Alert archive / Arizona / Flash Flood Warnings in 2026

Flash Flood Warning 80, NWS Tucson, AZ

July 24, 2026Cochise County, Santa Cruz County, Arizona

NWS Tucson, AZ issued this flash flood warning at Jul 24, 2026, 8:43 PM MST for Cochise County, Santa Cruz 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
Jul 24, 2026, 8:43 PM MST (03:43 UTC)
Expired
Jul 24, 2026, 11:45 PM MST
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Tucson, AZ
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Cochise County, AZ, Santa Cruz County, AZ

The radar

The Tucson radar (KEMX), 32 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 03:44 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 nearest sounding before it

Phoenix, AZ (KPSR), launched 00:00Z, 3.7 hours before the alert went out and 244 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 00:00Z on 2026-07-25Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 115 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 00:00Z on 2026-07-25The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 16 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
115 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-134 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
3572 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
19 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
16 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
33 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

210 
WGUS55 KTWC 250343
FFWTWC
AZC003-023-250645-
/O.NEW.KTWC.FF.W.0080.260725T0343Z-260725T0645Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
843 PM MST Fri Jul 24 2026

The National Weather Service in Tucson has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Southwestern Cochise County in southeastern Arizona...
  Northeastern Santa Cruz County in southeastern Arizona...

* Until 1145 PM MST.

* At 843 PM MST, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing
  heavy rain near Whetstone. Between 1.4 and 1.9 inches of rain have
  fallen. 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...
  Whetstone and Huachuca City.

This includes the following highways...
Route 90 between mile markers 309 and 312. Route 82 between mile
markers 45 and 52.

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.

&&

LAT...LON 3166 11047 3169 11048 3172 11047 3173 11043
      3170 11038 3168 11027 3166 11027 3163 11035

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED

$$

DVS
1 follow-up statement
811 
WGUS75 KTWC 250444
FFSTWC

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
944 PM MST Fri Jul 24 2026

AZC003-023-250645-
/O.CON.KTWC.FF.W.0080.000000T0000Z-260725T0645Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Cochise AZ-Santa Cruz AZ-
944 PM MST Fri Jul 24 2026

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1145 PM MST THIS
EVENING FOR SOUTHWESTERN COCHISE AND NORTHEASTERN SANTA CRUZ
COUNTIES...

At 944 PM MST, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy
rain near Whetstone. Between 1.4 and 1.9 inches of rain have fallen.
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...
  Whetstone and Huachuca City.

This includes the following highways...
Route 90 between mile markers 309 and 312. Route 82 between mile
markers 45 and 52.

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.

&&

LAT...LON 3166 11047 3169 11048 3172 11047 3173 11043
      3170 11038 3168 11027 3166 11027 3163 11035

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED

$$

DVS

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 24, 1:20 PM MST, 7 hours 23 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 24, 1:20 PM MST, 7 hours 23 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
120 PM MST Fri Jul 24 2026

.SYNOPSIS...

Isolated thunderstorms through this evening will bring a slight
chance of a severe wind gust threat. High temperatures will be 8
to 12 degrees above normal through Saturday, with an Extreme
Heat Warning in effect through early Saturday evening.
Increasing coverage of thunderstorms is expected Saturday going
forward into next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

The upper level ridge sits just to the east centered over
southern New Mexico today, a location that has a limiting
influence on thunderstorm coverage for southeastern Arizona.
While the synoptic setup isn't ideal for monsoon activity, there
remains adequate lower level moisture characterized by 55-60
degree surface dew points and intense surface heating,
increasing MLCAPE values to 500-1000 J/kg. To add another
ingredient to the mix, wind speeds in the mid-levels are notable
for this setup and will produce around 20-25 kts of effective
shear. The combination of these factors will provide a severe
wind threat with any thunderstorm that sustains itself today,
though the coverage is again less certain and likely more
isolated given the nearby ridge. 12Z ensemble guidance
highlights the somewhat more likely risk of a severe wind gust
in areas south and west of Tucson, mainly from a Tucson-Nogales
line west to Sells. But any location will have a small but non-
zero risk.

The upper ridge will lift north slightly and become more
centered over the Four Corners on Saturday, putting southeastern
Arizona in a more favorable location for more widespread
thunderstorm activity. Moisture will be on the rise with
precipitable water values increasing to 1.2-1.6 inches and mid-
level flow will remain around 15-20 kts, providing an
instability/shear parameter space for a severe wind gust threat.
Thunderstorms should initially form over the Sky Islands and
White Mountains during the first half of the afternoon,
increasing in coverage and moving into the lower desert
locations in the late afternoon and the evening from central
Pima eastward. Westward expansion will depend on outflow
collisions but adequate low level moisture and mid-level support
exist that convection should move into western Pima in the late
evening, though likely with less severity with the loss of
daytime heating. Blowing dust and flooding will also be threats
with any thunderstorm, though the flash flooding threat will be
on the lower side as storm movement should preclude widespread
problematic rainfall totals.

Above normal high temperatures remain a hazard today and
Saturday with highs 8 to 12 degrees above normal. Additionally,
morning lows will be quite warm, especially from Tucson west
where Saturday morning lows will remain above 82 degrees. An
Extreme Heat Warning remains in effect until Saturday evening.

The upper level high remains in a similar location Sunday
through at least the first half of next week, providing daily
chances for thunderstorm activity. Temperatures by Monday should
fall back to around normal, though an increase is possible by
the end of the work week as the upper high center moves more
over Arizona.

&&

.AVIATION...Valid through 25/00Z.

FEW-SCT clouds with 8k-12k ft ceilings this afternoon and
evening with isolated TSRA, especially north of KSAD and near,
south, and west of KTUS-KOLS. Any thunderstorm may produce
strong and erratic wind gusts, with a slight chance of a severe
wind gust. Otherwise surface winds northwest 5-10 kts, becoming
light and terrain driven after 25/03Z. Thunderstorm chances
return and become more widespread across southeastern Arizona
Saturday afternoon and evening. Aviation discussion not updated for TAF
amendments.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...

Strong high pressure aloft will bring high temperatures up to 8
to 12 degrees above normal through Saturday. Isolated
thunderstorm activity will linger this evening, then more
widespread chances are expected Saturday afternoon and evening.
Thunderstorms should form over the Sky Islands and White
Mountains in the first half of the afternoon, spreading into
desert locations westward through central Pima county in the
late afternoon and early evening, moving into western Pima in
the late evening. Any thunderstorm will bring a threat of
severe, erratic wind gusts as well as brief heavy rainfall and
an isolated threat of flash flooding. Deeper moisture will move
into the region this weekend and continue daily thunderstorm
chances into much of next week. Minimum relative humidity values
will increase from 15-20 percent in desert location and 30-40
percent in the mountains on Saturday to above 20-40 percent
Sunday through mid-week next week. Winds this weekend will
mainly be light and under 12 mph outside of thunderstorms.

&&

.TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Extreme Heat Warning until 8 PM MST Saturday for AZZ501>509.

&&

DISCUSSION...Edwards
AVIATION...Edwards
FIRE WEATHER...Edwards

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The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 24, 5:34 PM MSTDust Storm AdvisoryTWCCochise56 min
Jul 24, 6:35 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTWCPima17 min
Jul 24, 6:45 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCCochise4 hr
Jul 24, 6:49 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCPima3 hr
Jul 24, 8:10 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTWCCochise, Pima, Santa Cruz36 min
Jul 25, 4:58 PM MSTDust Storm AdvisoryTWCPinal59 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.