sep 1, 1:06 PM PDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPSRImperial39 min
Sep 1, 1:18 PM PDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatPSRImperial4 hr
Sep 1, 1:47 PM PDTDust Storm AdvisoryPSRImperial88 min
Sep 1, 1:50 PM PDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPSRImperial, Riverside55 min
Sep 1, 2:03 PM PDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatPSRImperial4 hr
Sep 1, 2:16 PM PDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatPSRRiverside, San Bernardino6 hr
Sep 1, 3:57 PM PDTSpecial Weather StatementPSRImperial93 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in California, 2023Every 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.