A strong cold front brought very strong and gusty winds to northern Arizona on March 22, 2009. The winds locally caused damage to buildings, power outages, and near zero visibility in blowing dust.
Every event with a place to put it; 14 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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 FGZ wrote it up.
A strong cold front brought very strong and gusty winds to northern Arizona on March 22, 2009. The winds locally caused damage to buildings, power outages, and near zero visibility in blowing dust.
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 Flagstaff, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 22, 10:00 AM MST, 2 hours 8 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ 1000 AM MST SUN MAR 22 2009 .SYNOPSIS...A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL AFFECT NORTHERN ARIZONA THROUGH MONDAY. VERY STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ACROSS NORTHERN ARIZONA TODAY. IN ADDITION TO WINDS EXPECT COOLER TEMPERATURES WITH PRECIPITATION CHANCES INCREASING LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO MONDAY MORNING AS A COLD FRONT WILL BRING VALLEY RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW SHOWERS TO AREAS ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40. && .DISCUSSION... WINDS ARE INCREASING ACROSS NORTHERN ARIZONA THIS MORNING IN ADVANCE OF AN APPROACHING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT. A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN AFFECT FOR NORTHEASTERN ARIZONA...INCLUDING THE LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY WITH SOUTHWEST WINDS EXPECTED TO REACH 35-45 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 65 MPH. A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OTHER ZONES WITH SOUTHWEST WINDS EXPECTED TO REACH 30-40 MPH WITH GUSTS BETWEEN 45 AND 55 MPH. OTHERWISE...RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS WITH ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP WHEN THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH THIS EVENING. NOT MUCH IN THE WAY OF PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED WITH THIS SYSTEM. SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE KAIBAB PLATEAU...OTHERWISE FROM FLAGSTAFF NORTHWARD LITTLE TO NO ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED. FORECAST GRIDS LOOK GOOD AND NO UPDATES ARE PLANNED. && .PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...AT 3AM...A STRONG TROUGH WAS MOVING ONTO THE WEST COAST...AND THIS SYSTEM WILL ARRIVE IN NORTHERN ARIZONA LATER THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. THE MAIN STORY WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL BE THE VERY STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS FROM MID MORNING THROUGH THE MID TO LATE EVENING. SURFACE LOW PRESSURE DEEPENING OVER THE 4-CORNERS REGION ALONG WITH 45-60 KT 700 MB WINDS WILL CAUSE THE WINDY CONDITIONS. WE WILL ISSUE A HIGH WIND WARNING FOR MUCH OF EASTERN ARIZONA WHERE 30-40 MPH SUSTAINED WINDS WITH GUSTS FROM 55 TO 65 MPH ARE EXPECTED. ELSEWHERE...A WIND ADVISORY WILL BE IN EFFECT WITH 25-35 MPH WINDS AND GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH. AS THE FRONTAL BAND MOVES TOWARD NORTHWEST ARIZONA THIS AFTERNOON...THERE WILL BE AN INCREASING CHANCE FOR SHOWERS...ESPECIALLY OVER THE KAIBAB PLATEAU. FOR TONIGHT...THE TROUGH AXIS WILL PASS THROUGH NORTHERN ARIZONA WITH THE BEST LIFT AND MOST UNSTABLE AIR MASS LOCATED NORTH OF THE MOGOLLON RIM. EXPECT A PERIOD OF RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS WITH A FEW THUNDERSTORMS ALSO POSSIBLE...MAINLY ACROSS THE NORTHERN THIRD OF THE STATE. SNOW AMOUNTS SHOULD REMAIN LIGHT. FOR MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...MAINLY DRY NORTHWEST FLOW WILL DEVELOP WITH TEMPERATURES RISING BACK TO NEAR NORMAL. THERE WILL BE A COUPLE OF WEAK DISTURBANCES PASSING BY...BUT PRECIP CHANCES APPEAR MINIMAL. BY THURSDAY...FORECAST MODELS INDICATE A STRONGER LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MAY DROP OUT OF THE NORTH INTO OUR REGION. WE COOLED OFF TEMPERATURES A FEW DEGREES AND KEPT A CHANCE FOR SHOWERS IN THE FORECAST. && .AVIATION...FOR THE 18Z PACKAGE. FROM 18Z SUN-06Z MON...EXPECT SUSTAINED SFC WIND FROM THE SOUTHWEST AT 20 TO 35 KTS WITH GUSTS FROM 40 TO 55 KTS. THE HIGHEST SPEEDS AND GUSTS WILL BE IN THE LEE OF THE KAIBAB PLATEAU AND MOGOLLON RIM AS WELL AS ALL OF NAVAJO AND APACHE COUNTIES. VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH 21Z. FROM 21Z SUN TO 06Z MON...A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL BRING WDSPRD MVFR CONDITIONS ALONG AND NORTH OF I-40. WDLY SCT IFR CONDITIONS IN SHSN WILL BE POSSIBLE FROM KFLG NORTHWARD. AFT 06Z MONDAY...VFR CONDITIONS RETURN TO NORTHWESTERN AZ AND SPREAD SLOWLY EASTWARD. AVIATION DISCUSSION NOT UPDATED FOR AMENDMENTS. && .FGZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES.... HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 9 AM UNTIL 11 PM MST TODAY FOR AZZ010>014-016-017-039-040. WIND ADVISORY FROM 9 AM UNTIL 11 PM MST TODAY FOR AZZ004>009-015-018-037-038. RED FLAG WARNING TODAY FROM NOON MST UNTIL 8 PM MST FOR AZ FIRE ZONES 110-111-116-139-140 && PUBLIC..................CLARK AVIATION/FIRE WEATHER...BOHLIN VISIT WEATHER.GOV/FLAGSTAFF FOR NORTHERN ARIZONA WEATHER INFORMATION.
