Severe storms developed near Coolidge and caused strong winds and heavy rains.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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 episode as NWS PSR wrote it up.
Severe storms developed near Coolidge and caused strong winds and heavy rains.
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 Aug 15, 10:00 PM MST, 39 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ 1000 PM MST FRI AUG 15 2008 SOUTH-CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ARIZONA...AND SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA FORECAST DISCUSSION .SYNOPSIS... AN USUALLY STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM FOR MID-SUMMER WILL MOVE SOUTH FROM WYOMING TOWARD COLORADO THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. THIS SYSTEM... COMBINED WITH SUFFICIENT MOISTURE ACROSS THE AREA...WILL HELP ISOLATED STORMS TO DEVELOP OVER EAST AND SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA OVER THE WEEKEND. THESE WILL BE MAINLY IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS AND MOST NUMEROUS OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN EAST AND NORTH OF THE PHOENIX METROPOLITAN AREA. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN NEAR OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE SEASONAL NORMALS THROUGH THE WEEKEND...WITH A SLIGHT RISE MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...AS DRIER AIR MOVES BACK INTO THE REGION. && .DISCUSSION... SATELLITE PIX INDICATE SOME TYPE OF A MID-LEVEL CONVERGENCE ZONE JUST ABOUT BISECTING THE STATE FROM THE WHITE MTNS WEST TO NEAR KBLH. ALONG THIS ZONE...ISOLD SHWRS/TSTMS HAVE BEEN FORMING OVER THE FAR NRN PART OF PSR CWA...SOME OF WHICH HAVE GIVEN LOCALLY HVY RAINFALL. THIS BOUNDARY APPEARS TO BE NUDGING SWD AS THE EVENING PROGRESSES. AND...WITH MARGINALLY MOIST/UNSTBL AMS IN PLACE ACROSS MUCH OF SCNTRL AZ...CANNOT RULE OUT DEVELOPMENT JUST ABOUT ANY TIME TONIGHT...EVEN AFTER MIDN. HAVE THEREFORE ADJUSTED POP GRIDS FROM 06Z-12Z FOR SLIGHT CHANCE MUCH OF AZ PORTION OF CWA. MEANWHILE...AT THE SYNOPTIC SCALE...LARGE AND VERY UNUSUAL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM CONTINUING TO TAKE SHAPE OVER COLORADO...WHICH HAS ACTUALLY PRODUCED SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW IN THE HIGHEST ELEVATIONS OF THE CENTRAL ROCKIES. WHAT DOES THIS SYSTEM MEAN FOR AZ? LATEST MODELS WOULD INDICATE NOT MUCH. IN FACT...APPEARS UPPER LEVEL CONVERGENCE WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE REGION...WHICH WOULD TEND TO PUT A LID ON TSTMS. HOWEVER...WHAT WITH ALL THE MOISTURE STILL LINGERING AROUND THE REGION...WE CANNOT RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF WEEKEND TSTMS...WITH THE BEST CHANCES TO THE E OF GREATER PHX AREA. TEMPS WILL HOLD NEAR SEASONAL NORMALS DURING THE WEEKEND. AFTER ALREADY MAKING SOME FIRST PERIOD TWEAKS TO THE FORECASTS...NOT EXPECTING ANY FURTHER CHANGES. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... THIS MORNINGS SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWED A BAND OF MID AND HIGH CLOUDINESS ACROSS THE NORTHEAST HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA. THIS BAND GRADUALLY MOVED NORTH AND ERODED AWAY FROM THE SOUTH. APPEARS THE CLOUDS PLACED JUST ENOUGH OF A CAP ON SURFACE HEATING TO KEEP ACTIVITY FROM FIRING OFF THIS AFTERNOON. CURRENT SATELLITE SHOWS SOME STORMS TO OUR NORTHEAST OVER THE HIGHER MOUNTAINS...THOUGH ONLY CUMULUS CLOUDS BUILDING AROUND MOST OF THE REGION. THIS MORNINGS SOUNDING FOR KPSR SHOWED HIGH PWAT...1.64 INCHES...THOUGH MOST OF THE MOISTURE WAS IN THE MID LEVELS. SOUNDING ALSO SHOWED OVER 2000 J/KG OF CAPE ABOVE LFC...THOUGH THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE WARMING...4 TO 5 DEGREES AT 700 MB. THIS MAY BE PROVIDING ENOUGH OF A CAP TO KEEP CU FROM TAPPING INTO MID LEVEL MOISTURE. ALL