Scattered thunderstorms developed across south central Arizona, in the Wickenburg area as well as portions of southern Gila county, on July 23. The storms produced strong gusty winds, and locally heavy rain which led to flooding of roads and washes.
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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.
Scattered thunderstorms developed across south central Arizona, in the Wickenburg area as well as portions of southern Gila county, on July 23. The storms produced strong gusty winds, and locally heavy rain which led to flooding of roads and washes.
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 Jul 23, 9:40 AM MST, 50 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ 940 AM MST FRI JUL 23 2010 .SYNOPSIS... LOW PRESSURE MOVING THROUGH EASTERN ARIZONA WILL BRING A CONTINUED CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO THE REGION TODAY...IN ADDITION TO WELL BELOW SEASONAL NORMAL HIGH TEMPERATURES FOR SOUTH CENTRAL ARIZONA. SOMEWHAT DRIER AND WARMER WEATHER IS EXPECTED THIS WEEKEND AS THE LOW SLOWLY MOVES EAST AND INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. MOISTURE...ALONG WITH A HIGHER CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...WILL RETURN NEXT WEEK. && .DISCUSSION... CURRENT SAT AND RADAR TRENDS INDICATE THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER YAVAPAI COUNTY AND PORTIONS OF NORTHWESTERN MARICOPA COUNTY WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS. THE MAIN THREAT WITH THIS AREA OF CONVECTION WILL BE PERIODS OF MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN. 12Z PHX SOUNDING DOES NOT SUPPORT REAL STRONG WINDS...BUT CANNOT RULE OUT 40MPH GUSTS WITH THE STRONGER STORMS THAT DEVELOP. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE SOUTHWARD INTO MORE OF THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE LOWER DESERTS...INCLUDING THE PHOENIX METROPOLITAN AREA...AROUND 11AM/12 NOON. GIVEN THE ACTIVE WEATHER...AND SIGNIFICANT CLOUD COVER...TEMPS WILL STRUGGLE TO REACH 100 TODAY OVER THE CENTRAL DESERTS. OVER THE WESTERN CWA /SOUTHEAST CA AND THE LOWER CO RIVER VALLEY/...MORE SUNSHINE AND LESS MOISTURE AVAILABILITY WILL ALLOW TEMPS TO WARM TO NEAR NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR...AROUND 107. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF INCREASING POPS FOR TODAY...THE FORECAST REMAINS ON TRACK AND NO ADDITIONAL UPDATES ARE NEEDED AT THIS TIME. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION REMAINS VALID... PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... SOUTHERLY FLOW AROUND A BROAD UPPER HIGH OVER THE SOUTH-CENTRAL CONUS CONTINUES TO ADVECT SIGNIFICANT MOISTURE INTO ARIZONA...AND THE LATEST VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWED THE IMPRESSIVE MONSOONAL PLUME OF DEEP MOISTURE COVERING MOST OF THE STATE. PWAT VALUES FROM THE RECENT 00Z PHX/TUS RAOBS APPROACHED 2 INCHES...AND SURFACE DEWPOINTS OVER THE LOWER CENTRAL DESERTS AT 2 AM WERE MOSTLY IN THE 60S. VAPOR IMAGERY EARLY THIS MORNING SHOWED AN INVERTED TROF MOVING INTO SRN AZ OUT OF NWRN MEXICO...AND IN ADDITION A VORT MAX/MCV COULD BE SEEN IN IR IMAGERY SPINNING OVER SERN ARIZONA. CONSIDERABLE CLOUD COVER ASSOCIATED WITH THESE FEATURES WAS OVER ARIZONA...INCLUDING MOST OF THE CWA EAST OF THE LOWER CO RIVER VALLEY. ALSO...RADAR CONTINUED TO SHOW SCATTERED PRECIP ECHOS OVER SOUTH-CENTRAL AZ THIS MORNING...ALTHOUGH RAINFALL AMOUNTS WERE ON THE LIGHT SIDE FOR THE MOST PART. LATEST NAM/GFS/ECMWF ALL AGREE NICELY AND FORECAST THE UPPER LOW TO MOVE SLOWLY NORTH AND PARK ITSELF OVER EAST CENTRAL ARIZONA TODAY. THE FEATURE WILL LEAD TO CONSIDERABLE CLOUDINESS AND PRODUCE WELL BELOW SEASONAL NORMAL TEMPS ACROSS CENTRAL AZ. HIGH THURSDAY AT PHOENIX WAS 100...AND WE WILL