Alert archive / Arizona / Flash Flood Warnings in 2026
Flash Flood Warning 53, NWS Tucson, AZ
NWS Tucson, AZ issued this flash flood warning at Jul 16, 2026, 6:26 PM MST for Pima County, Arizona. It was in force for 114 min. 3 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, 6:26 PM MST (01:26 UTC)
- Expired
- Jul 16, 2026, 8:20 PM MST
- In force
- 114 min
- Issued by
- NWS Tucson, AZ
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- 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 01:30 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 16, 7:41 PM MST | FLASH FLOOD | 8 Ne Tucson, AZ | Video on social media shows flooding over roadway. |
| Jul 16, 7:42 PM MST | FLASH FLOOD | 9 Ene Tucson, AZ | Delayed Report. Road closure due to flooding. |
| Jul 16, 8:09 PM MST | FLASH FLOOD | 10 Ene Tucson, AZ | Delayed Report. Road closure due to 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 3 storm reports to this flash flood warning; the first came 75 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, 1.4 hours before the alert went out and 173 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
- 215 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -96 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 2039 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 17 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 50 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 72 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted.
521
WGUS55 KTWC 170126
FFWTWC
AZC019-170430-
/O.NEW.KTWC.FF.W.0053.260717T0126Z-260717T0430Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
626 PM MST Thu Jul 16 2026
The National Weather Service in Tucson has issued a
* Flash Flood Warning for...
Eastern Pima County in southeastern Arizona...
* Until 930 PM MST.
* At 626 PM MST, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated
thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between
0.5 and 1 inch of rain has fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of
0.5 to 1.0 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding
is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.
HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.
SOURCE...Radar and automated gauges.
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...
Tanque Verde, Saguaro National Park East, Sabino Canyon Recreation
Area and Seven Falls.
This includes the following Flash Flood Prone Locations...
Agua Caliente Wash from Soldier Trl to Fort Lowell, Wentworth Rd at
Tanque Verde Wash, Tanque Verde Loop Rd at Tanque Verde Wash, Freeman
Rd between Broadway and Old Spanish Trail and Limberlost Rd from
Soilder Trail to Homestead Ave.
This includes the following streams and drainages...
Tanque Verde Wash, Chimney Rock Creek, Ventana Canyon Wash, Pantano
Wash, Sabino Creek and Agua Caliente Wash.
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.
&&
LAT...LON 3234 11080 3234 11069 3231 11058 3221 11059
3218 11073 3222 11085
FLASH FLOOD...RADAR AND GAUGE INDICATED
$$
KJS2 follow-up statements
931
WGUS75 KTWC 170306
FFSTWC
Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
806 PM MST Thu Jul 16 2026
AZC019-170430-
/O.CON.KTWC.FF.W.0053.000000T0000Z-260717T0430Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Pima AZ-
806 PM MST Thu Jul 16 2026
...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 930 PM MST THIS
EVENING FOR EASTERN PIMA COUNTY...
At 806 PM MST, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated
thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between
0.5 and 1 inch of rain has fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 0.1
to 0.5 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is
ongoing or expected to begin shortly.
HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.
SOURCE...Radar and automated gauges.
IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas,
highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor
drainage and low-lying areas.
Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
Tanque Verde, Saguaro National Park East, Sabino Canyon Recreation
Area and Seven Falls.
This includes the following Flash Flood Prone Locations...
Agua Caliente Wash from Soldier Trl to Fort Lowell, Wentworth Rd at
Tanque Verde Wash, Tanque Verde Loop Rd at Tanque Verde Wash, Freeman
Rd between Broadway and Old Spanish Trail and Limberlost Rd from
Soilder Trail to Homestead Ave.
This includes the following streams and drainages...
Tanque Verde Wash, Chimney Rock Creek, Ventana Canyon Wash, Pantano
Wash, Sabino Creek and Agua Caliente Wash.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.
Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the
dangers of flooding.
&&
LAT...LON 3234 11080 3234 11069 3231 11058 3221 11059
3218 11073 3222 11085
FLASH FLOOD...RADAR AND GAUGE INDICATED
$$
KJS042
WGUS75 KTWC 170320
FFSTWC
Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
820 PM MST Thu Jul 16 2026
AZC019-170330-
/O.CAN.KTWC.FF.W.0053.000000T0000Z-260717T0430Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Pima AZ-
820 PM MST Thu Jul 16 2026
...FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR EASTERN PIMA COUNTY...
The heavy rain has ended. This warning has been replaced with a Flood
Advisory. Areas will continue to see ponding of water and flow in
washes. Please continue to heed remaining road closures.
A Flood Watch remains in effect until 500 AM MST Friday for a portion
of Southeast Arizona.
A Flood Watch remains in effect until 900 PM MST for a portion of
Southeast Arizona.
&&
LAT...LON 3234 11080 3234 11069 3231 11058 3221 11059
3218 11073 3222 11085
$$
KJSWhat 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, 3 hours 53 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 16, 2:33 PM MST, 3 hours 53 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. && Visit us on Facebook, X, YouTube, and at weather.gov/Tucson
In the hours before
Local storm report, Jul 16, 5:05 PM MST, 1 hour 21 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
505 PM MST Thu Jul 16 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0445 PM Flash Flood 42 ESE Willcox 31.94N 109.22W
07/16/2026 Cochise AZ CO-OP Observer
South Turkey Creek Rd and Paradise-Portal Rd
is Flooding. South Turkey Creek is bank to
bank with 3 feet of water in it and flooding
most of Turkey Creek Rd. Forest 42B Rd and
Portal Paradise Rd has flash flooding along
the road.
&&
CLPLocal storm report, Jul 16, 6:14 PM MST, 12 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
614 PM MST Thu Jul 16 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0605 PM Flash Flood 2 NNE Three Points 32.10N 111.27W
07/16/2026 Pima AZ 911 Call Center
Highway 86 impassible due to flooded
roadway.
&&
JVTThe office that day
Everything else NWS Tucson, AZ issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 16, 5:01 PM MST | Flash Flood Warning | TWC | Cochise | 3 hr |
| Jul 16, 5:12 PM MST | Flash Flood Warning | TWC | Santa Cruz | 3 hr |
| Jul 16, 5:23 PM MST | Flash Flood Warning | TWC | Pima | 3 hr |
| Jul 16, 5:33 PM MST | Flash Flood Warning | TWC | Graham | 3 hr |
| Jul 16, 5:33 PM MST | Flash Flood Warning | TWC | Pima | 3 hr |
| Jul 16, 6:31 PM MST | Dust Storm Advisory | TWC | Pinal | 74 min |
| Jul 16, 7:41 PM MST | Flash Flood Warning | TWC | Pima | 3 hr |
| Jul 16, 8:16 PM MST | Areal Flood Advisory | TWC | Pima | 4 hr |
| Jul 17, 8:53 AM MST | Areal Flood Advisory | TWC | Pima | 112 min |
| Jul 17, 1:51 PM MST | Flash Flood Warning | TWC | Pima | 2 hr |
| Jul 17, 2:57 PM MST | Flash Flood Warning | TWC | Cochise | 3 hr |
| Jul 17, 3:04 PM MST | Flash Flood Warning | TWC | Pima | 3 hr |
| Jul 17, 3:05 PM MST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TWC | Pima | 31 min |
| Jul 17, 4:54 PM MST | Areal Flood Advisory | TWC | Pinal | 66 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.