Thunderstorms with heavy rain moved across the western portions of the city.
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.
Thunderstorms with heavy rain moved across the western portions of the city.
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 Sep 5, 5:45 AM MST, 4 hours 5 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ 545 AM MST SAT SEP 5 2009 .UPDATE...UPDATED FIRE WEATHER DISCUSSION && .SYNOPSIS... A SERIES OF WEAK PACIFIC LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS ARE FORECAST TO MOVE INTO THE REGION TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY FOR AN INCREASED CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. HEAVIER RAINS MAY OCCUR OVER PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL ARIZONA TODAY AND INTO TONIGHT. A DRYING TREND WILL BEGIN OUT WEST ON SUNDAY AND SPREAD ACROSS THE REST OF THE AREA NEXT WEEK. HIGH TEMPERATURES SHOULD REMAIN CLOSE TO THE NORMALS FOR EARLY SEPTEMBER. && .DISCUSSION... ONE WEAK UPPER TROUGH MOVED THROUGH NORTHERN AZ LAST NIGHT...WHILE ANOTHER TROUGH IS POISED TO MOVE EASTWARD AND INTO OUR WESTERN ZONES TODAY. YUMA 88D AND SATL IMAGERY SINCE MIDNIGHT SHOWED A STEADY THICKENING OF CLOUDS FROM NORTHERN BAJA...ACROSS THE IMPERIAL VALLEY AND NORTHWARD TO MOHAVE COUNTY. MOST CLOUD TOPS WERE 15-20 THSD FEET AND WITH THEY WERE SPREADING INTO LA PAZ COUNTY BY 3 AM. TO GO ALONG WITH THE INCREASING CLOUDS...SFC DEW POINTS HAVE SURGED INTO THE 70S AT YUMA AND EL CENTRO. ELSEWHERE...MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES WERE THE RULE. MODELS IN GOOD AGREEMENT IN TAKING HEIGHTS DOWN TODAY...AS WE WILL BE ON THE SOUTHERN FRINGES OF A POWERFUL PACIFIC LOW LIKELY TO MOVE ONSHORE BY MID DAY SUNDAY. PIECES OF ENERGY WILL BE HARD TO TIME AS THEY SWEEP INTO SOUTHERN CALIF...BUT 400-500MB STREAMLINES SHOW A SHARPER TROUGH AND GOOD DIFFLUENCE ALOFT ALONG THE LOWER COLO RIVER VALLEY AT 06/00Z. THUS AN INCREASE IN POPS OUT WEST IS WARRANTED AND WILL INSERT THE POSSIBILITY OF HEAVY RAINFALL FOR PARTS OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL DESERTS. ON LABOR DAY...ECMWF AND GFS BOTH SHOW A WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT AND A CONTINUED MOIST BOUNDARY LAYER. IN FACT...SFC TO 700 MB MIXING RATIOS STAY IN THE 10-12 G/KG RANGE EVEN INTO WEDNESDAY BEFORE SOME DECREASE OCCURS. UPPER RIDGE TRANSITIONS TO NEW MEXICO BY WED...AND BY 12Z THURSDAY BOTH MODELS SHOW THE ANTICYCLONIC CIRCULATION CENTERED NEAR THE 4 CORNERS FOR A CONTINUED FAVORABLE PATTERN FOR SLIGHT CHANCE POPS ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL AZ. && .AVIATION... KPHX/KIWA AND SURROUNDING AIRFIELDS... AS OF 4 AM...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN EAST OF PHOENIX...AND ISOLATED STORMS FORMED OVER WESTERN MARICOPA COUNTY. WITH AN APPROACHING PACIFIC SHORTWAVE HEADED OUR WAY...NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION FOR AN ISOLATED STORM TO AFFECT THE GREATER PHOENIX AREA THIS MORNING...BUT CONFIDENCE TOO LOW TO MENTION IN THE 12Z TAF. THE POSSIBILITY OF TSTMS INCREASES THIS AFTERNOON AS THE DISTURBANCE GETS CLOSER...SO FOR NOW...WILL INCLUDE CB AND VCTS IN TAFS AFTER ABOUT 22Z...IE EARLIER THAN ONE NORMALLY WOULD THINK...BUT APPROACHING SHORTWAVE COULD BRING EARLIER TSTM ONSET. DEPENDING ON STRENGTH OF CONVECTION LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...CIGS MAY LOWER TO BELOW 6K FEET...AND THERE COULD BE VSBYS LOWERED BELOW 6 MILES IN BLOWING DUST AT KIWA/KPHX. GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF MOISTURE IN PLACE ALONG WITH CONTINUED DYNAMICS...WILL LEAVE A VCSH IN BOTH TAFS AFT 04Z...CONTINUING INTO SUNDAY MORNING. EXPECTING WINDS TO BLOW FROM NORMAL NOCTURNAL/DIURNAL DIRECTIONS AND SPEEDS. OF COURSE...GUSTY WINDS COULD ACCOMPANY ANY STORMS. KIPL AND KBLH... AS OF 4 AM SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPED OVER THE DESERTS OF SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA...AND WILL LIKELY AFFECT KBLH THROUGH ABOUT 14Z. WILL PUT TEMPO TSRA INTO THE KBLH TAF THRU 14Z. LESS OF A THREAT FOR KIPL...BUT WILL MENTION VCTS FOR THEM. AFTER THIS BATCH