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ 440 AM MST SUN MAR 22 2009 AZZ004>018-037>040-230600- KAIBAB PLATEAU-MARBLE AND GLEN CANYONS-GRAND CANYON COUNTRY- COCONINO PLATEAU-YAVAPAI COUNTY MOUNTAINS- NORTHEAST PLATEAUS AND MESAS HWY 264 NORTHWARD-CHINLE VALLEY- CHUSKA MOUNTAINS AND DEFIANCE PLATEAU- LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN COCONINO COUNTY- LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN NAVAJO COUNTY- LITTLE COLORADO RIVER VALLEY IN APACHE COUNTY- WESTERN MOGOLLON RIM-EASTERN MOGOLLON RIM-WHITE MOUNTAINS- NORTHERN GILA COUNTY-YAVAPAI COUNTY VALLEYS AND BASINS- OAK CREEK AND SYCAMORE CANYONS-BLACK MESA AREA- NORTHEAST PLATEAUS AND MESAS SOUTH OF HWY 264- 440 AM MST SUN MAR 22 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL ARIZONA...NORTH CENTRAL ARIZONA...NORTHEAST ARIZONA AND WEST CENTRAL ARIZONA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A STORM SYSTEM WILL APPROACH THE STATE TODAY AND TONIGHT... PRODUCING VERY STRONG WINDS. A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM UNTIL 11 PM MST FOR EAST CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST ARIZONA... INCLUDING SHOW LOW...WINSLOW...ST JOHNS AND WINDOW ROCK. SUSTAINED WINDS WILL REACH 35 TO 45 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO TO 65 MPH. ELSEWHERE ACROSS CENTRAL AND NORTHERN ARIZONA...A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT. FOR MORE DETAILS SEE PHXNPWFGZ. IN ADDITION...FROM LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY MONDAY MORNING A PERIOD OF LIGHT SNOW IS ANTICIPATED ACROSS THE NORTHERN THIRD OF THE STATE... WITH 1 TO 3 INCHES OF ACCUMULATION POSSIBLE OVER THE KAIBAB PLATEAU. SMALLER AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED ELSEWHERE WITH A DUSTING POSSIBLE AS FAR SOUTH AS FLAGSTAFF. .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. JJ
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
13 high wind, 1 dust storm. Local standard time, as filed.
A wind gust of 59 MPH was reported at the Prescott Love Field. The strong winds broke at least two large tree limbs 4 inches in diameter.
An ADOT anemometer at Leupp Road and I-40 reported a peak wind gust of 67 MPH. The Police Department in Tuba City reported very strong winds with periods of 1/4 mile visibility in blowing dust. A spotter in Leupp reported 3/4 to 1 mile in spotty blowing dust. Blowing dust along Highway 89 between Gap and Cameron reduced the visibility to 30 feet in places. A spotter at Meteor Crater reported about 1/2 mile visibility on I-40.
The Flagstaff Airport reported a peak wind gust of 64 MPH. Roof shingles were damaged in Fort Valley. Trees were knocked down in Kachina Village, including one that fell on a house. Two large pine trees were knocked down in east Flagstaff. Several street lamps were damaged in east Flagstaff as well.
The ASOS at the Winslow Airport reported a wind gust to 64 MPH. A spotter in Winslow reported that the wind knocked down an elm tree.
Weather spotters in Chinle reported very strong winds, power outages, blowing dust across area roads, and one half mile visibility for a couple of hours.
Wind gusts at Window Rock and Winslow were used to estimate high wind gusts over the Black Mesa.
The ASOS at the Grand Canyon Airport reported a peak wind gusts of 59 MPH.
Wind gusts to 58 MPH were estimated across portions of the Coconino Plateau.
The ASOS at Window Rock reported a peak wind gust of 59 MPH.
The ASOS at the St Johns Airport reported a peak wind gust of 66 MPH. The Petrified Forest National Park reported a peak wind gust of 58 MPH.
Up to 50 MPH wind caused blowing dust that reduced the visibility down to 20 feet between Chino Valley and Paulden just after 200 PM. There was a 15 car pile up near mile post 333. At least three people were taken to the hospital.
The Show Low Airport reported a peak wind gust of 60 MPH.
The Show Low Airport reported a peak wind gust of 60 MPH.
The Hopi RAWS reported a peak wind gust of 61 MPH.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arizona in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, March 2009
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: 156954, 156963, 156991, 156992, 156955, 156998, 156951, 156953, 156956, 156979, 158088, 156994, 156995, 156999.