MODEL GUIDANCE SHOWED ABOVE CLIMO POPS FOR EASTERN FORECAST AREA THIS EVENING...WITH FWC CARRYING A 30 FOR PHOENIX. ENDED UP GOING WITH VALUES LOWER...BUT ABOVE CLIMATOLOGY. THIS LOOKS OVER DONE NOW...AND UNFORTUNATELY MAY REQUIRE AN EARLY UPDATE BY THE EVENING CREW. NOT TO SAY THAT STORMS WILL NOT MOVE INTO THE AREA OFF THE HIGHER TERRAIN TO THE NORTH AND EAST...THOUGH THIS LOOKS LESS LIKELY THAN ORIGINALLY THOUGHT. SOME CU IS FORMING ALONG A CONVERGENCE BOUNDARY TO OUR NORTH. THIS MAY BE A GRADIENT ALONG THE OLD CLOUD BOUNDARY THAT MOVED THROUGH THIS MORNING. THE LINE OF CU ARE MOVING SLOWLY SOUTH...AND MAY BE THE FOCUS OF AN ISOLATED STORM OR TWO. FLAGSTAFF AND LAS VEGAS OFFICES WERE CARRYING HIGHER POPS TO OUR NORTH...SO INCREASED MY POPS ALONG OUR ADJACENT BORDER. THIS WAS PROBABLY A GOOD MOVE...AS ANY ACTIVITY THAT DOES DEVELOP WILL LIKELY BE IN NORTHERN LA PAZ COUNTY. 12 UTC GFS SHOWS DEEP UPPER LEVEL LOW SLIDING DOWN THE EASTER FLANK OF THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE...WITH THE CENTER DEPICTED OVER WYOMING AT 18 UTC. THIS FEATURE IS EXTREMELY ANOMALOUS FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. THE LOW IS FORECAST TO DROP SOUTH INTO COLORADO SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY...BEFORE KICKING OUT TO THE SOUTHEAST SUNDAY EVENING INTO MONDAY MORNING. AS THE LOW MOVES BY US TO THE NORTHEAST...WE COULD SEE AN INCREASING THREAT OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. THIS WILL PRIMARILY AFFECT ZONE 24...THOUGH A HIGHER THAN NORMAL CHANCE WILL ALSO EXIST FOR THE LOWER DESERTS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENINGS. THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE BEGINS TO REORIENT ITSELF OVER THE SOUTHWEST BY TUESDAY. THIS SHOULD BRING A DRIER PATTERN BACK TO THE REGION BY EARLY NEXT WEEK. GFS 5H HEIGHTS AND 85H TEMPERATURES SHOW A GRADUAL INCREASE THROUGH THE AT LEAST WEDNESDAY...SO EXPECT TEMPERATURES WILL SHOW A GRADUAL INCREASE THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. && .AVIATION... SOME OUTFLOW BOUNDARY INTERACTION...ALONG WITH THE PRESENCE OF A MID- LEVEL CONVERGENCE ZONE...WAS GIVING WAY TO ISOLD EVENING CONVECTION IN AND AROUND THE GREATER PHX AREA. CANNOT RULE OUT AN ISOLD STORM INVOF KIWA/KPHX TIL AFT MIDNIGHT...WILL INCLUE THIS IN TAFS TIL ABOUT 08Z. OTHERWISE...APPEARS LIKE ACTIVITY WILL BE FURTHER E ON SATURDAY AND LESS OF A FACTOR FOR BOTH AIRFIELDS. EXPECTING WINDS TO BECOME MOSTLY NEAR NOCTURNAL NORMS LATE TONIGHT...THEN BECOME WLY BY SAT AFTERNOON...GENLY LESS THAN 12KTS. EXPECTING GENERALLY VRBL AMTS OF MID AND UPPER LEVEL CLOUDINESS AT WRN TAF SITES TONIGHT AND SAT WITH GENERALLY SLY TO SELY SURFACE WINDS LESS THAN 15 KTS. AVIATION DISCUSSION NOT UPDATED FOR AMENDED TAFS. && .FIRE WEATHER... ANTICIPATE TREND FOR LOWER HUMIDITIES AFTER THE WEEKEND AS ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE DECREASES AND TEMPERATURES WARM SLIGHTLY. ACCORDINGLY...STORM CHANCES WILL DECREASE AS WELL. && .PSR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AZ...NONE. CA...NONE. && NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX IS ON THE INTERNET AT WEATHER.GOV/PHOENIX DISCUSSION...ESTLE/MCLANE AVIATION...ESTLE FIRE WEATHER...AJ
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ 555 AM MST FRI AUG 15 2008 AZZ022-023-027-028-161300- NORTHWEST MARICOPA COUNTY-GREATER PHOENIX AREA- SOUTHWEST MARICOPA COUNTY-NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL PINAL COUNTY- 555 AM MST FRI AUG 15 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. HAZARDS INCLUDE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...STRONG GUSTY WINDS WITH REDUCED VISIBILITY IN BLOWING DUST...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WITH RUNNING WASHES AND PONDING OF WATER IN LOW SPOTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS WEEKEND. HAZARDS INCLUDE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...STRONG GUSTY WINDS WITH REDUCED VISIBILITY IN BLOWING DUST...