OF STORMS DISSIPATES...MOVES TO THE EAST THERE WILL BE A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS REST OF THE DAY...BUT CONFIDENCE WILL BE TOO LOW TO MENTION IN THE TAFS. DO NOT EXPECT VISIBILITY RESTRICTION WITH THESE EARLY STORMS AS WIND SPEEDS SHOULD NOT BE EXCESSIVE...BUT THERE ALWAYS IS A THREAT FOR SOME BLOWING DUST/SAND TO OCCUR IN CONJUCTION WITH THE STORMS. SHOULD EVENTUALLY SEE SOME CLEARING FROM THE WEST LATER TODAY/THIS EVENING AS SOME DRYING STARTS TO TAKE PLACE. EXPECT WINDS TO BLOW FROM TYPICAL DIRECTIONS WITH NORMAL SPEEDS...AWAY FROM ANY STORMS THAT IS. OTHERWISE WINDS SHOULD FAVOR THE SOUTH FROM 6-15KT AT KBLH...AND THE SOUTHEAST AT KIPL. && .FIRE WEATHER... A TROUGH MOVING THROUGH THE NORTHERN CONUS WILL SUPPRESS THE MONSOON HIGH INTO MEXICO THROUGH ABOUT MONDAY. THE RESULTING WESTERLY FLOW WILL MAINLY CONFINE THE CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS TO EASTERN AZ. THE RIDGE IS EXPECTED TO BUILD BACK TO THE NORTH BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK...LEADING TO A SLIGHT WARMING TREND. IN ADDITION...THE FLOW ALOFT WILL BECOME MORE EASTERLY AND SPREAD MOISTURE WESTWARD ALLOWING FOR A CONTINUED SLIGHT CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS...MAINLY OVER SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA. && .PSR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AZ...NONE. CA...NONE. && NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX IS ON THE INTERNET AT WEATHER.GOV/PHOENIX DISCUSSION...SIPPLE AVIATION...CJB FIRE WEATHER...CJB
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ 516 AM MST SAT SEP 5 2009 AZZ024-061230- SOUTHERN GILA COUNTY/TONTO NATIONAL FOREST FOOTHILLS- 516 AM MST SAT SEP 5 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST-CENTRAL ARIZONA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN GILA COUNTY. THE STORMS ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO MOVE RATHER SLOWLY...WITH LOCALLY HEAVY AMOUNTS POSSIBLE BY THIS AFTERNOON. SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS TO 40 MPH...SMALL HAIL AND LIGHTNING. POSSIBLE HEAVY RAINS AND THE RUNOFF MAY LEAD TO AN INCREASING THREAT OF FLASH FLOODING ACROSS SOUTHERN GILA COUNTY THIS AFTERNOON. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THERE IS A CHANCE OF MAINLY AFTERNOON SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY. SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL...STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS...AND OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BECOME NECESSARY TODAY. WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. AZZ020>023-025>028-CAZ030>033-061230- LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY AZ-WEST CENTRAL DESERTS- NORTHWEST MARICOPA COUNTY-GREATER PHOENIX AREA- 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- 516 AM MST SAT SEP 5 2009 /516 AM PDT SAT SEP 5 2009/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF 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 SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP MAINLY OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN. A FEW OF THE STRONGER STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS TO 45 MPH WITH AREAS OF DENSE BLOWING DUST...AND DEADLY LIGHTNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF MAINLY AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS TO 40 MPH...AREAS OF DENSE BLOWING DUST AND DEADLY LIGHTNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BECOME NECESSARY TODAY. 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
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
932 AM MST SAT SEP 05 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0915 AM HEAVY RAIN 5 ENE PEORIA 33.71N 112.17W
09/05/2009 M0.65 INCH MARICOPA AZ TRAINED SPOTTER
MEASURED 0.65 INCHES IN 25 MIN.
&&
PADDOCKThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain reported. One spotter had 0.90 inches in 1.5 hours and another reported 0.5 inches in one hour.
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, September 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: 195574.