Funnel Cloud, Maricopa
- When
- August 26, 7:55 AM MST
- Where
- Maricopa County, Mesa
- Coordinates
- 33.349, -112.491 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Funnel cloud spotted south-southwest of the Superstition Freeway near Dobson Road.
Damaging Winds in Arizona, August 26, 1997
3 thunderstorm wind, 2 funnel cloud, as filed by the National Weather Service.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 5
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.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
3 thunderstorm wind, 2 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.
Funnel Cloud, Maricopa
- When
- August 26, 8:05 AM MST
- Where
- Maricopa County, Tempe
- Coordinates
- 33.349, -112.491 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A rain-wrapped funnel cloud was sighted about 5 to 7 miles south of the intersection of Hardy Drive at University Drive.
Thunderstorm Wind, Maricopa
- When
- August 26, 8:30 AM MST
- Where
- Maricopa County, Scottsdale
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph)
- Coordinates
- 33.480, -111.900
In the area of Pima Road at McDonald Drive, reports of chaparral trees and fences down, roofs blown off, and plate glass windows blown out.
Thunderstorm Wind, Maricopa
- When
- August 26, 8:30 AM MST
- Where
- Maricopa County, Scottsdale
- Measured
- 53 kt (61 mph)
- Coordinates
- 33.480, -111.900
Wind gust recorded at Scottsdale Community College.
Thunderstorm Wind, Maricopa
- When
- August 26, 9:30 AM MST
- Where
- Maricopa County, Phoenix
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Coordinates
- 33.480, -112.070
Between 48th Street and 52nd Street near Baseline Road, trees were blown down; at the South Pointe Resort, strong winds twisted metal beams and blew a roof partially off.
What these are
- Funnel Cloud
- A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.
- Thunderstorm Wind
- Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Tornado and High Wind in Washington, August 26, 1997
- High Wind in Washington, August 26, 1997
- Damaging Wind in Washington, August 26, 1997
- Lightning Strike in Arizona, August 26, 1997
- Hail in South Dakota, August 26, 1997
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Colorado, August 26, 1997
- Flash Flood and Damaging Wind in Arizona, August 26, 1997
- Hail in Colorado, August 26, 1997
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Colorado, August 26, 1997
- Damaging Wind in Kentucky, August 26, 1997
- Hail in New York, August 26, 1997
- Hail in Colorado, August 26, 1997
More
Every storm in Arizona in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, August 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: 5624961, 5624962, 5624963, 5624964, 5624960.