Arizona, 1997

High Wind in Arizona, April 9, 1997

April 9, 1997 · NWS FGZ · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

Very strong southwest winds were reported in east central Arizona. St.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS FGZ wrote it up.

Very strong southwest winds were reported in east central Arizona. St. Johns airport reported a 90 mph gust at 1215 PM. Show Low airport reported a 78 mph gust also at 1215 PM. Similiarly Winslow airport reported a 62 mph gust that same afternoon.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Little Colorado River Valley in Apache County

When
April 9, 11:00 AM MST to 7:00 PM MST
Where
Little Colorado River Valley in Apache County forecast zone
Measured
78 kt (90 mph)
Coordinates
35.396, -109.489 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, White Mountains

When
April 9, 12:00 PM MST to 6:00 PM MST
Where
White Mountains forecast zone
Measured
67 kt (77 mph)
Coordinates
35.398, -109.905 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Little Colorado River Valley in Navajo County

When
April 9, 12:00 PM MST to 5:00 PM MST
Where
Little Colorado River Valley in Navajo County forecast zone
Measured
53 kt (61 mph)
Coordinates
35.400, -110.321 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Arizona in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, April 1997

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5591721, 5591722, 5591723.