Moderate to heavy rainfall amounts were reported over two days after a plume of subtropical air moved into Arizona. The heaviest amounts occurred over the higher terrain generally east and north of Phoenix, resulting in flooded roads and other low-lying areas.
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.
Moderate to heavy rainfall amounts were reported over two days after a plume of subtropical air moved into Arizona. The heaviest amounts occurred over the higher terrain generally east and north of Phoenix, resulting in flooded roads and other low-lying areas. About 3 inches fell at McDowell Mountain Park near Fountain Hills. The peak release from Granite Reef Dam into the Salt River was about 22,000 cfs.
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 Jan 27, 3:30 PM MST, 1 hour 35 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
330 PM MST SUN JAN 27 2008
SOUTH-CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ARIZONA...AND SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA
FORECAST DISCUSSION
.SYNOPSIS...
A STRONG LOW PRESSURE AREA WILL MOVE ACROSS THE DESERT SOUTHWEST
TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY. COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH
THIS SYSTEM WILL RESULT IN PERIODS OF RAIN...SOME OF WHICH WILL BE
HEAVY AT TIMES...THROUGH THIS EVENING. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH WILL
CONTINUE UNTIL MIDNIGHT TONIGHT FOR MUCH OF SOUTH-CENTRAL
ARIZONA. THE THREAT OF SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE OVER SOUTH-CENTRAL
ARIZONA ON MONDAY...WITH DRIER WEATHER EXPECTED BY TUESDAY ACROSS
THE ENTIRE AREA. ANOTHER WEATHER SYSTEM WILL BRING A SLIGHT CHANCE
OF SHOWERS WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT FOLLOWED BY DRY CONDITIONS
THURSDAY INTO THE WEEKEND. ANOTHER PACIFIC LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM
MAY BRING AN ADDITIONAL THREAT FOR SHOWERS BY SUNDAY. EXPECT COOL
TEMPERATURES TO PREVAIL THIS WEEK.
&&
.SHORT TERM...
TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY...
WEATHER SCENARIO IS UNFOLDING PRETTY MUCH AS WE EXPECTED...WITH
SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL AFFECTING SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA THIS
AFTERNOON...ESPECIALLY IN THE HIGHER TERRAIN AND UPSLOPE AREAS NORTH
AND EAST OF PHOENIX. UPPER LEVEL CLOSED LOW OFF THE CA COAST HAS NOW
OPENED UP AND IS APPROACHING THE CENTRAL CA COAST EARLY THIS
AFTERNOON. CONVEYOR BELT OF SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE CONTINUES TO STREAM
NORTHEAST AHEAD OF THE LOW...ADVECTING COPIOUS AND DEEP MOISTURE
INTO ARIZONA...WITH LESSER AMOUNTS MOVING INTO SERN CA. STRONG SLY
TO SWLY LOW/MID LEVEL WINDS AHEAD OF THE LOW ARE GENERATING STRONG
UPSLOPE FLOW...WITH STRONG LOW LEVEL SPEED AND MOISTURE CONVERGENCE
HELPING GENERATE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS NORTH AND EAST OF PHOENIX.
WIDESPREAD 3 HOURLY PRECIP AMOUNTS FROM ONE QUARTER TO OVER THREE
QUARTERS OF AN INCH HAVE BEEN REPORTED ACROSS SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA
THIS AFTERNOON...AND MUCH MORE RAIN IS EXPECTED FOR THE REST OF THE
AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING HOURS. HEAVY RAIN HAS ALREADY CAUSED
MANY CREEKS...STREAMS...AND WASHES TO RUN OVER NORTHEAST MARICOPA
AND SOUTHERN GILA COUNTIES AND THIS HAS PROMPTED SEVERAL SMALL
STREAM FLOOD ADVISORIES AND FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS SINCE ABOUT 1 PM.
FLASH FLOOD WATCH WILL CONTINUE UNTIL MIDNIGHT TONIGHT FOR MUCH OF
SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA.
AS THE DEEPER MOISTURE MOVES OFF TO THE EAST TONIGHT...THREAT FOR
SHOWERS WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH FROM THE WEST...AND RAINFALL TOTALS
WILL DECREASE OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN EAST OF PHOENIX. AFTER
MIDNIGHT THERE WILL STILL BE A CHANCE FOR SHOWERS OVER SOUTH-CENTRAL
ARIZONA...WITH SHOWERS LIKELY OVER SRN GILA COUNTY. THE TROUGH THAT
IS NOW KICKING LOW OFF THE CA COAST INLAND WILL BE DROPPING INTO THE
PAC NW TONIGHT...THEN MOVING SOUTHEASTWARD AND ACROSS MAINLY
NORTHERN ARIZONA MONDAY. AS THIS OCCURS...DYNAMICS/UVV ASSOCIATED
WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL ACT ON RESIDUAL MOISTURE AND GEN UP ANOTHER
CHANCE FOR SHOWERS OVER SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA. RAINFALL AMOUNTS WITH
THIS FOLLOWUP SYSTEM WILL BE MUCH LESS THAN WHAT WE ARE CURRENTLY
SEEING...AS MOISTURE WILL BE MUCH SHALLOWER AND RELATIVELY LIMITED.
