Arizona, 2003Damaging Wind in Arizona, September 2, 2003
September 2, 2003 · NWS PSR · 1 event in 1 county or zone
1 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.
Every event with a place to put it. 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
Open the live radar over this ground
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $200,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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 forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Phoenix, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 2, 3:00 PM MST, 4 hours 20 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Sep 2, 3:00 PM MST, 4 hours 20 minutes before
AZZ020>028-CAZ030>033-030545-
SOUTHWEST ARIZONA/SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
300 PM MST TUE SEP 2 2003
.SYNOPSIS...
A LIMITED AMOUNT OF MOISTURE WILL REMAIN OVER SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA
FOR A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING...WITH
THE BEST CHANCE FOR CONVECTION OVER SOUTHWEST ARIZONA AND SOUTHEAST
CALIFORNIA. BY WEDNESDAY...HIGH PRESSURE OVER NEW MEXICO AND
NORTHERN ARIZONA WILL MOVE WESTWARD TO JUST OFF THE SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA COAST FRIDAY. THE WEATHER PATTERN WILL REMAIN IN A LOW
GRADE MONSOON THROUGH THE WEEKEND...WITH DRYING AND COOLING EXPECTED
EARLY NEXT WEEK AS A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE MOVES THROUGH THE
WESTERN STATES.
.DISCUSSION...
A HEAT ADVISORY WILL CONTINUE FOR SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA DESERT ZONES
22...23...27...AND 28...MARICOPA COUNTY INCLUDING THE GREATER
PHOENIX AREA...AND NORTHWEST AND NORTH-CENTRAL PINAL COUNTY
WEDNESDAY.
KSPR 12Z SOUNDING THIS MORNING SHOWS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF DRYING
FROM THE SFC TO ABOUT 600 MB...WHILE PWATER IS DOWN TO JUST BELOW AN
INCH AND A HALF. FURTHERMORE...SFC DEW POINTS ACROSS SOUTHEAST
CA...SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA ARE DOWN 6 TO TO 12 DEG
FROM THIS TIME YESTERDAY. THUS...NOT A LOT OF ACTION EXPECTED OVER
THE SOUTH-CENTRAL DESERTS THIS EVENING. HOWEVER...THIS IS NOT THE
CASE FOR SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND FAR SOUTHWEST ARIZONA...WHERE AN
AREA OF WEAK UPPER LEVEL DIVERGENCE STRETCHES FROM THAT AREAS TO NE
AZ. CURRENT RADAR IMAGES THIS AFTERNOON SHOWS ISOLATED SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS OVER OUR WRN CWA...WITH THE MOST INTENSE STORMS OVER
JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK. ACTIVITY WILL LIKELY DIMINISH INTO THE
EVENING HOURS AS WE LOOSE THE DAYTIME HEATING.
BEYOND THIS EVENING...THERE ARE SOME DIFFERENCES IN THE THE WAY THE
MODELS HANDLE THE NEXT WEEK OR SO. THE GFS TAKES THE HIGH ALOFT THAT
HAS BEEN OVER NM/NRN AZ AND RETROGRADE IT BACK TOWARD THE GREAT
BASIN AND NORTHERN ARIZONA WED. MEANWHILE...A WEAK SHORTWAVE TROF
WILL ROTATE AROUND THE HIGH AND INTO THE CENTRAL ROCKIES. BY
THU...THE HIGH SHOULD BE OVER MUCH OF THE GREATER SOUTHWEST
STATES...AND THEN MOVE OFF THE SRN CA COAST FRI. THE GFS SHOWS
INCREASING WINDS ALOFT AROUND THE HIGH BEGINNING FRI...WITH A 300MB
50 KNOT WIND OVER NRN AZ SAT...WHICH SHOULD INCREASE THUNDERSTORM
ACTIVITY OVER NORTHERN ARIZONA THIS WEEKEND. BY EARLY NEXT WEEK..THE
GFS WANTS TO DRY THINGS OUT AND COOL THINGS OFF AS A WEST COAST TROF
MOVES ONSHORE. HOWEVER...THE EURO HAS A DIFFERENT SOLUTION. THE
ECMWF IS NOT QUITE AS STRONG WITH THE UPPER LEVEL HIGH OFF THE SRN
CA/BAJA COAST FOR THE LATTER PART OF THIS WEEK...AND IT SHOWS A
TROPICAL STORM DEVELOPING WELL SOUTH OF THE AREA AND MOVING
NORTHWARD TOWARD A LATITUDE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 20 AND 30 N BY SAT. IF
THIS SOLUTION PANS OUT...WE COULD SEE A RATHER SHARP INCREASE IN
MOISTURE JUST IN TIME FOR THE WESTERLY TROF TO MOVE THROUGH.
