S. coast helped transport abundant moisture into Southeast Arizona.
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.
A trough of low pressure off the Western U.S. coast helped transport abundant moisture into Southeast Arizona. Heavy rainfall occurred in the mountains causing flooding in the Catalinas and stream flooding in Greenlee County.
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 Jan 27, 2:45 PM MST, 2 hours 15 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ 245 PM MST SUN JAN 27 2008 .SYNOPSIS...SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA FROM THE SOUTH IN ADVANCE OF A WEAKENING STORM SYSTEM. THIS SYSTEM WILL MOVE INLAND THIS EVENING AND MERGE WITH A SYSTEM OFF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. WIDESPREAD LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN WILL CONTINUE OVERNIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING BEFORE TAPERING OFF MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WEAK HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE AREA TUESDAY FOR A BRIEF DRYING TREND. ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM...THIS ONE OVER THE GULF OF ALASKA...WILL DROP SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE GREAT BASIN WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THIS SYSTEM WILL HAVE LESS MOISTURE...BUT WILL BE MUCH COLDER. DRY NORTHWEST FLOW THURSDAY INTO THE FIRST PART OF NEXT WEEKEND WITH DAYTIME HIGHS NEAR SEASONAL LEVELS. && .DISCUSSION...SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE CONTINUES TO POUR NORTH ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON IN ADVANCE OF THE SHEARED OUT UPPER LOW THAT IS STARTING TO MOVE INLAND ACROSS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. STILL ONE PIECE OF ENERGY ROTATING AROUND THE BASE OF THE LOW...BUT OVERALL IT WILL CONTINUE TO WEAKEN AND EVENTUALLY PHASE INTO/MERGE WITH SYSTEM OFF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. RAINFALL AMOUNTS AT THE LOWER ELEVATIONS HAVE BEEN LESS THAN A QUARTER OF AN INCH WITH SOME LOCAL AMOUNTS AROUND A HALF AN INCH. STRONG UPSLOPE FLOW HAS PRODUCED ONE TO TWO INCHES OF RAIN IN SOME OF THE MOUNTAINS...LIKE THE CATALINAS AND RINCONS. STILL FORECASTING ANOTHER INCH IN THE MOUNTAINS WITH UP A TO A HALF INCH AT THE LOWER ELEVATIONS TONIGHT. WILL HAVE TO MONITOR STREAM GAGES THIS EVENING IN CASE SOME HYDROLOGIC PRODUCTS NEED TO BE ISSUED. SNOW LEVEL STILL ABOVE THE PEAKS THIS AFTERNOON SO ALL OF THE PRECIPITATION HAS BEEN LIQUID. THAT WILL BE CHANGING THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT AS COLDER AIR ALOFT PUSHES IN FROM THE WEST. IM EXPECTING THE SNOW LEVEL TO LOWER TO AROUND 6000 FEET BY MONDAY MORNING. THE MAIN FOCUS AREA THAT WILL GET THE HEAVIEST SNOW IS IN THE WHITE MOUNTAINS WHERE 7-11 IS POSSIBLE BY LATE MONDAY. WIND SPEEDS HAVE INCREASED INTO THE 35-45 MPH RANGE THIS AFTERNOON AND WILL CONTINUE OVERNIGHT. THUS HAVE OPTED TO GO WITH SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY FOR ZONE 19...WHICH MESHES NICELY WITH BORDER AREAS OF FLAGSTAFF AND ALBUQUERQUE WARNING AREAS. AS MENTIONED ABOVE...THE SRN CA SYSTEM AND PAC NW SYSTEM WILL PHASE/MERGE TONIGHT WITH THAT COMBINED SYSTEM MOVING ACROSS THE STATE MONDAY. THUS EXPECT SHOWERS TO GRADUALLY END FROM WEST TO EAST MONDAY AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING HOURS. HIGHER TERRAIN COULD SEE A COUPLE MORE INCHES OF SNOW WITH LEVELS ABOVE 6500 FEET. WEAK HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE AREA ON TUESDAY BEFORE A SYSTEM MOVES INTO THE GREAT BASIN ON WEDNESDAY. THIS NEXT SYSTEM IS CURRENTLY UP IN THE BERING SEA WITH THE TAIL END OF IT DROPPING SOUTHEAST TOWARD THE GREAT BASIN. ENOUGH RESIDUAL MOISTURE WILL BE AROUND FROM TODAYS RAIN FOR THIS SYSTEM TO WORK WITH FOR LOW END POPS AREA WIDE WITH THE HIGHEST IN THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. COOLER DAYTIME TEMPERATURES WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. DRY NORTHWEST FLOW FRIDAY AND WESTERLY FLOW SATURDAY. MODELS ARE HINTING AT ANOTHER SUNDAY SYSTEM. HAVE THUS THROWN IN TOKEN POPS NEXT SUNDAY. && .AVIATION...CLOUD BASES AT 4-7K FT AGL ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT WITH LOCALIZED LOWER CEILINGS...MVFR CONDITIONS AND OBSCURED MOUNTAINS DURING PERIODS OF RAINFALL. RAIN IS EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY TAPER OFF FROM WEST TO EAST AFTER 08Z MONDAY. ALTHOUGH CLOUD COVER WILL DIMINISH TO BKN COVERAGE MONDAY AFTERNOON...CEILINGS WILL REMAIN AT 4-6K FT AGL. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW 15 KTS TONIGHT...THEN INCREASE AFTER 16Z MONDAY WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 KTS. AVIATION DISCUSSION NOT UPDATED FOR TAF AMENDMENTS. && .TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY THIS EVENING INTO MONDAY AFTERNOON FOR PUBLIC ZONE 19 ABOVE 7000 FEET. WEATHER.GOV/TUCSON
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ 315 PM MST SUN JAN 27 2008 AZZ019-281400- NORTHERN GREENLEE COUNTY- 315 PM MST SUN JAN 27 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST ARIZONA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A STRONG PACIFIC STORM OFF THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COAST WILL MOVE ACROSS ARIZONA TONIGHT INTO MONDAY. AS EXPECTED EARLIER IN THE WEEK... THIS STORM HAS TAPPED INTO TROPICAL MOISTURE WEST OF THE MEXICAN COAST...WHICH WILL RESULT IN WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION. SNOW LEVELS WILL FALL TO 6500 FEET OVERNIGHT. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF 6 TO 10 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ABOVE 7000 FEET TONIGHT. IN ADDITION...WINDS WILL GUST TO 45 MPH RESULTING IN BLOWING SNOW. AS A RESULT...A SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON. ADDITIONAL VALLEY RAINFALL BETWEEN ONE QUARTER AND ONE HALF OF AN INCH IS EXPECTED THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON. IN THE MOUNTAINS...LIQUID PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS UP TO 1 INCH IS EXPECTED WITH WITH PERHAPS A FEW SOUTHWEST-FACING SLOPES RECEIVING LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS. THERE IS A DEEP SNOW PACK SITTING IN THE MOUNTAINS NORTH OF THE GILA RIVER. SOME OF THE RAIN WILL BE ABSORBED INTO THE SNOW...BUT SOME OF IT WILL ALSO MELT BEFORE TEMPERATURES FALL IN THE MOUNTAINS TONIGHT. DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH SNOW MELTS...AND EXACTLY HOW FAST THE RAIN CHANGES BACK TO SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS...SIGNIFICANT WITHIN-BANK RISES ARE POSSIBLE ON HEADWATER TRIBUTARIES OF THE SAN FRANCISCO AND UPPER GILA RIVERS TONIGHT AND MONDAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THE STORM WILL BE ON ITS WAY TO THE EAST ON MONDAY WITH PRECIPITATION CHANCES GRADUALLY DECREASING. HOWEVER... ADDITIONAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE ABOVE 7000 FEET DURING THE DAY ON MONDAY BEFORE THE SYSTEM EXITS MONDAY EVENING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. AZZ030-281400- UPPER GILA RIVER VALLEY- 315 PM MST SUN JAN 27 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST ARIZONA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A STRONG PACIFIC STORM OFF THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COAST WILL MOVE ACROSS ARIZONA TONIGHT INTO MONDAY. AS EXPECTED EARLIER IN THE WEEK... THIS STORM HAS TAPPED INTO TROPICAL MOISTURE WEST OF THE MEXICAN COAST...WHICH WILL RESULT IN WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION. SNOW LEVELS WILL FALL TO 7000 FEET AFTER MIDNIGHT. