Alert archive / Arizona / Flash Flood Warnings in 2026

Flash Flood Warning 1, NWS Tucson, AZ

June 16, 2026Pima County, Arizona

NWS Tucson, AZ issued this flash flood warning at Jun 16, 2026, 7:11 PM MST for Pima County, Arizona. It was in force for 3 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Jun 16, 2026, 7:11 PM MST (02:11 UTC)
Expired
Jun 16, 2026, 10:15 PM MST
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Tucson, AZ
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

County Pima County, AZ

The radar

The Tucson radar (KEMX), 125 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:13 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this flash flood warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The text

As transmitted.

181 
WGUS55 KTWC 170211
FFWTWC
AZC019-170515-
/O.NEW.KTWC.FF.W.0001.260617T0211Z-260617T0515Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
711 PM MST Tue Jun 16 2026

The National Weather Service in Tucson has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Central Pima County in southeastern Arizona...

* Until 1015 PM MST.

* At 711 PM MST, Doppler radar indicated between 1.00 and 2.00 inches
  of heavy rain has fallen near Nolic and an area mainly east of
  Highway 86 between Covered Wells and Sells in the central Tohono
  O'odham Nation. This will cause  flash flooding, especially along
  washes that feed into the San Luis Wash.

  HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated.

  IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas,
           highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor
           drainage and low-lying areas. Flash flooding may impact
           Routes 26, 34, 232 and 30 as well as portions of Highway
           86 between Sells and Covered Wells.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Sells, Gu Oidak, No:ligk, Cababi, San Luis - Sells District, Rincon
  and Sikul Himathk.

This includes Route 86 between mile markers 96 and 115.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

LAT...LON 3216 11197 3210 11190 3204 11184 3199 11181
      3198 11181 3188 11187 3189 11194 3189 11203
      3197 11211 3211 11209 3218 11203

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED

$$

CWR
1 follow-up statement
152 
WGUS75 KTWC 170516
FFSTWC

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
1016 PM MST Tue Jun 16 2026

AZC019-170526-
/O.EXP.KTWC.FF.W.0001.000000T0000Z-260617T0515Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Pima AZ-
1016 PM MST Tue Jun 16 2026

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS EXPIRED FOR CENTRAL PIMA COUNTY...

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

&&

LAT...LON 3216 11197 3210 11190 3204 11184 3199 11181
      3198 11181 3188 11187 3189 11194 3189 11203
      3197 11211 3211 11209 3218 11203

$$

CWR

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 Tucson, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Jun 16, 2:22 PM MST, 4 hours 49 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 16, 2:22 PM MST, 4 hours 49 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
222 PM MST Tue Jun 16 2026

.SYNOPSIS...Increased moisture will result in isolated to
widely scattered afternoon showers and thunderstorms mainly south of
Tucson near the Int'l border, then from Tucson south and eastward
Wednesday. Thereafter, some residual thunderstorm chances along the
Int'l border Thursday then dry conditions Friday through the
weekend. Otherwise, breezy afternoons with temperatures near normal
through the forecast period.

&&

.DISCUSSION...This afternoon, the upper level divergence/deformation
is weaker than yesterday and focused more south and east along
the International Border. However, terrain forced convection is
still on the table with cloud buildups and some showers and
storms having already formed on the highest peaks. The weaker
dynamics will result today overall be more of a low-grade
Monsoon day with only isolated to widely scattered showers and
storms. There is also a small chance (10-15%) that there could a
couple showers or storms out over T.O. Nation as well, but this
is only supported by a couple of the hires models. The main
hazard associated with any storms that do form other than
lightning and brief heavy downpours will be gusty outflow winds
that could loft blowing dust and locally reduce visibility. The
HREF gives a 50-70% chance of maximum wind speeds to exceed 35
mph.

Tomorrow will bring an uptick in thunderstorm activity with the
approach of a weak mid/upper low ejecting out of California. The
upper feature will help to create added upper level diffluence aloft
which may increase overall storm coverage and/or intensity provided
sufficient moisture and instability exist. It looks to me like
the most favorable area for lift will be along a Phoenix/Tucson/Nogales
line. Storms are also possible (10-30%) over the mountains as
the terrain will act as a forcing mechanism. The HREF depicts a
50-70% chance for winds exceeding 35 mph and even a slight
chance (10%) for maximum winds exceeding 58 mph. With drier air
getting imported into the mid/upper levels with the upper low
this might help lead to dry air entrainment and enhance the
outflows of taller storms that can tap into the environment.

Thursday we will see a downward trend in convective activity as
drier air starts to move in associated with dry westerly flow aloft.
Still enough recycled moisture will exist to support isolated to
widely scattered storms right along the Int'l border mainly from
Nogales eastward and also in the White Mountains. By Friday and
beyond, dry conditions are expected to prevail area-wide as the high
remains over Sonora and westerly flow aloft remains over Arizona.
Even with the drying, temperatures will still remain near normal
through the forecast period.

Breezy conditions will continue each afternoon with the strongest
winds in the Upper Gila River Valley near Safford where afternoon
gusts of 30 to 35 mph are expected Wednesday and Thursday. That will
result in elevated to locally near critical fire weather conditions,
especially as we dry out on Thursday afternoon.

&&

.AVIATION...Valid through 18/00Z.
SCT-BKN clouds 8k-12k ft AGL south and east of KTUS thru 17/04Z with
gradual clearing thereafter. Isolated to Scattered TSRA/SHRA between
through 17/03Z mainly near the Int'l border from KOLS eastward. Main
threats will be gusty outflow winds 25-45 kts with these storms.
Otherwise, SFC winds light at 10 kts or less thru 16/16Z.
Thereafter, outside of any storm influences, SFC winds become
WLY/NWLY 8-16 kts, gusting to 25 kts with gusts up to 30 kts for
KSAD. SFC winds diminish to 10 kts or less again aft 17/04Z and will
pick up again after 17/17Z becoming WLY/NWLY. Aviation discussion
not updated for TAF amendments.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...Winds will remain west/northwest through this
week with speeds of 10-20 mph and gusts 25-30 mph across much of the
area with stronger speeds of 15-25 mph and gusts to 35 mph in lower
elevations of Graham county. Moisture levels will remain slightly
elevated through Thursday, with minimum relative humidity 15-30
percent in lower elevations and 30-40 percent in the mountains. This
will bring bring chances (20-30 percent) for showers and
thunderstorms along the Int'l border from Sasabe eastward this
afternoon, then from Tucson south and eastward, along with the White
Mountains Wednesday. Precipitation chances remain in the White
Mountains Thursday but otherwise retreat to the Int'l border once
again. Dry conditions area-wide Friday and beyond with minimum
relative humidity lowering this weekend to 5 to 15 percent in the
valleys and 10 to 20 percent in the mountains. For Wednesday and
Thursday elevated to near critical fire weather conditions will be
possible in the Gila River Valley as winds increase and RH drops
below 15 percent.

&&

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

&&

DVS

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The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 16, 6:27 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCPima2 hr
Jun 17, 2:31 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTWCCochise, Pima, Santa Cruz44 min
Jun 17, 2:48 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCPima3 hr
Jun 17, 3:02 PM MSTDust Storm AdvisoryTWCPinal58 min
Jun 17, 3:18 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCPinal3 hr
Jun 17, 3:27 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCCochise3 hr
Jun 17, 4:13 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTWCPima47 min
Jun 17, 4:37 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCSanta Cruz3 hr
Jun 17, 4:48 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCPima117 min
Jun 17, 4:56 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTWCPima34 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Arizona, 2026Every flash flood warning in 2026

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.