HOWEVER...FOR NOW...WE FEEL THE BEST BET IS TO CONTINUE THE FCST AS
IS...WITH A LOW GRADE MONSOON PATTERN OVER SOUTHEAST CA...SOUTHWEST
AND SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK.
AS FOR TEMPS...WILL LIKELY SEE 109/110 AGAIN WEDNESDAY...AND WILL
CONTINUE THE HEAT ADVISORY FOR AZ ZONES 22...23...27...AND 28. TEMPS
SHOULD BEGIN LOWERING THU...AND WILL CONTINUE TO DROP A DEG OR SO
EACH DAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND...WITH THE GREATEST DROP EARLY NEXT
WEEK AS THE TROUGH MOVES THROUGH AND 500 MB HEIGHTS DROP TO BELOW
CLIMATOLOGY.
.PSR...HEAT ADVISORY FOR SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA DESERT ZONES 23...
22...27...AND 28 MARICOPA COUNTY INCLUDING THE GREATER
PHOENIX AREA...AND NORTHWEST AND NORTH-CENTRAL PINAL COUNTY
TODAY AND WEDNESDAY.
FXUS65 KPSR 022202 CCB
AFDPSR
AZZ020>028-CAZ030>033-030545-
SOUTHWEST ARIZONA/SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
300 PM MST TUE SEP 2 2003
.SYNOPSIS...
A LIMITED AMOUNT OF MOISTURE WILL REMAIN OVER SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA
FOR A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING...WITH
THE BEST CHANCE FOR CONVECTION OVER SOUTHWEST ARIZONA AND SOUTHEAST
CALIFORNIA. BY WEDNESDAY...HIGH PRESSURE OVER NEW MEXICO AND
NORTHERN ARIZONA WILL MOVE WESTWARD TO JUST OFF THE SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA COAST FRIDAY. THE WEATHER PATTERN WILL REMAIN IN A LOW
GRADE MONSOON THROUGH THE WEEKEND...WITH DRYING AND COOLING EXPECTED
EARLY NEXT WEEK AS A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE MOVES THROUGH THE
WESTERN STATES.
.DISCUSSION...
A HEAT ADVISORY WILL CONTINUE FOR SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA DESERT ZONES
22...23...27...AND 28...MARICOPA COUNTY INCLUDING THE GREATER
PHOENIX AREA...AND NORTHWEST AND NORTH-CENTRAL PINAL COUNTY
WEDNESDAY.
KSPR 12Z SOUNDING THIS MORNING SHOWS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF DRYING
FROM THE SFC TO ABOUT 600 MB...WHILE PWATER IS DOWN TO JUST BELOW AN
INCH AND A HALF. FURTHERMORE...SFC DEW POINTS ACROSS SOUTHEAST
CA...SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA ARE DOWN 6 TO TO 12 DEG
FROM THIS TIME YESTERDAY. THUS...NOT A LOT OF ACTION EXPECTED OVER
THE SOUTH-CENTRAL DESERTS THIS EVENING. HOWEVER...THIS IS NOT THE
CASE FOR SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND FAR SOUTHWEST ARIZONA...WHERE AN
AREA OF WEAK UPPER LEVEL DIVERGENCE STRETCHES FROM THAT AREAS TO NE
AZ. CURRENT RADAR IMAGES THIS AFTERNOON SHOWS ISOLATED SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS OVER OUR WRN CWA...WITH THE MOST INTENSE STORMS OVER
JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK. ACTIVITY WILL LIKELY DIMINISH INTO THE
EVENING HOURS AS WE LOOSE THE DAYTIME HEATING.
