Severe thunderstorms rolled across portions of Graham and Eastern Pima Counties producing wind damage and large hail.
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 TWC wrote it up.
Severe thunderstorms rolled across portions of Graham and Eastern Pima Counties producing wind damage and large hail.
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 Tucson, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 28, 2:13 PM MST, 3 hours 47 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ 213 PM MST THU AUG 28 2008 .SYNOPSIS...AN ACTIVE MONSOON PATTERN WILL PERSIST INTO THE LABOR DAY WEEKEND. AN UPPER LEVEL LOW IS BEGINNING TO DEVELOP OVER SONORA WHICH WILL HELP FOCUS THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. BY SUNDAY...A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS THE GREAT BASIN AND FURTHER ENHANCE THE RISK OF THUNDERSTORMS. AS THIS SYSTEM MOVES EAST BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK...DRIER AIR ALOFT WILL SPREAD INTO THE REGION AND PUSH MUCH OF THE MONSOON MOISTURE SOUTH OF THE AREA. && .DISCUSSION...AS WE EXPECTED EARLIER...TSTM EVOLUTION HAS BEEN VERY COMPLICATED TODAY...AND WILL REMAIN SO TONIGHT INTO FRI NIGHT. IN THE VERY SHORT TERM...TSTMS ARE CLEARLY MOVING FASTER TODAY...AND WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ORGANIZE...THEY HAVE FORMED INTO BRIEF LINES...TRAINED...AND/OR APPROACHED SEVERE LIMITS. HELPING THINGS ALONG...AN UPPER LEVEL SHEAR AXIS IS DRAPED ALONG THE INTERNATIONAL BORDER...WHICH ALL MODELS SPIN UP INTO SUBTROPICAL UPPER LOW/ INVERTED TROUGH BY FRI AFTERNOON. THE MILD SURPRISE SO FAR TODAY IS THAT THE RIM/WHITES/GILAS HAVE BEEN MOSTLY QUIET. BASED ON GOES PW IMAGERY...DRIER/WARMER AIR ALOFT IS APPARENTLY PUSHING INTO THE RIM AND MAY BE CAPPING DEVELOPMENT. IT DOES NOT HELP THAT OUR CAPE ISN/T TERRIBLY HIGH IN THE FACE OF 25-30KTS OF ENE SHEAR. THUS...ANYTHING HAS HAS MANAGED TO DEVELOP AWAY FROM THE SHEAR AXIS HAS BEEN GETTING RIPPED APART. WE HAVE A FEW MORE HOURS OF HEATING REMAINING... THOUGH...AND IF ANYTHING DOES ORGANIZE AND PUSH OFF THE RIM...IT COULD GET OUT OF HAND RATHER QUICKLY PER SPC DAY 1 OUTLOOK. HAVE ADDED HEAVY RAIN WORDING S OF KTUS ALONG THE SHEAR AXIS SINCE ANY TSTMS THERE ARE MORE LIKELY TO TRAIN. THE SAME AREA HAS BEEN SATURATED NICELY BY THE LAST FEW DAYS OF LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN. OVERALL SITUATION MAY BE PRETTY SIMILAR FRI AS THE UPPER LOW SPINS UP TO OUR S AND THE UPPER HIGH BRIEFLY CONSOLIDATES OVER THE 4 CORNERS. WE WILL ONCE AGAIN FIGHT DEBRIS CLOUDS...BUT WE WILL HAVE PLENTY OF MID LEVEL SHEAR AND LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AROUND. HAVE KEPT POPS RIGHT WHERE THEY ARE DESPITE MOS SUGGESTIONS TO LOWER THEM A NOTCH. IN MANY WAYS...THIS FORECAST LOOKS TYPICAL FOR A LABOR DAY WEEKEND. THE MONSOON IS GETTING LONG IN THE TOOTH...BUT WITH PLENTY OF MOISTURE AROUND...THE TROPICAL E PAC FAIRLY ACTIVE...AND THE POLAR JET STREAM STARTING TO GET MORE ENERGETIC...STRONGER DYNAMICS ARE COMING INTO PLAY. BOTH SAT AND SUN NOW LOOK ACTIVE...BUT