Arizona, 1997Tornado and Flash Flooding in Arizona, September 2 to 13, 1997
September 2 to 13, 1997 · NWS FGZ · 14 events in 3 counties and zones
5 hail, 3 flood, 2 flash flood, 2 lightning, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado, as filed by the National Weather Service.
Every event with a place to put it; 7 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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- Deaths
- 2
- Injuries
- 4
- Property damage
- $500
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 14
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.
Event by event
5 hail, 3 flood, 2 flash flood, 2 lightning, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Flash Flood, Coconino
- When
- September 2, 7:50 PM MST to 9:00 PM MST
- Where
- Coconino County, 5 mi N of Grand Canyon Arpt
- Coordinates
- 35.839, -111.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flash Flooding of Bright Angel Creek caused minor flooding in the Bright Angel Campground.
Hail, Coconino
- When
- September 4, 2:50 PM MST
- Where
- Coconino County, 1 mi E of Gray Mtn
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Coordinates
- 35.750, -111.450
Flood, Coconino
- When
- September 5, 3:41 PM MST to 4:15 PM MST
- Where
- Coconino County, 1 mi N of Winona
- Coordinates
- 35.839, -111.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Several thunderstorms with heavy rain caused flooding on several secondary roads and one lane of eastbound Interstate 40 through Winona was closed due to flooding for one hour.
Hail, Coconino
- When
- September 5, 5:10 PM MST
- Where
- Coconino County, 1 mi N of Parks
- Measured
- 0.9 in hail
- Coordinates
- 35.250, -111.950
Thunderstorm Wind, Yavapai
- When
- September 5, 6:05 PM MST
- Where
- Yavapai County, 3 mi S of Rimrock
- Measured
- 77 kt (89 mph)
- Coordinates
- 34.600, -111.730
Thunderstorm wind gust to 77 knots (88 mph).
Hail, Gila
- When
- September 8, 1:04 PM MST
- Where
- Gila County, Pine to 10 mi NE of Pine
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Coordinates
- 34.380, -111.270
Flash Flood, Coconino
- When
- September 11, 4:30 PM MST
- Where
- Coconino County, 5 mi NE of Grand Canyon Arpt
- Deaths
- 2 direct, 0 indirect
- Injuries
- 1 direct, 0 indirect
- Coordinates
- 35.839, -111.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A Flash Flood on Phantom Creek killed two people and injured a third person. Runoff from the heavy rain associated with a thunderstorm several miles north of the flash flood site caught the three people as they were crossing Phantom Creek. All three attempted to save themselves by crouching behind a large boulder, but chest-deep water carried them downstream. The bodies of the two who were killed were found several weeks later, miles downstream in the Colorado River. The survivor was carried one quarter mile down Phantom Creek then another quarter mile down Bright Angel Creek before he was able to escape and hike out of the canyon.
Lightning, Coconino
- When
- September 11, 4:30 PM MST
- Where
- Coconino County, 5 mi NW of Grand Canyon Arpt
- Injuries
- 2 direct, 0 indirect
- Coordinates
- 35.839, -111.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Two German visitors to Grand Canyon National Park were struck by lightning as they observed a thunderstorm from an isolated point overlooking the Grand Canyon. The adult male was seriously injured. The adult female received minor injuries.
Tornado, Coconino
- When
- September 12, 1:30 PM MST to 1:40 PM MST
- Where
- Coconino County, 5 mi NW of Meteor City
- Rating
- F0
- Path length
- 0.3 mi
- Path width
- 50 yd
- Coordinates
- 35.150, -111.020
National Weather Service employee witnessed a short-lived and weak tornado.
Hail, Yavapai
- When
- September 13, 5:25 AM MST
- Where
- Yavapai County, 4 mi N of Ashfork
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Coordinates
- 35.270, -112.480
Hail, Coconino
- When
- September 13, 10:20 AM MST
- Where
- Coconino County, Happy Jack to 1 mi NW of Happy Jack
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Coordinates
- 34.770, -111.400
Lightning, Gila
- When
- September 13, 10:40 AM MST
- Where
- Gila County, 15 mi E of Payson
- Injuries
- 1 direct, 0 indirect
- Coordinates
- 33.800, -110.812 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
One adult male was seriously injured when struck by lightning.
Flood, Gila
- When
- September 13, 11:45 AM MST to 1:00 PM MST
- Where
- Gila County, Payson
- Coordinates
- 33.800, -110.812 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The runoff from several thunderstorms with heavy rain caused flooding on several streets in Payson.
Flood, Coconino
- When
- September 13, 1:20 PM MST to 3:00 PM MST
- Where
- Coconino County, 10 mi SE of Leupp
- Property damage
- $500
- Coordinates
- 35.839, -111.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy rain caused several minor roads to flood and become impassible while ponding water near the Little Colorado River flooded one house. Water up to one foot deep entered the house, which suffered minor damage to the first floor.
- Flash Flood
- Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
- Flood
- Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.
- 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.
- Lightning
- A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
- Tornado
- A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Lightning Strike in Florida, September 2, 19971 death · 2 injured · 1 event
- Hail and Waterspout in Oregon, September 2 to 14, 1997$2.1 million · 1.5 in hail · 8 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, September 2, 19971 injured · $320,000 · 0.75 in hail · 5 events
- Flash Flooding in California, September 2, 1997$75,000 · 2 events
- Flooding in Florida, September 2, 1997$70,000 · 3 events
- Flash Flood and Hail in California, September 2, 1997$55,000 · 1 in hail · 5 events
- Damaging Wind and Lightning Strike in Texas, September 2, 1997$55,000 · 2 events
- Lightning Strike in Florida, September 2, 19972 injured · 1 event
- Damaging Wind in Oklahoma, September 2, 1997$20,000 · 52 kt wind · 1 event
- Lightning Strike in Alabama, September 2, 1997$15,000 · 1 event
- Flash Flooding in Nebraska, September 2, 19975 events
- Damaging Winds and High Wind in Indiana, September 2 to 29, 1997$4,000 · 4 events
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: 5620148, 5620149, 5620150, 5620151, 5620152, 5620219, 5620218, 5620221, 5620220, 5620226, 5620222, 5620223, 5620225, 5620224.