Alert archive / Arizona / Flash Flood Warnings in 2026

Flash Flood Warning 46, NWS Tucson, AZ

July 16, 2026Cochise County, Arizona

NWS Tucson, AZ issued this flash flood warning at Jul 16, 2026, 4:13 PM MST for Cochise County, Arizona. It was in force for 3 hr. 2 reports 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
Jul 16, 2026, 4:13 PM MST (23:13 UTC)
Expired
Jul 16, 2026, 7:15 PM MST
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Tucson, AZ
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

County Cochise County, AZ

The radar

The Tucson radar (KEMX), 75 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:17 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jul 16, 6:30 PM MSTFLASH FLOOD2 Wsw Tombstone, AZ[Delayed report] Wash flowing across Charleston Rd.
Jul 16, 6:30 PM MSTFLASH FLOOD6 Ene Tombstone, AZ[Delayed report] Wash flowing across Gleeson Rd.

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 137 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 12:00Z, 11.2 hours before the alert went out and 279 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, Phoenix, AZ at 12:00Z on 2026-07-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 33 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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, Phoenix, AZ at 12:00Z on 2026-07-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 22 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
33 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-256 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2003 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
8 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
22 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
84 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

745 
WGUS55 KTWC 162313
FFWTWC
AZC003-170215-
/O.NEW.KTWC.FF.W.0046.260716T2313Z-260717T0215Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
413 PM MST Thu Jul 16 2026

The National Weather Service in Tucson has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  South Central Cochise County in southeastern Arizona...

* Until 715 PM MST.

* At 413 PM MST, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing
  heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1 and 2 inches of rain
  have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 0.8 to 1.5 inches are
  possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected
  to begin shortly.

  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.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Tombstone.

This includes Route 80 between mile markers 316 and 332.

This includes the following Flash Flood Prone Locations...
Davis Rd between HWY 80 & HWY 191.

This includes the following streams and drainages...
  San Pedro River, Walnut Gulch, Whitewater Draw, Reeves Creek and
  Gadwell Canyon.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.

&&

LAT...LON 3173 11012 3152 11003 3148 10970 3155 10967
      3165 10968 3176 10994

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED

$$

KJS
2 follow-up statements
069 
WGUS75 KTWC 170021
FFSTWC

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
521 PM MST Thu Jul 16 2026

AZC003-170215-
/O.CON.KTWC.FF.W.0046.000000T0000Z-260717T0215Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Cochise AZ-
521 PM MST Thu Jul 16 2026

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 715 PM MST THIS
EVENING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL COCHISE COUNTY...

At 521 PM MST, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy
rain across the warned area. Between 1 and 1.5 inches of rain have
fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 0.1 to 0.2 inches are possible
in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin
shortly.

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.

Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Tombstone.

This includes Route 80 between mile markers 318 and 324...and between
mile markers 328 and 331.

This includes the following Flash Flood Prone Locations...
Davis Rd between HWY 80 & HWY 191.

This includes the following streams and drainages...
  Walnut Gulch, Whitewater Draw, Reeves Creek and Gadwell Canyon.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.

&&

LAT...LON 3172 11007 3154 11003 3149 10971 3164 10973
      3172 10994

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED

$$

KJS
230 
WGUS75 KTWC 170207
FFSTWC

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
707 PM MST Thu Jul 16 2026

AZC003-170217-
/O.EXP.KTWC.FF.W.0046.000000T0000Z-260717T0215Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Cochise AZ-
707 PM MST Thu Jul 16 2026

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 715 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR
SOUTH CENTRAL COCHISE COUNTY...

The heavy rain has ended. Flooding is no longer expected to pose a
threat. Please continue to heed remaining road closures.

A Flood Watch remains in effect until 900 PM MST for a portion of
Southeast Arizona.

&&

LAT...LON 3172 11007 3154 11003 3149 10971 3164 10973
      3172 10994

$$

KJS

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 Jul 16, 2:33 PM MST, 1 hour 40 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 16, 2:33 PM MST, 1 hour 40 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
233 PM MST Thu Jul 16 2026

.SYNOPSIS...Showers and thunderstorms this afternoon and
evening across southeast Arizona with an increased risk of
flash flooding. Gusty winds and blowing dust will also be
possible with any thunderstorm. Chances for thunderstorms will
continue through the coming week with day to day variability in
location and severity.