SUN COULD BE OF PARTICULAR CONCERN AS A TYPE-IV /TRANSITIONAL/ SEVERE WEATHER PATTERN TRIES TO SET UP. THE INVERTED TROUGH/UPPER LOW TO OUR S COULD ALSO BE TROUBLE IN THAT THE MODELS MAY NOT SAMPLE IT VERY WELL...AND IF A NICE DEFORMATION AXIS DEVELOPS...WE WILL MOST LIKELY BE ON THE NORTH FLANK...RESULTING IN BOTH DAYTIME AND NOCTURNAL CONVECTION. I THOUGHT ABOUT TAKING POPS UP EVEN HIGHER...BUT AT LEAST SOME ACTIVITY WILL NEED DAYTIME HEATING TO GET GOING...AND I DONT HAVE A GOOD FEEL FOR HOW MUCH WE WILL HAVE ON EITHER DAY. OUR LOW LEVEL FLOW SAT MORNING WILL ALSO BECOMES RATHER GUSTY OUT OF THE E...WHICH MEANS WE WILL HAVE AT LEAST SOME DOWNSLOPING TO WORK AGAINST. HAVE ONLY RAISED POPS ABOUT 5 PCT SAT AND 10 PCT SUN...WITH LATER SHIFTS POSSIBLY ADJUSTING THOSE UPWARD ONCE WE HAVE A FEW MORE DETAILS. WILL FRESHEN UP THE HWO TO HIGHLIGHT THE WEEKEND...WITH BOTH SEVERE TSTMS AND HEAVY RAIN A CONCERN. THE NICE THING ABOUT TRANSITIONAL PATTERNS IS THAT THEY USUALLY GIVE US A PRETTY CLEAN BREAK IN THE MONSOON...AND THIS IS THE TIME OF THE YEAR WHERE SUCH BREAKS ARE MORE EMPHATIC. I AM A LITTLE CAUTIOUS ABOUT CALLING FOR A COMPLETE SHUTDOWN JUST YET AS THIS INCOMING TROUGH IS NOT PARTICULARLY DEEP.. WHICH MEANS EVEN IF THE MONSOON FLOW IS SHUNTED SE OF US...IT MAY NOT SHUNT VERY FAR AWAY. HAVE LOWERED POPS TO EARLY SEP CLIMO AT DAYS 5-7 AND WARMED TEMPS BACK UP TO CLIMO FOR NOW. && .AVIATION...SCATTERED TSRA/SHRA INTO THIS EVENING THEN MAINLY ISOLATED TSRA/SHRA LATE TONIGHT AND TOWARD DAYBREAK FRIDAY. CLOUD DECKS GENERALLY 6-9K FT AGL THOUGH CEILINGS AROUND 3-5K FT AGL AND VISIBILITIES AS LOW AS 1-3SM VICINITY STRONGEST TSRA. SURFACE WINDS NWLY/NLY 5-15 KTS...THEN MAINLY ELY/SELY 5-15 KTS AFTER 03Z AND CONTINUING INTO FRIDAY MORNING. AVIATION DISCUSSION NOT UPDATED FOR TAF AMENDMENTS. && .TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. PUBLIC...PYTLAK AVIATION...BF WEATHER.GOV/TUCSON
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ 252 PM MST THU AUG 28 2008 AZZ019-029-030-033>035-291200- NORTHERN GREENLEE COUNTY-SOUTHEAST PINAL COUNTY- UPPER GILA RIVER VALLEY-TUCSON METRO/MARANA/GREEN VALLEY- SANTA CRUZ COUNTY-COCHISE COUNTY- 252 PM MST THU AUG 28 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL ARIZONA AND SOUTHEAST ARIZONA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO ORGANIZE OVER COCHISE AND SANTA CRUZ COUNTIES THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING. MEANWHILE... AFTER STRUGGLING FOR MUCH OF THE DAY...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEGUN TO DEVELOP ALONG THE MOGOLLON RIM AND WHITE MOUNTAINS. AT LEAST A FEW OF THESE STORMS WILL DROP SOUTHWEST AT ABOUT 20 MPH ACROSS GRAHAM...PINAL AND PIMA COUNTIES THROUGH THIS EVENING. BECAUSE OF ABUNDANT MOISTURE IN PLACE...A DESTABILIZING AIRMASS... AND RATHER STRONG WINDS ALOFT...THERE IS A RISK THAT THESE DEVELOPING STORMS WILL ORGANIZE INTO CLUSTERS OR SHORT LINES. THE MAIN THREAT FROM ANY THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WILL BE STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS...WITH A COUPLE POSSIBLY BECOMING SEVERE. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN OF 1 TO 2 INCHES IS ALSO POSSIBLE IN A FEW LOCATIONS...WITH THE GREATEST RISK OF HEAVY RAIN SOUTH OF A LINE FROM WILLCOX TO GREEN VALLEY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY AN UPPER LEVEL HIGH WILL BE OVER THE FOUR CORNERS ON FRIDAY AS AN UPPER LEVEL LOW DEVELOPS OVER SONORA. THIS WILL MAINTAIN A DEEP EASTERLY FLOW OVER THE AREA THROUGH SATURDAY. BY SUNDAY A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL ENTER THE GREAT BASIN. THAT WILL RESULT IN A MORE SOUTHERLY WIND FLOW...BUT THAT WILL ONLY BRING MORE MOISTURE INTO THE REGION. THUS...ANY THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH LABOR DAY COULD BE STRONG AND PRODUCE HEAVY RAIN. THOSE WITH OUTDOOR PLANS THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND SHOULD MONITOR FUTURE FORECASTS CLOSELY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. AZZ031-032-291200- WESTERN PIMA COUNTY-TOHONO OODHAM NATION- 252 PM MST THU AUG 28 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL ARIZONA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THE ATMOSPHERE HAS TEMPORARILY STABILIZED IN THE WAKE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WHICH PASSED THROUGH THE AREA EARLIER TODAY. HOWEVER...NEW THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING EAST OF THE AREA...AND AT LEAST SOME OF THESE WILL MOVE WEST INTO CENTRAL AND WESTERN PIMA COUNTY LATER THIS EVENING. THESE STORMS COULD RENEW SOME OF THE FLOODING WHICH OCCURRED EARLIER IN THE DAY. VAMORI WASH IN THE SOUTHERN TOHONO OODHAM NATION WILL BE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO RAPID RISES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY AN UPPER LEVEL HIGH WILL BE OVER THE FOUR CORNERS ON FRIDAY AS AN UPPER LEVEL LOW DEVELOPS OVER SONORA. THIS WILL MAINTAIN A DEEP EASTERLY FLOW OVER THE AREA THROUGH SATURDAY. BY SUNDAY A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL ENTER THE GREAT BASIN. THAT WILL RESULT IN A MORE SOUTHERLY WIND FLOW...BUT THAT WILL ONLY BRING MORE MOISTURE INTO THE REGION. THUS...ANY THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH LABOR DAY COULD BE STRONG AND PRODUCE HEAVY RAIN. THOSE WITH OUTDOOR PLANS THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND SHOULD MONITOR FUTURE FORECASTS CLOSELY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. PYTLAK WEATHER.GOV/TUCSON
The Tucson radar (KEMX), 135 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:59 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Multiple power lines were blown down between Safford and Thatcher.
Two large mesquite trees were blown down in Oro Valley.
A trained spotter reported a 30 foot chain link fence set in concrete blown over in Catalina.
Several 3 inch diameter trees were blown down in Oro Valley.
Penny size hail was reported at First and Oracle.
Three quarter of an inch hail occurred in the Rita Ranch ara.
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: 122481, 122485, 122486, 122491, 122489, 122490.