Several waves of severe thunderstorms moved westward across the central and eastern portions of Maricopa County. Upper level winds were stronger than usual, and copious moisture combined with warm temperatures allowed storms to redevelop well into the night.
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.
Several waves of severe thunderstorms moved westward across the central and eastern portions of Maricopa County. Upper level winds were stronger than usual, and copious moisture combined with warm temperatures allowed storms to redevelop well into the night. Winds over 80 mph were noted in parts of Phoenix and Tempe. Nearly continuous lightning was also observed during the peak of the activity. Fortunately, no fatalities were associated with these severe storms.
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 28, 8:02 PM MST, 23 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ 802 PM MST THU AUG 28 2008 SOUTH-CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ARIZONA...AND SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA FORECAST DISCUSSION .SYNOPSIS... ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL ARIZONA. FOR FRIDAY...HIGH PRESSURE OFF THE CALIFORNIA COAST WILL BUILD ACROSS THE DESERT SOUTHWEST...RESULTING IN A WARMING TREND INTO THE WEEKEND. THE THREAT FOR MONSOON STORMS WILL PERSIST...WITH THE BEST CHANCES SOUTH AND EAST OF PHOENIX. THE THREAT FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE THIS WEEKEND AS A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH THE REGION. THE STRONG WEEKEND LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT COOLING ON SUNDAY. FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF THE LOW...A GRADUAL WARMING AND DRYING TREND IS EXPECTED NEXT WEEK. && .DISCUSSION... HAVE UPDATED THE FORECAST TO ACCOUNT FOR CURRENT TRENDS ACROSS OUR EASTERN CWA. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING ACROSS SOUTHERN GILA COUNTY THIS EVENING WITH SOME RATHER IMPRESSIVE LOOKING STORMS AT TIMES. IT IS PRETTY OBVIOUS THAT THERE IS A LOT OF INSTABILITY OUT THERE...BUT IT IS ALSO OBVIOUS THAT THERE IS A GOOD AMOUNT OF INHIBITION ESPECIALLY OVER THE LOWER DESERTS. THE NORTHERN/WESTERN EXTENT OF THE CONVECTION HAS SLOWLY BU STEADILY BEEN EDGING TOWARD PHOENIX AND EXPECT THIS TREND TO CONTINUE AS INHIBITION WEAKENS AS THE LOW LEVEL ATMOSPHERE COOLS SOME AND OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES PUSH TOWARD PHOENIX. STORMS HAVE HADED VERY GOOD MOVEMENT SO FAR THIS EVENING...MOVING AT THE MARKLAR RATE OF 40KTS FORM THE NE. WILL HAVE TO WATCH OUT FOR SVR WIND POTENTIAL WITH STORMS THROUGH THE EVENING. ONLY MINOR CHANGES MADE TO OTHER GRIDS THROUGH THE REST OF TONIGHT. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... FRIDAY LOOKS TO BE A SIMILAR DAY TO TODAY...WITH THE UPPER HIGH TO OUR NW AND A GOOD NELY/ELY STEERING FLOW IN PLACE. MOISTURE REMAINS PLENTIFUL AND WEAK VORT MAXES WILL LIKELY MOVE WESTWARD AROUND THE SRN PERIPHERY OF THE HIGH...ENHANCING STORMS AT TIMES. OVERALL DYNAMICS AGAIN ARE NOT THAT IMPRESSIVE SO WE WILL KEEP A MID GRADE MONSOON FORECAST IN PLACE. THE WEEKEND LOOKS TO BE INCREASING ACTIVE AS BOTH EUROPEAN AND GFS BRING A MAJOR SHORT WAVE TROF INTO THE WESTERN STATES LEADING TO A PROBABLE TRANSITION TYPE EVENT FOR OUR CWA. MOISTURE WILL BE DRAWN NORTH INTO THE CWA AHEAD OF THE TROF...THEN INCREASING DYNAMICS/UVV AND SHEAR WILL ACT ON THE MOISTURE TO GIVE STRONG AND POSSIBLY SEVERE STORMS TO THE CWA...ESPECIALLY SOUTH-CENTRAL AZ. HAVE RAISED POPS SATURDAY EVENING TO 40 PLUS OVER SOUTH-CENTRAL AZ...WITH CHANCE POPS WESTWARD INTO SERN CA...THEN POPS INCREASING A BIT MORE TO AROUND 50 OVER SOUTH-CENTRAL AZ/SRN GILA SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WILL ISSUE A SPS TO HIGHLIGHT THE POTENTIAL FOR ACTIVE AND POSSIBLY SEVERE WEATHER THIS COMING LABOR DAY WEEKEND. EXTENDED...FLOW NOW LOOKS TO REMAIN MORE WESTERLY BEHIND THE DEPARTING TROUGH...BASED ON THE LATEST GFS/ECMWF. THIS WILL CONFINE HIGHEST PRECIP CHANCES TO THE HIGHER TERRAIN EAST OF PHOENIX. GRADUAL WARMING TREND IS EXPECTED...THOUGH TEMPS SHOULD REMAIN BELOW NORMAL THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .AVIATION... KPHX/KIWA