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WITH RUNNING WASHES AND PONDING OF WATER IN LOW SPOTS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX IS ON THE INTERNET AT WEATHER.GOV/PHOENIX AZZ024-161300- SOUTHERN GILA COUNTY/TONTO NATIONAL FOREST FOOTHILLS- 555 AM MST FRI AUG 15 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST-CENTRAL ARIZONA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. HAZARDS INCLUDE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WITH RUNNING WASHES AND PONDING OF WATER IN LOW SPOTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THERE IS A CHANCE OF AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS WEEKEND...AND A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EACH AFTERNOON AND EVENING DURING THE EARLY AND MIDDLE PARTS OF NEXT WEEK. HAZARDS INCLUDE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WITH RUNNING WASHES AND PONDING OF WATER IN LOW SPOTS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX IS ON THE INTERNET AT WEATHER.GOV/PHOENIX AZZ021-026-161300- WEST CENTRAL DESERTS-SOUTHWEST DESERTS- 555 AM MST FRI AUG 15 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST ARIZONA AND WEST-CENTRAL ARIZONA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. HAZARDS INCLUDE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...STRONG GUSTY WINDS WITH REDUCED VISIBILITY IN BLOWING DUST...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WITH RUNNING WASHES AND PONDING OF WATER IN LOW SPOTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS WEEKEND. HAZARDS INCLUDE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING... STRONG GUSTY WINDS WITH REDUCED VISIBILITY IN BLOWING DUST...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WITH RUNNING WASHES AND PONDING OF WATER IN LOW SPOTS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX IS ON THE INTERNET AT WEATHER.GOV/PHOENIX AZZ020-025-CAZ031>033-161300- LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY AZ-YUMA/MARTINEZ LAKE AND VICINITY- LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY CA-RIVERSIDE COUNTY/EASTERN DESERTS- IMPERIAL COUNTY- 555 AM MST FRI AUG 15 2008 /555 AM PDT FRI AUG 15 2008/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EXTREME SOUTHWEST ARIZONA...EXTREME WEST-CENTRAL ARIZONA AND EXTREME SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. HAZARDS INCLUDE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...STRONG GUSTY WINDS WITH REDUCED VISIBILITY IN BLOWING DUST...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WITH RUNNING WASHES AND PONDING OF WATER IN LOW SPOTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NO WEATHER HAZARDS ARE EXPECTED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX IS ON THE INTERNET AT WEATHER.GOV/PHOENIX CAZ030-161300- JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK- 555 AM PDT FRI AUG 15 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. HAZARDS INCLUDE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WITH RUNNING WASHES AND PONDING OF WATER IN LOW SPOTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NO WEATHER HAZARDS ARE EXPECTED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX IS ON THE INTERNET AT WEATHER.GOV/PHOENIX ELLIS
The Phoenix radar (KIWA), 42 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:39 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Five power poles blown down at Randolph and Eleven Mile Corner roads. A police car was damaged by a dumpster that was blown around by the wind. Trees were uprooted in Coolidge.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arizona in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, August 2008
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: 123236.