MONDAY NIGHT THRU TUESDAY NIGHT...DRIER NORTHWEST FLOW WILL SET UP
OVER THE CWA...FOR MOSTLY CLEAR OR PARTLY CLOUDY CONDITIONS. LITTLE
CHANGE IN THICKNESS VALUES IS EXPECTED AND TEMPS WILL REMAIN ON THE
COOL SIDE WITH HIGHS STAYING WELL BELOW SEASONAL NORMALS. ANOTHER
RATHER PROGRESSIVE PAC TROF IS FORECAST TO MOVE INTO ARIZONA
WEDNESDAY...BUT IT LOOKS TO BE DRIER WITH MORE OF AN OVERLAND
TRAJECTORY. IT WILL NOT BE TAPPING THE SIGNIFICANT SUBTROPICAL
MOISTURE THAT THE CURRENT SYSTEM IS TAPPING. THUS POPS WILL BE LOW
FOR THE WED SYSTEM...ONLY IN THE SLIGHT CHANCE CATEGORY...WITH THE
HIGHEST POPS EAST OF PHOENIX. LATEST EUROPEAN AND GFS IN GOOD
AGREEMENT WITH THE TIMING AND TRACK OF THE WED TROF...SO CONFIDENCE
IS RATHER HIGH THAT WE WILL SEE ANOTHER SHOT OF COOL WET WEATHER.
&&
.LONG TERM...
WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY...
LOW PRESSURE TROF IS FORECAST TO DIVE SOUTHEAST AND ACROSS MAINLY
SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA WEDNESDAY NIGHT...AND IT WILL BRING AT LEAST A
SLIGHT CHANCE FOR SHOWERS TO THE AREA FROM PHOENIX EASTWARD. IT
SHOULD MOVE THRU QUICKLY...WITH DRIER NORTHWEST FLOW AND HIGHER
HEIGHTS SET TO FOLLOW THURSDAY. LONG WAVE PATTERN HAS A GENERAL
...BROAD TROFFING OVER THE WESTERN UNITED STATES...AND THIS LEAVES
OUR AREA SUSCEPTIBLE TO PASSING AND DEEPENING SHORT WAVES MOVING
THRU THE LONG WAVE TROF. DRY WEATHER IS FORECAST THURSDAY THROUGH
SATURDAY...BUT THIS IS NOT A WARM PATTERN SO MAX TEMPS WILL NOT
CHANGE MUCH AND SHOULD STAY BELOW SEASONAL NORMALS. ANOTHER
POTENTIALLY COLDER TROF IS FORECAST TO MOVE INTO ARIZONA ON SUPER
BOWL SUNDAY. MEX POPS ATTM ARE RATHER LOW...UNDER 30 PERCENT...BUT
BOTH EUROPEAN AND GFS ARE FORECASTING A WEEKEND TROF...AND RECENT
SPAGHETTI ENSEMBLES SHOW REMARKABLE CONSISTENCY AMONG THE VARIOUS
MEMBERS ACROSS THE ERN PACIFIC AND WESTERN UNITED STATES. THIS
SUGGESTS THAT WE MAY WELL HAVE ANOTHER WEATHER MAKER ON OUR HANDS
FOR THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. HAVE ADDED SLIGHT CHANCE POPS TO THE
FORECAST FOR SUNDAY...AND DROPPED HIGH TEMPS A FEW DEGREES FROM
SATURDAY.
&&
.AVIATION...
JANUARY 27 1800 UTC (JANUARY 27 1100 MST)
EXPECT WIDESPREAD RAIN SHOWERS THROUGH THE DAY AT ALL TAF SITES...
DIMINISHING IN COVERAGE FROM WEST TO EAST LATER THIS EVENING AND
OVERNIGHT.
FOR KPHX/KIWA AND VALLEY AIRFIELDS...CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES WILL
FLUCTUATE BETWEEN VFR AND MVFR FLIGHT CATEGORIES TODAY...WITH THE
BEST POTENTIAL FOR LOW MVFR LATER THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EARLY
EVENING HOURS. BRIEF IFR CONDITIONS MAY BE MET ALSO IN HEAVY RAIN
SHOWERS...ESPECIALLY DUE TO REDUCED VISIBILITY. PRECIPITATION IS
FORECAST TO TAPER OFF TOMORROW MORNING...BUT CANNOT RULE OUT A STRAY
SHOWER THROUGH 18 UTC MONDAY.