AND SURROUNDING AIRFIELDS... WELL STORMS HAVE BEEN SLOWLY TRENDING TOWARD THE PHX AREA DURING THE PAST FEW HOURS AND EXPECT THIS TREND TO CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL MORE HOURS. STORMS WILL BE MOVING FROM NE TO SW AT 30KTS...FAIRLY PROGRESSIVE FOR OUR AREA. HAVE AMENDED TAFS WITH LATEST THINKING. IN SOUTHWEST ARIZONA/SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA... DRY WEATHER EXPECTED AT THE TAFS FOR TONIGHT. SMALL/OUTSIDE CHANCE OF SEEING THUNDER AT KYUM BUT PROBABILITY NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO INCLUDE MENTION IN TAFS. OTHERWISE EXPECT SOUTHERLY WINDS THROUGH TOMORROW AFTERNOON. AVIATION DISCUSSION NOT UPDATED FOR AMENDED TAFS. && .FIRE WEATHER... FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY... A DRYING AND WARMING TREND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH FRIDAY. A WEST COAST WEATHER SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH THE REGION THIS WEEKEND...INCREASING HUMIDITY AND THE CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. COOLER TEMPERATURES CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED OVER THE WEEKEND. A WARMING AND DRYING TREND WILL COMMENCE MON/TUE OF NEXT WEEK. && .PSR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AZ...NONE. CA...NONE. && NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX IS ON THE INTERNET AT WEATHER.GOV/PHOENIX DISCUSSION...INIGUEZ/CB/HIRSCH AVIATION...INIGUEZ FIRE WEATHER...WANEK
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ 443 AM MST THU AUG 28 2008 AZZ020>028-CAZ030>033-282345- LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY AZ-WEST CENTRAL DESERTS- NORTHWEST MARICOPA COUNTY-GREATER PHOENIX AREA- SOUTHERN GILA COUNTY/TONTO NATIONAL FOREST FOOTHILLS- YUMA/MARTINEZ LAKE AND VICINITY-SOUTHWEST DESERTS- SOUTHWEST MARICOPA COUNTY-NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL PINAL COUNTY- JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK-LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY CA- RIVERSIDE COUNTY/EASTERN DESERTS-IMPERIAL COUNTY- 443 AM MST THU AUG 28 2008 /443 AM PDT THU AUG 28 2008/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST-CENTRAL ARIZONA...EXTREME SOUTHWEST ARIZONA...EXTREME WEST-CENTRAL ARIZONA... SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA...SOUTHWEST ARIZONA...WEST-CENTRAL ARIZONA... EXTREME SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A THREAT OF ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT. STORMS WILL BE MAINLY FOCUSED IN EAST CENTRAL ARIZONA...SOUTH AND EAST OF PHOENIX. HOWEVER...THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT STORMS WILL MOVE INTO PHOENIX AND EVEN THE LOWER DESERTS THIS EVENING. THE PRIMARY THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 50 MPH AND HEAVY RAIN. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL COULD LEAD TO AREAS OF URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING WITH NORMALLY DRY WASHES AND CREEKS RUNNING. RAIN WILL LIKELY IMPACT THE SAME AREAS THAT RECEIVED RECENT HEAVY RAINFALL AND FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THERE WILL CONTINUE TO BE A CHANCE OF MAINLY AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE AREA...WITH THE BEST CHANCES OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN THROUGH FRIDAY. A STORM SYSTEM APPROACHING THE REGION FROM THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST WILL INCREASE THUNDERSTORM CHANCES ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. SOME OF THESE STORMS COULD BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER. THERE IS ALSO A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY AND TUESDAY...THOUGH THESE WILL BE PRIMARILY LOCATED OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN NORTH AND EAST OF THE PHOENIX METROPOLITAN AREA. .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
