Widespread rain, heavy at times, resulted in numerous flooded streets, and low spots. Strong winds associated with a line of thunderstorms caused considerable damage to property and some minor injuries.
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.
Widespread rain, heavy at times, resulted in numerous flooded streets, and low spots. Strong winds associated with a line of thunderstorms caused considerable damage to property and some minor injuries. Phoenix established a new all-time record low pressure of 29.20 inches on the 21st.
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 21, 6:00 AM MST, 30 minutes earlier.
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</html>HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ 551 AM MST THU JAN 21 2010 AZZ020-021-025-026-CAZ031-221300- LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY AZ-WEST CENTRAL DESERTS- YUMA/MARTINEZ LAKE AND VICINITY-SOUTHWEST DESERTS- LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY CA- 551 AM MST THU JAN 21 2010 /451 AM PST THU JAN 21 2010/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EXTREME SOUTHWEST ARIZONA...EXTREME WEST-CENTRAL ARIZONA...SOUTHWEST ARIZONA...WEST- CENTRAL ARIZONA AND EXTREME SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT ...HIGH WIND WARNING TODAY AND EARLY TONIGHT... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH LA PAZ COUNTY TODAY AND TONIGHT... HIGH WIND WARNING IS POSTED FROM 9 PM MST TO MIDNIGHT MST. AND EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN IS POSSIBLE TODAY AND TONIGHT IN LA PAZ COUNTY. A POWERFUL COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE AREA GENERATING STRONG POSSIBLY DAMAGING WINDS TODAY AND EARLY TONIGHT. WIND GUSTS COULD PEAK TO BETWEEN 50 AND 65 MPH. WET SOILS AND ADDITIONAL RAIN ON TREE TOPS COULD CAUSE LARGE TREES TO TOPPLE. ALSO...FLOOD OR FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE...ALONG WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS ARE POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY FRIDAY...FLASH FLOOD WATCH WILL CONTINUE THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH STRONG WINDS IS ALSO POSSIBLE. SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... NO WEATHER HAZAR ARE EXPECTED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. CAZ030-032-033-221300- JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK-RIVERSIDE COUNTY/EASTERN DESERTS- IMPERIAL COUNTY- 451 AM PST THU JAN 21 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EXTREME SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TODAY AND TONIGHT. SOME THUNDERSTORM WINDS COULD APPROACH 45 OR 50 MPH...ALONG WITH AREAS OF LOW VISIBILITY IN BLOWING DUST AND SAND. WET SOILS AND ADDITIONAL RAIN ON TREE TOPS COULD CAUSE LARGE TREES TO TOPPLE. ALSO...WET SOILS AND ADDITIONAL RAIN ON TREE TOPS COULD CAUSE LARGE TREES TO TOPPLE. FLOOD OR FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE...ALONG WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS ARE POSSIBLE.FLOOD OR FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE...ALONG WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS ARE POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NO WEATHER HAZARDS ARE EXPECTED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. AZZ022-023-027-028-221300- NORTHWEST MARICOPA COUNTY-GREATER PHOENIX AREA- SOUTHWEST MARICOPA COUNTY-NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL PINAL COUNTY- 551 AM MST THU JAN 21 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA. ...HIGH WIND WARNING TODAY AND EARLY TONIGHT... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH MARICOPA AND NORTHERN PINAL COUNTIES TODAY AND TONIGHT... HIGH WIND WARNING IS POSTED FROM 9 PM MST TO MIDNIGHT MST. AND EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN IS POSSIBLE TODAY AND TONIGHT IN LA PAZ COUNTY. A POWERFUL COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE AREA GENERATING STRONG POSSIBLY DAMAGING WINDS TODAY AND EARLY TONIGHT. WIND GUSTS COULD PEAK TO BETWEEN 50 AND 65 MPH. WET SOILS AND ADDITIONAL RAIN ON TREE TOPS COULD CAUSE LARGE TREES TO TOPPLE. ALSO...FLOOD OR FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE...ALONG WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS ARE POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY FRIDAY...FLASH FLOOD WATCH WILL CONTINUE THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH STRONG WINDS IS ALSO POSSIBLE. SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... NO WEATHER HAZARDS ARE EXPECTED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. AZZ024-221300- SOUTHERN GILA COUNTY/TONTO NATIONAL FOREST FOOTHILLS- 551 AM MST THU JAN 21 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST-CENTRAL ARIZONA. ...HIGH WIND WARNING TODAY AND EARLY TONIGHT... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH SOUTHERN GILA COUNTY TODAY AND TONIGHT... HIGH WIND WARNING IS POSTED FROM 9 PM MST TO MIDNIGHT MST. AND EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN IS POSSIBLE TODAY AND TONIGHT IN LA PAZ COUNTY. A POWERFUL COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE AREA GENERATING STRONG POSSIBLY DAMAGING WINDS TODAY AND EARLY TONIGHT. WIND GUSTS COULD PEAK TO BETWEEN 50 AND 65 MPH. WET SOILS AND ADDITIONAL RAIN ON TREE TOPS COULD CAUSE LARGE TREES TO TOPPLE. ALSO...A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS ARE POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY FRIDAY...FLASH FLOOD WATCH WILL CONTINUE THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH STRONG WINDS IS ALSO POSSIBLE. SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... NO WEATHER HAZARDS ARE EXPECTED. .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
The Phoenix radar (KIWA), 116 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 13:29 UTC.
4 flood, 3 high wind, 3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Five people were rescued from flood waters at 389th and Orangewood.
Numerous reports of flooding in Southern Gila County. Residents were evacuated along the wash south of San Carlos. Residents near Tonto Basin were stranded for several days after flows of about 60,000 cfs were measured along the Tonto Creek. By Monday, January 25th, the flow was down to about 550 cfs.
Sheriff reported a road closure due to flooding at Cotton road and Camelback. Numerous other streets in the West Valley had some flooding later in the day.
Ten utility poles along US 60 near Gladden were blown down by high winds. Power was cut off to Salome, Wenden and other communities until 2:15 pm.
Four semi trucks overturned on Interstate Highway 8 at milepost 42 and milepost 67 due to high winds.
Numerous reports of large trees blown down in Yuma.
Numerous power poles blown down due to thunderstorm winds and heavy rain.
APS power lines were down from flood waters in the Salt River.
Three large trees blown over at Bell Road and 16th Street. A large tent at the Russo Steele Auction in Scottsdale near Mayo Blvd and Scottsdale Rd was destroyed and blown into nearby State Highway Loop 101 when winds collapsed the tent onto many classic cars. Small damage at a nearby Barrett Jackson Auction. Three minor injuries reported.
Two power poles were blown down just south of the intersection of Gilbert Road and Hunt highway.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arizona in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, January 2010
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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 209753, 204150, 209754, 209752, 213703, 213705, 208522, 209755, 204151, 204152.