Alert archive / Arizona / Flash Flood Warnings in 2026
Flash Flood Warning 133, NWS Tucson, AZ
NWS Tucson, AZ issued this flash flood warning at Aug 13, 2026, 3:20 AM MST for Pima County, Arizona. It was in force for 3 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 13, 2026, 3:20 AM MST (10:20 UTC)
- Expired
- Aug 13, 2026, 6:15 AM MST
- In force
- 3 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Tucson, AZ
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Damage threat
- Considerable
- Flood severity
- None
County Pima County, AZ
The radar
The Tucson radar (KEMX), 43 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 10:20 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 was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 13, 5:54 AM MST | FLASH FLOOD | 11 Ene Tucson, AZ | Road closure due to flash flooding. |
Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.
Did it verify
Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched 2 storm reports to this flash flood warning; the first came 149 minutes after it went out.
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 nearest sounding before it
Phoenix, AZ (KPSR), launched 00:00Z, 10.3 hours before the alert went out and 183 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 559 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -32 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 2150 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 10 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 3 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 36 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted.
778
WGUS55 KTWC 131020
FFWTWC
AZC019-131315-
/O.NEW.KTWC.FF.W.0133.260813T1020Z-260813T1315Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
320 AM MST Thu Aug 13 2026
The National Weather Service in Tucson has issued a
* Flash Flood Warning for...
Eastern Pima County in southeastern Arizona...
* Until 615 AM MST.
* At 320 AM MST, Pima County Regional Flood Control District reported
flash flooding on the Tanque Verde and Aqua Caliente Washes from
heavy rain this morning that has lead to significant rises in these
washers. Between 1 and 3 inches of rain has been recorded this
morning. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.
HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding. Heavy rain producing
flash flooding.
SOURCE...Emergency management reported.
IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams,
urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses.
* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
Tanque Verde and Saguaro National Park East.
This includes the following streams and drainages...
Agua Caliente Wash, Deer Creek, Chimney Rock Creek, Tanque Verde
Wash, Bear Creek and Rincon Creek.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.
Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the
dangers of flooding.
Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.
Remain alert for flooding even in locations not receiving rain.
Washes, streams, and rivers can become raging killer currents in a
matter of minutes, even from distant rainfall.
&&
LAT...LON 3232 11050 3231 11048 3225 11048 3222 11053
3219 11065 3225 11073 3229 11072 3232 11060
FLASH FLOOD...OBSERVED
FLASH FLOOD DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
$$1 follow-up statement
697
WGUS75 KTWC 131306
FFSTWC
Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
606 AM MST Thu Aug 13 2026
AZC019-131316-
/O.EXP.KTWC.FF.W.0133.000000T0000Z-260813T1315Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Pima AZ-
606 AM MST Thu Aug 13 2026
...FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 615 AM MST THIS MORNING FOR
EASTERN PIMA COUNTY...
The heavy rain has ended. Flood waters are slowly receding in the
Tanque Verde and Aqua Caliente Washes. Flooding is no longer expected
to pose a threat. Please continue to heed remaining road closures.
&&
LAT...LON 3232 11050 3231 11048 3225 11048 3222 11053
3219 11065 3225 11073 3229 11072 3232 11060
$$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 Aug 12, 3:12 PM MST, 12 hours 8 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Aug 12, 3:12 PM MST, 12 hours 8 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Tucson AZ 312 PM MST Wed Aug 12 2026 .SYNOPSIS...A shifting weather pattern will support scattered showers and storms the next few days. The strongest storms could produce heavy rainfall and flash flooding with rainfall rates around three quarters of an inch to an inch and a half per hour. Storm activity will clear out Friday into the weekend bringing warmer and drier conditions and moderate HeatRisk. && .DISCUSSION...Cloud cover led to a pleasant morning with lows in the 60s and 70s across southeast Arizona. There were a few lingering showers and storms from overnight convection. Overall, we saw a slowdown in the convective activity through the morning hours. Now, we