&&

.DISCUSSION...My concern when hoisting a flash flood watch 24
hours in advance during the monsoon is what happens the day
before and will there be considerable debris clouds starting the
morning to mess with the flash flood day forecast. Well that
happened this morning, an OH NO moment, with a considerable
cloud deck and very light showers/virga across the area. This
cloud deck has been slowly eroding this afternoon with storms
developing rather quick in the cloud breaks in a rather moist
and unstable atmosphere. The upper air pattern today is rather
chaotic today with upper low over wrn TX and an upper high
centered over NW AZ bringing a northerly diffluent flow aloft
across the area. In addition, there is an MCV west of Organ Pipe
Ntl Mon that is developing storms in western Pima county.

PWATs across the area ranged from 1.3" near AZ/NM border to
almost 2" over wrn AZ. The unstable atmosphere combined with the
above normal moisture will bring an increased flash flooding
threat to most of the area. Hourly rainfall rates from some of
the strongest storms could exceed 2"/hour so some of the flash
flooding could be considerable on a localized basis. Flash Flood
Watch continues for Graham/Cochise counties thru 9 pm, and for
Pinal, Pima and Santa Cruz counties until 12 am Friday. The
threat for severe storms is limited with isolated gusts up to 55
mph possible.

Activity diminishing overnight with likely considerable cloud
cover around Friday morning. Likely to have another slow start
to the convection, with CAMs hitting the Intl border with heavy
rain.

Thunderstorm chances continue daily this weekend and into next
week with day to day variability. Ensemble models show the
upper level ridge becoming centered again over or near the Four
Corners region next week keeping an active monsoon pattern
across the area.

High temperatures over the next 7 days will remain below normal.

&&

.AVIATION...Valid through 18/00Z
Showers and thunderstorms will continue 17/07Z before slowly
diminishing thru 17/13z. Heavy rain, mountain obscurations, and
erratic strong wind gusts of 35-45 kts possible with any storm,
with ceilings mainly 9k-12k feet. Outside of thunderstorms,
surface winds generally under 10 kts. Chance of -SHRA/TS
developing aft 17/19z. Aviation discussion not updated for TAF
amendments.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...Daily chances for thunderstorms will continue
each afternoon and evening through the next 7 days with day to
day variability. Minimum relative humidity 25-30 percent in the
lower desert locations and above 40 percent in the mountains
this week. Winds this week will remain mainly light and under 15
mph, though strong and erratic winds will be possible with any
thunderstorm.

&&

.HYDROLOGY...
Heavy rains through tonight may lead to significant rises in
washes, creeks and rivers, especially from western Cochise
county west through Santa Cruz and into central Pima county.

&&

.TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
 Flood Watch until 9 PM MST this evening for AZZ507>509-511>513.
 Flood Watch through late tonight for AZZ502>506-514-515.

&&

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The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 15, 5:40 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCPinal3 hr
Jul 15, 5:48 PM MSTDust Storm AdvisoryTWCPima, Pinal69 min
Jul 15, 5:53 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCPima3 hr
Jul 15, 6:02 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCPima3 hr
Jul 15, 6:21 PM MSTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatTWCPima3 hr
Jul 15, 6:57 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCPima3 hr
Jul 15, 6:59 PM MSTDust Storm WarningTWCPima, Pinal61 min
Jul 15, 9:18 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCPima3 hr
Jul 16, 1:51 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCCochise4 hr
Jul 16, 2:02 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCCochise5 hr
Jul 16, 2:18 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCSanta Cruz3 hr
Jul 16, 2:42 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCCochise3 hr
Jul 16, 2:51 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCSanta Cruz3 hr
Jul 16, 3:05 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCCochise, Santa Cruz3 hr
Jul 16, 3:30 PM MSTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatTWCCochise4 hr
Jul 16, 3:57 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCSanta Cruz3 hr
Jul 16, 4:02 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCCochise3 hr
Jul 16, 4:55 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCPima3 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.