Alert archive / Arizona / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 49, NWS Tucson, AZ

July 15, 2026Graham County, Arizona

NWS Tucson, AZ issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 15, 2026, 3:40 PM MST for Graham County, Arizona. It was in force for 50 min. 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 15, 2026, 3:40 PM MST (22:40 UTC)
Expired
Jul 15, 2026, 4:30 PM MST
In force
50 min
Issued by
NWS Tucson, AZ
Area
Storm-based polygon
Hail
1.0 in
Wind
60.0 mph

County Graham County, AZ

The radar

The Tucson radar (KEMX), 145 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:42 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 severe thunderstorm 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 12:00Z, 10.7 hours before the alert went out and 229 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 2026-07-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 136 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 2026-07-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 45 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
136 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-201 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2281 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
16 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
45 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
65 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

887 
WUUS55 KTWC 152240
SVRTWC
AZC009-152330-
/O.NEW.KTWC.SV.W.0049.260715T2240Z-260715T2330Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
340 PM MST Wed Jul 15 2026

The National Weather Service in Tucson has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
  South Central Graham County in southeastern Arizona...

* Until 430 PM MST.

* At 340 PM MST, a severe thunderstorm was located 6 miles northeast
  of San Jose, moving southwest at 10 mph.

  HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and small hail.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated.

  IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees.

* Locations impacted include...
  Safford, Thatcher, Solomon, San Jose, Safford Regional Airport,
  Roper Lake State Park, Pima, Central and Swift Trail Junction.

This includes the following highways...
Route 191 between mile markers 112 and 136. Route 70 between mile
markers 332 and 351.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Seek shelter inside a well-built structure and stay away from
windows. This storm is capable of producing damaging winds.

Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 3299 10953 3286 10942 3265 10966 3287 10987
TIME...MOT...LOC 2240Z 61DEG 9KT 3289 10953

HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<1.00 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

KJS
2 follow-up statements
460 
WWUS55 KTWC 152303
SVSTWC

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
403 PM MST Wed Jul 15 2026

AZC009-152330-
/O.CON.KTWC.SV.W.0049.000000T0000Z-260715T2330Z/
Graham AZ-
403 PM MST Wed Jul 15 2026

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 430 PM MST FOR
SOUTH CENTRAL GRAHAM COUNTY...

At 403 PM MST, a severe thunderstorm was located near San Jose,
moving southwest at 10 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and small hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees.

Locations impacted include...
  Safford, Thatcher, Solomon, San Jose, Roper Lake State Park,
  Safford Regional Airport, Central and Swift Trail Junction.

This includes the following highways...
Route 191 between mile markers 112 and 132. Route 70 between mile
markers 333 and 351.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Seek shelter inside a well-built structure and stay away from
windows. This storm is capable of producing damaging winds.

Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 3290 10961 3279 10951 3265 10966 3287 10987
TIME...MOT...LOC 2240Z 61DEG 9KT 3289 10953

HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<1.00 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

JRM
255 
WWUS55 KTWC 152321
SVSTWC

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
421 PM MST Wed Jul 15 2026

AZC009-152331-
/O.EXP.KTWC.SV.W.0049.000000T0000Z-260715T2330Z/
Graham AZ-
421 PM MST Wed Jul 15 2026

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 430 PM MST FOR SOUTH
CENTRAL GRAHAM COUNTY...

The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe
limits, and no longer poses an immediate threat to life or property.
Therefore, the warning will be allowed to expire. However, gusty
winds are still possible with this thunderstorm.

&&

LAT...LON 3290 10961 3279 10951 3265 10966 3287 10987
TIME...MOT...LOC 2303Z 60DEG 9KT 3286 10959

$$

JRM

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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 severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jul 15, 3:00 PM MST, 40 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 15, 3:00 PM MST, 40 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
300 PM MST Wed Jul 15 2026

.SYNOPSIS...Scattered thunderstorms this evening with heavy rain
and strong gusty winds possible near any thunderstorm. More
widespread chances for showers and thunderstorms are forecast on
Thursday and potentially Friday with an increased risk of flash
flooding. High temperatures will be below normal for the next 7
days.