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ 322 PM MST THU AUG 28 2008 AZZ020>028-CAZ030>033-291200- LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY AZ-WEST CENTRAL DESERTS- NORTHWEST MARICOPA COUNTY-GREATER PHOENIX AREA- SOUTHERN GILA COUNTY/TONTO NATIONAL FOREST FOOTHILLS- YUMA/MARTINEZ LAKE AND VICINITY-SOUTHWEST DESERTS- SOUTHWEST MARICOPA COUNTY-NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL PINAL COUNTY- JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK-LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY CA- RIVERSIDE COUNTY/EASTERN DESERTS-IMPERIAL COUNTY- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...EHRENBERG...PARKER...BOUSE...QUARTZSITE... SALOME...BUCKEYE...LAKE PLEASANT...MORRISTOWN...NEW RIVER... TONOPAH...WICKENBURG...CAREFREE...CAVE CREEK...CHANDLER... FOUNTAIN HILLS...GILBERT...GLENDALE...MESA...PEORIA...PHOENIX... SCOTTSDALE...SUN CITY...TEMPE...GLOBE...MIAMI...SAN CARLOS... AND SUPERIOR...ALSO INCLUDING APACHE...BARTLETT...CANYON... HORSESHOE...ROOSEVELT...AND SAGUARO LAKES...FORTUNA FOOTHILLS... SAN LUIS...SOMERTON...YUMA...DATELAND...TACNA...WELLTON... GILA BEND...APACHE JUNCTION...CASA GRANDE...COOLIDGE...FLORENCE... COTTONWOOD VISITOR CENTER...KEYS VIEW...LOST HORSE...BLYTHE... CHIRIACO SUMMIT...DESERT CENTER...EAGLE MOUNTAIN...BRAWLEY... CALEXICO...EL CENTRO...GLAMIS...IMPERIAL...AND THE SALTON SEA 322 PM MST THU AUG 28 2008 /322 PM PDT THU AUG 28 2008/ THE MONSOON IS POISED TO SWING INTO HIGH GEAR LATER THIS WEEK...AS AN APPROACHING PACIFIC LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL DRAW MEXICAN MOISTURE NORTHWARD INTO THE AREA...AND THEN PRODUCE A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE LABOR DAY HOLIDAY WEEKEND. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECAST TO DEVELOP OVER SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA...SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS. AS THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM APPROACHES FROM THE NORTHWEST SUNDAY...THE FOCUS FOR STRONG AND POSSIBLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL SHIFT INTO SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA WHERE CHANCES FOR RAIN WILL INCREASE TO AROUND 5O PERCENT. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT WEATHER WILL LIKELY OCCUR OVER SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA...INCLUDING THE GREATER PHOENIX METROPOLITAN AREA...SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WITH LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING... STRONG WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH...MODERATE HAIL AND DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. IN ADDITION...MUCH COOLER WEATHER IS EXPECTED SUNDAY AS HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL LIKELY LOWER TO WELL BELOW SEASONAL NORMALS. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DECREASE FROM THE WEST ON LABOR DAY AS DRIER AND WARMER AIR SPREADS IN FROM THE WEST. THERE WILL STILL BE A CHANCE FOR AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS...MAINLY OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN EAST OF PHOENIX. STAY UP-TO-DATE ON THE LATEST FORECASTS BY LISTENING TO WEATHER RADIO ON THE PUBLIC SERVICE BAND. MORE DETAILED INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PHOENIX ON THE INTERNET AT WEATHER.GOV/PHOENIX BRECKENRIDGE
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ 322 PM MST THU AUG 28 2008 AZZ020>028-CAZ030>033-291200- LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY AZ-WEST CENTRAL DESERTS- NORTHWEST MARICOPA COUNTY-GREATER PHOENIX AREA- SOUTHERN GILA COUNTY/TONTO NATIONAL FOREST FOOTHILLS- YUMA/MARTINEZ LAKE AND VICINITY-SOUTHWEST DESERTS- SOUTHWEST MARICOPA COUNTY-NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL PINAL COUNTY- JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK-LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY CA- RIVERSIDE COUNTY/EASTERN DESERTS-IMPERIAL COUNTY- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...EHRENBERG...PARKER...BOUSE...QUARTZSITE... SALOME...BUCKEYE...LAKE PLEASANT...MORRISTOWN...NEW RIVER... TONOPAH...WICKENBURG...CAREFREE...CAVE CREEK...CHANDLER... FOUNTAIN HILLS...GILBERT...GLENDALE...MESA...PEORIA...PHOENIX... SCOTTSDALE...SUN CITY...TEMPE...GLOBE...MIAMI...SAN CARLOS... AND SUPERIOR...ALSO INCLUDING APACHE...BARTLETT...CANYON... HORSESHOE...ROOSEVELT...AND SAGUARO LAKES...FORTUNA FOOTHILLS... SAN LUIS...SOMERTON...YUMA...DATELAND...TACNA...WELLTON... GILA