Alert archive / Arizona / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 79, NWS Tucson, AZ

July 29, 2026Cochise County, Arizona

NWS Tucson, AZ issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 29, 2026, 4:17 PM MST for Cochise County, Arizona. It was in force for 43 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 29, 2026, 4:17 PM MST (23:17 UTC)
Expired
Jul 29, 2026, 5:00 PM MST
In force
43 min
Issued by
NWS Tucson, AZ
Area
Storm-based polygon
Hail
1.0 in
Wind
60.0 mph

County Cochise County, AZ

The radar

The Tucson radar (KEMX), 124 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:21 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, 11.3 hours before the alert went out and 322 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 2026-07-29Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 94 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 2026-07-29The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 54 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
94 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-294 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2232 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
27 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
54 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
106 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

927 
WUUS55 KTWC 292317
SVRTWC
AZC003-300000-
/O.NEW.KTWC.SV.W.0079.260729T2317Z-260730T0000Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
417 PM MST Wed Jul 29 2026

The National Weather Service in Tucson has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
  Southeastern Cochise County in southeastern Arizona...

* Until 500 PM MST.

* At 417 PM MST, a severe thunderstorm was located 13 miles northeast
  of Douglas, moving north at 5 mph.

  HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated.

  IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to
           roofs, siding, and trees.

* Locations impacted include...
  Mainly rural areas of Southeastern Cochise County.

This includes Route 80 between mile markers 376 and 388.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

LAT...LON 3145 10933 3144 10947 3165 10952 3162 10930
TIME...MOT...LOC 2317Z 177DEG 5KT 3150 10940

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

$$

CWR
1 follow-up statement
015 
WWUS55 KTWC 292354
SVSTWC

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
454 PM MST Wed Jul 29 2026

AZC003-300004-
/O.EXP.KTWC.SV.W.0079.000000T0000Z-260730T0000Z/
Cochise AZ-
454 PM MST Wed Jul 29 2026

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 5 PM MST FOR
SOUTHEASTERN COCHISE 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.

&&

LAT...LON 3145 10933 3144 10947 3165 10952 3162 10930
TIME...MOT...LOC 2317Z 177DEG 5KT 3150 10940

$$

CWR

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 29, 12:36 PM MST, 3 hours 41 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 29, 12:36 PM MST, 3 hours 41 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
1236 PM MST Wed Jul 29 2026

.SYNOPSIS...
Expect daily afternoon and evening showers and
thunderstorms through the weekend with day to day variability
in coverage and strength. High temperatures will warm to 7-12
degrees above normal Thursday into the weekend with an Extreme
Heat Warning through Sunday.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
GOES sounder profile and SPC mesoanalysis shows the atmosphere
eroding the last remaining CIN values across the area. There
has been ample sunshine to continue eroding CIN and there are a
few towering cumulus clouds forming over the eastern Sky
Islands. All indications for an active afternoon for areas south
and east of Tucson. These areas have the best ingredients to
support thunderstorms due to shear values of 10-20 kts and CAPE
greater than 1500 j/kg. A few storms will reach Tucson metro to
bring gusty winds and light to moderate rain showers. 12Z HREF
model has 70% chances for wind gusts greater than 35 mph in
Cochise County and into eastern Santa Cruz County this
afternoon. There can be a few storms capable producing a severe
level wind in the afternoon. Storm's will be capable producing
up to 0.75-1 inch total with Santa Cruz County having at least
50% of receiving an inch or more through the late evening.
There will be a risk for flash flooding along the International
Border between Nogales and Naco.

The ridge of high pressure will start to build west starting
tomorrow. Temperatures will be increasing 10-15 degrees above
seasonal normals. This will push the region into Major and
Extreme HeatRisk tomorrow through Sunday. The hottest days will
be Friday and Saturday with temperatures reaching up to 113F.
Tucson has 112F on Saturday. Extreme Heat Warning is in effect
Thursday through Sunday evening.

Thunderstorm chances will be generally low tomorrow and Friday
due the lack of upper level support. There will be plenty of
instability to get vertical growth. The best areas for any
thunderstorm growth will be south and east of Tucson. Chances
will increase for Saturday and Sunday.

Next week, right after this heat, the upper level flow will
return from the east to southeast with the high pressure center
close to the Four Corners. This set up will provide better daily
chances for thunderstorms and rain showers.

&&

.AVIATION...valid through 31/00Z.
SCT clouds AOA 15k ft AGL this morning becoming SCT-BKN 8k-12k
ft AGL this afternoon and evening south and east of KTUS.
Isolated to scattered TSRA will be possible 29/20Z-30/03Z with
KOLS and KDUG terminals having the best chances to be impacted
by TSRA. KTUS has a 10 percent chance for TSRA. Near
thunderstorms wind gusts 30-40 kts will be possible. Surface
winds NWLY 6-10 kts with occasional gusts this afternoon and
evening and again after 30/18Z. In the overnight hours, winds
will be less than 10 kts and variable. Aviation discussion not
updated for TAF amendments.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
High temperatures will remain well above normal
this week with an Extreme Heat Warning in place Thursday
through Saturday. Expect daily chances of afternoon and evening
showers and thunderstorms mainly south and east of Tucson
through the weekend with some day to day variability in
coverage. Early next week storm coverage and chances are
expected to increase. Any thunderstorm will bring a threat of
severe, erratic wind gusts as well as brief heavy rainfall and
an isolated threat of flash flooding. Min RH values will
be 10-20 percent tomorrow into the weekend. Winds will be
terrain driven 5 to 10 mph.

&&

.TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Extreme Heat Warning from 10 AM Thursday to 8 PM MST Sunday
for AZZ501>509.

&&

Visit us on Facebook, X, YouTube, and at weather.gov/Tucson

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 29, 3:05 PM MST, 1 hour 12 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
305 PM MST Wed Jul 29 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0221 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     2 SE Sunsites           31.91N 109.82W
07/29/2026                   Cochise            AZ   Local Official

            Three power poles down on US 191 at mile
            marker 46. Time estimated by radar.

&&

AJE

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 29, 1:31 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCCochise3 hr
Jul 29, 2:11 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTWCCochise36 min
Jul 29, 3:17 PM MSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTWCCochise28 min
Jul 29, 4:27 PM MSTFlash Flood WarningTWCCochise3 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.