BEYOND THIS EVENING...THERE ARE SOME DIFFERENCES IN THE THE WAY THE
MODELS HANDLE THE NEXT WEEK OR SO. THE GFS TAKES THE HIGH ALOFT THAT
HAS BEEN OVER NM/NRN AZ AND RETROGRADE IT BACK TOWARD THE GREAT
BASIN AND NORTHERN ARIZONA WED. MEANWHILE...A WEAK SHORTWAVE TROF
WILL ROTATE AROUND THE HIGH AND INTO THE CENTRAL ROCKIES. BY
THU...THE HIGH SHOULD BE OVER MUCH OF THE GREATER SOUTHWEST
STATES...AND THEN MOVE OFF THE SRN CA COAST FRI. THE GFS SHOWS
INCREASING WINDS ALOFT AROUND THE HIGH BEGINNING FRI...WITH A 300MB
50 KNOT WIND OVER NRN AZ SAT...WHICH SHOULD INCREASE THUNDERSTORM
ACTIVITY OVER NORTHERN ARIZONA THIS WEEKEND. BY EARLY NEXT WEEK..THE
GFS WANTS TO DRY THINGS OUT AND COOL THINGS OFF AS A WEST COAST TROF
MOVES ONSHORE. HOWEVER...THE EURO HAS A DIFFERENT SOLUTION. THE
ECMWF IS NOT QUITE AS STRONG WITH THE UPPER LEVEL HIGH OFF THE SRN
CA/BAJA COAST FOR THE LATTER PART OF THIS WEEK...AND IT SHOWS A
TROPICAL STORM DEVELOPING WELL SOUTH OF THE AREA AND MOVING
NORTHWARD TOWARD A LATITUDE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 20 AND 30 N BY SAT. IF
THIS SOLUTION PANS OUT...WE COULD SEE A RATHER SHARP INCREASE IN
MOISTURE JUST IN TIME FOR THE WESTERLY TROF TO MOVE THROUGH.
HOWEVER...FOR NOW...WE FEEL THE BEST BET IS TO CONTINUE THE FCST AS
IS...WITH A LOW GRADE MONSOON PATTERN OVER SOUTHEAST CA...SOUTHWEST
AND SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK.
AS FOR TEMPS...WILL LIKELY SEE 109/110 AGAIN WEDNESDAY...AND WILL
CONTINUE THE HEAT ADVISORY FOR AZ ZONES 22...23...27...AND 28. TEMPS
SHOULD BEGIN LOWERING THU...AND WILL CONTINUE TO DROP A DEG OR SO
EACH DAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND...WITH THE GREATEST DROP EARLY NEXT
WEEK AS THE TROUGH MOVES THROUGH AND 500 MB HEIGHTS DROP TO BELOW
CLIMATOLOGY.
.PSR...HEAT ADVISORY FOR SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA DESERT ZONES 23...
22...27...AND 28 MARICOPA COUNTY INCLUDING THE GREATER
PHOENIX AREA...AND NORTHWEST AND NORTH-CENTRAL PINAL
COUNTY WEDNESDAY.Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 2, 6:00 AM MST, 13 hours 20 minutes before
AZZ020>028-CAZ030>033-030100-
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
600 AM MST TUE SEP 2 2003
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWEST AND
SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA...AND SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA.
.DAY ONE...TODAY
THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY
THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW.
Thunderstorm Wind, La Paz
- When
- September 2, 7:20 PM MST to 7:30 PM MST
- Where
- La Paz County, Quartzsite
- Measured
- 70 kt (81 mph) estimated gust
- Property damage
- $200,000
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 33.650, -114.217
Extensive damage in town due to microburst winds. Power poles were knocked down and trailers were overturned. The Desert Gardens Mobile Home and Car Sales sustained the heaviest damage with several mobile homes destroyed.. Signs along I-10 were blown down, and Arizona highway 95 was closed for a short 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.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Flooding in West Virginia, September 2, 2003$300,000 · 6 events
- Lightning Strike in Florida, September 2, 2003$200,000 · 1 event
- Flash Flood in California, September 2, 2003$60,000 · 1 event
- Flash Flood and Hail in California, September 2, 2003$50,000 · 1.25 in hail · 2 events
- Flash Flooding in Arkansas, September 2, 20033 injured · 4 events
- Flood in Ohio, September 2, 2003$20,000 · 1 event
- Flash Flooding in Texas, September 2, 2003$15,000 · 3 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Virginia, September 2, 2003$1,000 · 1 in hail · 7 events
- Flooding in Ohio, September 2, 2003$10,000 · 5 events
- Flash Flooding in Arkansas, September 2, 20033 events
- Flash Flooding in Missouri, September 2, 20033 events
- Damaging Wind and Lightning Strikes in California, September 2 to 3, 2003$1,000 · 3 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: 5337981.