BEND...APACHE JUNCTION...CASA GRANDE...COOLIDGE...FLORENCE... COTTONWOOD VISITOR CENTER...KEYS VIEW...LOST HORSE...BLYTHE... CHIRIACO SUMMIT...DESERT CENTER...EAGLE MOUNTAIN...BRAWLEY... CALEXICO...EL CENTRO...GLAMIS...IMPERIAL...AND THE SALTON SEA 322 PM MST THU AUG 28 2008 /322 PM PDT THU AUG 28 2008/ ....SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED DURING THE LABOR DAY WEEKEND OVER SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA...SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA.... THE MONSOON IS POISED TO SWING INTO HIGH GEAR LATER THIS WEEK...AS AN APPROACHING PACIFIC LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL DRAW MEXICAN MOISTURE NORTHWARD INTO THE AREA...AND THEN PRODUCE A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE LABOR DAY HOLIDAY WEEKEND. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECAST TO DEVELOP OVER SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA...SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS. AS THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM APPROACHES FROM THE NORTHWEST SUNDAY...THE FOCUS FOR STRONG AND POSSIBLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL SHIFT INTO SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA WHERE CHANCES FOR RAIN WILL INCREASE TO AROUND 5O PERCENT. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT WEATHER WILL LIKELY OCCUR OVER SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA...INCLUDING THE GREATER PHOENIX METROPOLITAN AREA...SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WITH LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING... STRONG WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH...MODERATE HAIL AND DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. IN ADDITION...MUCH COOLER WEATHER IS EXPECTED SUNDAY AS HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL LIKELY LOWER TO WELL BELOW SEASONAL NORMALS. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DECREASE FROM THE WEST ON LABOR DAY AS DRIER AND WARMER AIR SPREADS IN FROM THE WEST. THERE WILL STILL BE A CHANCE FOR AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS...MAINLY OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN EAST OF PHOENIX. STAY UP-TO-DATE ON THE LATEST FORECASTS BY LISTENING TO WEATHER RADIO ON THE PUBLIC SERVICE BAND. MORE DETAILED INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PHOENIX ON THE INTERNET AT WEATHER.GOV/PHOENIX BRECKENRIDGE
The Phoenix radar (KIWA), 19 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:23 UTC.
10 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
Several trees down and a hangar door damaged at the airport.
Many reports of large hail that accompanied several waves of thunderstorms across the city of Phoenix.
In Tempe, an 18 year-old man was injured by a falling tree. Winds on the ASU campus were measured at 69 mph and severely damaged the indoor football practice facility.
Microburst winds observed in Mesa near Recker and Brown.
Trees uprooted at 48th street and Mcdowell. Nearby homes damaged.
Easterly winds gusted up to 65 knots at Sky Harbor airport. Several aircraft and at least one terminal building was damaged, with debris blown onto the runways and adjacent areas. About 500 people were stranded in the terminals overnight due to flight delays and power outages.
Numerous trees blown down.
A trained spotter reported a wind gust of 85 mph at 16th St and Thomas. Widespread damage occurred to homes, businesses and windows knocked out in at least one high-rise. Numerous power poles were taken down, and many trees uprooted. Some damage also occurred at the Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix.
Very strong wind gusts reported at Estrella Parkway and Elliott.
Numerous trees blown down by strong winds.
Trees and power lines down.
Widespread downpours were reported around the Valley with generally one to two inches of rain in a short period. One of the heaviest amounts was 1.89 inches at Gateway Community College in Phoenix.
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: 123251, 123242, 123256, 123252, 123244, 123253, 123245, 123254, 123255, 123248, 123250, 123257.