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ABOVE 7000 FEET BY MONDAY AFTERNOON. IN ADDITION...WINDS WILL GUST TO 45 MPH IN THE HIGHER TERRAIN RESULTING IN SOME BLOWING SNOW. ADDITIONAL VALLEY RAINFALL BETWEEN ONE QUARTER AND ONE HALF OF AN INCH IS EXPECTED THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON. IN THE MOUNTAINS...ADDITIONAL LIQUID PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS UP TO 1 INCH IS EXPECTED WITH WITH PERHAPS A FEW SOUTHWEST-FACING SLOPES RECEIVING LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS. THERE IS A DEEP SNOW PACK SITTING IN THE MOUNTAINS NORTH OF THE GILA RIVER. SOME OF THE RAIN WILL BE ABSORBED INTO THE SNOW...BUT SOME OF IT WILL ALSO MELT BEFORE TEMPERATURES FALL IN THE MOUNTAINS TONIGHT. DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH SNOW MELTS...AND EXACTLY HOW FAST THE RAIN CHANGES BACK TO SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS...SIGNIFICANT WITHIN-BANK RISES ARE POSSIBLE ON HEADWATER TRIBUTARIES OF THE SAN FRANCISCO AND UPPER GILA RIVERS TONIGHT AND MONDAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THE STORM WILL BE ON ITS WAY TO THE EAST ON MONDAY WITH PRECIPITATION CHANCES GRADUALLY DECREASING. HOWEVER... ADDITIONAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF AN INCH OR SO WILL BE POSSIBLE ABOVE 7000 FEET DURING THE DAY ON MONDAY BEFORE THE SYSTEM EXITS MONDAY EVENING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. AZZ029-031>035-281400- SOUTHEAST PINAL COUNTY-WESTERN PIMA COUNTY-TOHONO OODHAM NATION- TUCSON METRO/MARANA/GREEN VALLEY-SANTA CRUZ COUNTY-COCHISE COUNTY- 315 PM MST SUN JAN 27 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL ARIZONA AND SOUTHEAST ARIZONA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A STRONG PACIFIC STORM OFF THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COAST WILL MOVE ACROSS ARIZONA TONIGHT INTO MONDAY. AS EXPECTED EARLIER IN THE WEEK... THIS STORM HAS TAPPED INTO TROPICAL MOISTURE WEST OF THE MEXICAN COAST...WHICH WILL RESULT IN WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION. SNOW LEVELS WILL FALL TO 7500 FEET AFTER MIDNIGHT. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ABOVE 8000 FEET BY MONDAY AFTERNOON. IN ADDITION...WINDS WILL GUST TO 45 MPH IN THE HIGHER TERRAIN. ADDITIONAL VALLEY RAINFALL BETWEEN ONE QUARTER AND ONE HALF OF AN INCH IS EXPECTED THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON. IN THE MOUNTAINS...ADDITIONAL LIQUID PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS UP TO 1 INCH IS EXPECTED WITH WITH PERHAPS A FEW SOUTHWEST-FACING SLOPES RECEIVING LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS. THERE IS A DEEP SNOW PACK SITTING IN THE MOUNTAINS NORTH OF THE GILA RIVER. SOME OF THE RAIN WILL BE ABSORBED INTO THE SNOW...BUT SOME OF IT WILL ALSO MELT BEFORE TEMPERATURES FALL IN THE MOUNTAINS TONIGHT. DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH SNOW MELTS...AND EXACTLY HOW FAST THE RAIN CHANGES BACK TO SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS...SIGNIFICANT WITHIN-BANK RISES ARE POSSIBLE ON HEADWATER TRIBUTARIES OF THE SAN FRANCISCO AND UPPER GILA RIVERS TONIGHT AND MONDAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THE STORM WILL BE ON ITS WAY TO THE EAST ON MONDAY WITH PRECIPITATION CHANCES DECREASING THROUGH THE DAY. LESS THAN AN INCH OF SNOW ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED ABOVE 7000 FEET. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Sabino Creek rose above 6 feet as heavy rainfall upstream on the Catalina Mountains caused long duration runoff into the Valley.
Localized amounts of rainfall in excess of 8 inches occurred on Mt. Lemmon causing extensive flooding and rock slides. Several people in Tucson needed to be rescued from flowing washes.
A swift water rescue occurred about 4 am at the Canada Del Oro Wash near West Overton Road and North La Cholla Blvd.
A swift water rescue took place in the Tanque Verde wash near North Wentworth Road and East Speedway Blvd.
The Blue River crested 4.5 feet above Bankfull stage due to heavy rainfall.
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: 67979, 67981, 68005, 68004, 67992.