FOR KIPL AND KBLH...CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES WILL FLUCTUATE BETWEEN
MVFR AND IFR CONDITIONS WITH THE CONTINUED POSSIBILITY FOR BRIEF
LIFR CONDITIONS AT KIPL. SO FAR...CEILINGS AT KIPL HAVE LOWERED AT
TIMES TO 200 FT AGL WITH VISIBILITIES OF 3/4 SM IN RAIN AND MIST.
CONDITIONS AT KYUM EXPECTED TO BE SLIGHTLY BETTER...MAINLY BETWEEN
VFR AND MVFR FLIGHT CATEGORIES. PRECIPITATION SHOULD DIMINISH LATE
THIS EVENING AT WESTERN TAF SITES.
AVIATION DISCUSSION IS NOT UPDATED FOR AMENDED TAFS.
&&
.PSR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AZ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT TONIGHT FOR
SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA ZONES AZZ021...022...023...024...AND
028.
CA...NONE.
&&
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX IS ON THE INTERNET AT
WEATHER.GOV/PHOENIX
SHORT TERM...CB
LONG TERM...CB
AVIATION...P ROGERSHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ 553 AM MST SUN JAN 27 2008 AZZ021>024-028-280700- WEST CENTRAL DESERTS-NORTHWEST MARICOPA COUNTY- GREATER PHOENIX AREA- SOUTHERN GILA COUNTY/TONTO NATIONAL FOREST FOOTHILLS- NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL PINAL COUNTY- 553 AM MST SUN JAN 27 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST-CENTRAL ARIZONA...SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA AND WEST-CENTRAL ARIZONA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A MAJOR PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE TO BRING SUBSTANTIAL RAINFALL TO SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA...INCLUDING THE PHOENIX AREA...AND THE WEST CENTRAL ARIZONA DESERTS TODAY AND INTO TONIGHT. TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF .5 TO 1.5 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE LOWER ELEVATIONS WITH 1.5 TO 3 INCHES POSSIBLE IN THE HIGHER TERRAIN. RAINFALL IS ANTICIPATED TO DECREASE LATE TONIGHT. THE MAIN CONCERN IS THE POTENTIAL FOR FLASH FLOODING...ESPECIALLY IN THE HIGHER TERRAIN AND FOOTHILL AREAS OF NORTHERN MARICOPA...SOUTHERN GILA...AND NORTH-CENTRAL PINAL COUNTIES...AS WELL AS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN LA PAZ COUNTY. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THESE AREAS FROM NOON TODAY TO MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. MUD AND ROCK SLIDES ARE QUITE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...PARTICULARLY IN PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN GILA COUNTY ALONG HIGHWAY 60 AND 77. SEE WEATHER.GOV/PHOENIX TO READ THE WATCH PRODUCT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. AZZ020-025>027-CAZ030>033-280700- LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY AZ-YUMA/MARTINEZ LAKE AND VICINITY- SOUTHWEST DESERTS-SOUTHWEST MARICOPA COUNTY- JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK-LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY CA- RIVERSIDE COUNTY/EASTERN DESERTS-IMPERIAL COUNTY- 553 AM MST SUN JAN 27 2008 /453 AM PST SUN JAN 27 2008/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EXTREME SOUTHWEST ARIZONA...EXTREME WEST-CENTRAL ARIZONA...SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA...SOUTHWEST ARIZONA...EXTREME SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE THIS MORNING INCREASING THE POSSIBILITY OF RUNNING WASHES AFFECTING LOW SPOTS ON ROADWAYS WITHIN JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK. STORM TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF ONE QUARTER TO HALF AN INCH WILL BE COMMON IN SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA WITH 1 TO 1.25 INCHES POSSIBLE IN JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK. RAINFALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DECREASING THIS AFTERNOON...WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS LINGERING INTO TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. ESTLE
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
324 PM MST SUN JAN 27 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0300 PM HEAVY RAIN 8 W GLOBE 33.38N 110.89W
01/27/2008 E1.50 INCH GILA AZ LAW ENFORCEMENT
ROCKS SLIDES ON U.S. 60 BETWEEN SUPERIOR AND GLOBE
&&
MBThe Phoenix radar (KIWA), 74 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:03 UTC.
4 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Maricopa County Sheriffs office reports multiple road closures along the Cave Creek. Numerous washes were running in the area.
Maricopa County sheriffs office reported a swift water rescue along the Skunk Creek near 7th street.
A railroad bridge over the Gilson Wash collapsed which resulted in a train derailment. Considerable damage resulted, but no injuries were reported.
Law enforcement reported about 80 people had to be evacuated as flood waters from the Tonto Creek affected portions of Tonto Basin. A spotter in Tonto Basin reported part of a road being washed out. A power outage affected about 2,300 homes and was blamed on flooding when power poles near the creek were taken down. A small dike gave way which resulted in additional flooding of homes and roads. The Red Cross opened a shelter at the Tonto Basin Kiwanis Club and the Tonto Basin School. Gila County declared an emergency due to the flooding.
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, January 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: 67564, 67570, 69394, 67554.