start to see a ramp up again with showers and storms so far forming mainly south and east of Tucson in the White Mountains. The atmospheric environment this afternoon favors isolated to scattered storms capable of producing moderate to heavy rainfall. The Weather Prediction Center has Graham, Greenlee, Cochise, Santa Cruz, Pinal, and eastern Pima counties in a slight risk for excessive rainfall that could lead to flash flooding. Hourly rainfall rates could be between 0.75 to 1.5 inches per hour, which would be enough to result in localized instances of flash flooding. As a upper level trough approaches the area from the west coast, flow will become more southwesterly promoting lift and another round of nocturnal showers and thunderstorms from late tonight into early tomorrow morning mainly north and east of Tucson. Cannot rule out isolated flash flooding over Graham/Greenlee and Pinal counties with this activity. For the remainder of the work week into the weekend we will see a gradual downturn in the coverage and intensity of showers and storms. Not to say that we won't have any activity at all, but we start to minimize the necessary ingredients for widespread showers and storms. We lose our lift provided by the upper level trough which will usher dry air aloft into the region. Any storms that do form will be from recycled moisture in the boundary layer (low levels) of the atmosphere. The best chances (10-30%) will be mainly for areas east and south of Tucson. Early next week chances for showers and storms may return as an easterly wave moves over northern Mexico. This would bring some moisture and dynamics back into play supporting an uptick in storm activity. But we could also see the moisture slow to return and temperatures warming up into 105 territory for the Tucson Metro. && .AVIATION...Valid through 14/00Z. SCT-BKN 7-11k ft AGL thru much of the valid pd. SCTD -SHRA/-TSRA with isold vsbys 1SM +TSRA. Gusty erratic winds of 35-45 kts possible with any thunderstorm. Outside of storms SFC winds WLY/NWLY at 8-12 kts with ocnl gusts to 20 kts. SFC winds light and terrain driven between 13/06Z and 13/16Z. Tomorrow, chances for showers and storms again mainly east of KAVQ to KOLS line. Aviation discussion not updated for TAF amendments. && .FIRE WEATHER...The combination of a shifting weather pattern aloft and deep moisture residing across the region will result in scattered showers and thunderstorms the next couple days across Southeast Arizona with the potential for heavy rain. Although most of the storms will produce between a half and one inch of rain, the stronger storms are capable of producing locally heavier amounts between 1-3 inches. Otherwise, a drier southwest flow aloft will bring a downturn in daily storm activity Friday into the weekend. Minimum relative humidity will be 20-40 percent through Thursday lowering to around 15-30 percent thereafter. Temperatures will be below normal today and Thursday, then warm up again for the weekend. Outside of thunderstorms, winds terrain driven to around 10 mph with occasional afternoon gusts to 20 mph. && .HYDROLOGY...Early this morning the Vamori Wash near the village of Santa Cruz in central Pima County showed a significant rise, topping out near flood stage. A Flood Advisory remains in effect until 4 pm MST near the village of Santa Cruz on Tohono O'odham Nation in central Pima County. We are also keeping an eye on the Santa Cruz River near Tubac and the San Pedro River near Palominas for potentially heavy rainfall that could support significant rises. Right now, these points are forecast to remain below action stage. && .TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...None && DVS Visit us on Facebook, X, YouTube...and at weather.gov/Tucson
The office that day
Everything else NWS Tucson, AZ issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 12, 9:58 PM MST | Areal Flood Advisory | TWC | Pima | 28 hr |
| Aug 12, 11:40 PM MST | Areal Flood Advisory | TWC | Pima, Pinal | 2 hr |
| Aug 13, 12:28 AM MST | Flash Flood Warning | TWC | Pinal | 3 hr |
| Aug 13, 1:49 AM MST | Areal Flood Advisory | TWC | Pima | 3 hr |
| Aug 13, 8:56 AM MST | Areal Flood Advisory | TWC | Pima | 6 hr |
| Aug 13, 11:19 AM MST | Extreme Heat Watch | TWC | Graham, Greenlee, Pima, Pinal | 46 hr |
| Aug 13, 12:35 PM MST | Flash Flood Warning | TWC | Cochise | 3 hr |
| Aug 13, 1:00 PM MST | Flash Flood Warning | TWC | Graham | 3 hr |
| Aug 13, 1:37 PM MST | Flash Flood Warning | TWC | Cochise | 5 hr |
| Aug 13, 2:11 PM MST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TWC | Cochise | 49 min |
| Aug 13, 2:45 PM MST | Areal Flood Advisory | TWC | Santa Cruz | 3 hr |
| Aug 13, 2:47 PM MST | Areal Flood Advisory | TWC | Pima, Santa Cruz | 3 hr |
| Aug 13, 4:38 PM MST | Flash Flood Warning | TWC | Pima | 3 hr |
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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.