&&

.DISCUSSION...A very active monsoon pattern will continue for
the foreseeable future. Rather chaotic upper air pattern via
water vapor imagery which shows an upper low over srn Baja, an
upper low over cntrl TX, large expansive upper ridge that
extends from ern CONUS west to the interior west with a high
centered near Salt Lake City. And in the tropics, there is TS
Elida, which was located 570 miles SSW off the srn tip of Baja
per the latest NHC advisory.

We have NE flow over the area today between the upper high near
Salt Lake City and the cntrl TX upper low. Ample moisture is in
place for scattered showers and thunderstorms as they propagate
NE-SW. Main threats will be strong gusty outflow winds, some of
which may briefly be severe, localized heavy rain and flash
flooding.

Thursday: Flash flooding concerns will be heightened thanks to
additional moisture advection into the area with PWATs ranging
from 1.25" far east to over 2" west of Tucson and sufficient
dynamics over the area. Thunderstorms developing over the
mountains will propagate to the SW under NE flow aloft. Outflow
interactions will continue to develop strong wet microbursts
from Tucson west late Thursday afternoon into Thursday night.
Localized rainfall rates up to 2"/hr are possible with some of
the very wet storms leading to flash flooding. From WPC,
HREF/REFS guidance had low end chances, (10-30%), of rainfall
totals exceeding 5", especially west of Tucson. With that said,
and in coordination with WPC, added a rare Moderate Risk (MDT,
at least 40%) in the Excessive Rainfall Outlook (ERO) for
excessive rainfall within 25 miles of a point, for SW Cochise
county, all of Santa Cruz county, ern Pima county (mainly S of
Tucson at this time) and central Pima county. A Flash Flood
watch was issued for most of the area Thursday afternoon into
early Friday morning. We may see some interesting average
recurrence intervals (ARI) on Thursday. Of note: the last time
SE AZ had an area MDT ERO was on Sept 21, 2022.

Friday has the potential to be another active day but confidence
is low due to what happens on Thursday. Could end up with an MCV
moving thru which will diminish chances.

Wet monsoon pattern continues this weekend into the first half
of next week with daily chance of showers and thunderstorms.

High temperatures will run below normal for the next 7 days.

&&

.AVIATION...Valid through 17/00Z.
Widely SCTD -SHRA/-TS thru 16/04z then SCTD -SHRA/TS aft 16/19z.
Ceilings mostly 9k-12k ft. Hvy rain, mtn OBSCN and erratic
strong wind gusts of 35-45 kts psbl with any TS. Outside of TS,
SFC winds generally under 10 kts. 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. More widespread chances for showers and
thunderstorms are likely Thursday and potentially Friday.
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...The heavy rains on Thursday may lead to some
significant rises in washes, creeks and rivers, especially from
western Cochise county west into central Pima county.

&&

.TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
 Flood Watch from Thursday afternoon through late Thursday
  night for AZZ502>506-514-515.
 Flood Watch from Thursday afternoon through Thursday evening
  for AZZ507>509-511>513.

&&

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.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 14, 5:35 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTWCCochise, Graham40 min
Jul 14, 5:54 PM MSTAreal Flood AdvisoryTWCCochise, Graham2 hr
Jul 14, 6:09 PM MSTDust Storm AdvisoryTWCCochise81 min
Jul 15, 10:44 AM MSTFlood WatchTWCCochise, Graham, Greenlee, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz34 hr
Jul 15, 12:29 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTWCSanta Cruz46 min
Jul 15, 1:03 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTWCSanta Cruz42 min
Jul 15, 1:26 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCSanta Cruz3 hr
Jul 15, 4:49 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCPinal3 hr

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Arizona, 2026Every severe thunderstorm 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.