BE NEAR OR SLIGHTLY BELOW THAT MARK TODAY. TODAY WILL BE UNSETTLED...WITH POPS SLIGHT CHANCE TO LOW END CHANCE ALL DAY. COOL HIGH TEMPS WILL KEEP INSTABILITY DOWN THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...THAT IS WHY DESERT POPS WILL STAY AROUND 20 PERCENT DESPITE THE COPIOUS MOISTURE. PROGS AGREE TO A VARYING DEGREE THAT THE UPPER LOW WILL SLOWLY WEAKEN AND MOVE NORTHEAST TONIGHT THROUGH THE WEEKEND. GFS IS A LITTLE QUICKER TO EJECT THE FEATURE TO THE NORTHEAST AS COMPARED TO NAM/ECMWF...HOWEVER IT HAS SHOWN THE TENDENCY TO SPREAD DRIER AIR INTO THE WESTERN CWA OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS. WILL GO WITH A BLEND OF THE PROGS...AND SHOW GRADUALLY DECREASING POPS FROM WEST TO EAST OVER THE WEEKEND...AS SLIGHTLY DRIER AIR MOVES IN FROM THE WEST. PROGS ARE ALSO CONSISTENT IN SHOWING A NLY TO NELY STEERING FLOW OVER CENTRAL AZ THIS WEEKEND. SO...WITH MOISTURE SLOW TO LEAVE...THIS FAVORABLE FLOW SHOULD BE ABLE TO ADVECT A FEW RIM STORMS SOUTHWARD AND INTO THE CENTRAL DESERTS EACH DAY. HAVE RAISED POPS SLIGHTLY THIS WEEKEND AND HAVE A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR EVENING POPS OVER THE LOWER DESERTS...INCLUDING THE PHOENIX METRO AREA...EACH DAY. TEMPS WILL GRADUALLY WARM DAY BY DAY AS MOISTURE VALUES LOWER...AND SHOULD REACH TO SEASONAL NORMAL VALUES BY SUNDAY OVER SOUTH CENTRAL AZ. LATEST EXTENDED GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO CALL FOR AN UPPER LOW TO APPROACH THE CA COAST FROM THE WEST...CAUSING THE LOW/MID LEVEL FLOW TO BACK AND ADVECT INCREASING MOISTURE INTO THE STATE FROM NWRN MEXICO. AS SUCH AN UPWARD POP/WEATHER TREND WILL REMAIN IN THE FORECAST FOR NEXT MONDAY INTO THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. MODERATE GRADE MONSOON FORECAST WILL BE IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF THE PERIOD...ALONG WITH TEMPS NEAR OR A BIT BELOW SEASONAL NORMALS. && .AVIATION... SOUTH-CENTRAL AZ INCLUDING KPHX...KIWA AND SURROUNDING AIRFIELDS... UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE PERSISTS OVER EASTERN ARIZONA...SLOW TO LEAVE THE REGION. EXPECT SCT-BKN CLOUD COVER WITH CIGS AOA 10KFT... AND ISOLD T-STORMS POSSIBLE LATER TODAY. BREAKS IN CLOUD COVER AND SURFACE HEATING COULD BRING UPSWING IN T-STORM ACTIVITY LATER THIS AFTN/EVE. WEAK N-NELY STEERING FLOWS COULD HELP PROPAGATE STORMS OFF THE HIGHER TERRAIN AND CLOSE TO KPHX/KIWA AFTER 22Z...UNCERTAINTY AT THIS TIME DICTATES CB USE IN TAF. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA...INCLUDING KIPL AND KBLH... S-SWLY FLOW ACROSS SE CA AND THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY TODAY. AIRMASS SOMEWHAT DRIER...YIELDING SCT HIGH CLOUDS AOA 15KFT THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD. AVIATION DISCUSSION NOT UPDATED FOR AMENDED TAFS. && .FIRE WEATHER... SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY... HIGH PRESSURE OVER EAST OF ARIZONA...WILL DRAW A DRIER FLOW INTO SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHWEST ARIZONA...KEEPING THIS AREA DRY THROUGH THE WEEKEND. HOWEVER...SUFFICIENT MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY WILL HELP GENERATE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...MAINLY OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF SOUTH CENTRAL ARIZONA. MONDAY...THE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM BEGINS TO SHIFT WEST AHEAD OF A WEAK PACIFIC LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM...AND THE FLOW ONCE AGAIN DRAWS MORE MOISTURE NORTH INTO ARIZONA FROM MEXICO...INCREASING THE CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND LOWER DESERTS THROUGH MID-WEEK. && .PSR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AZ...NONE. CA...NONE. && NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX IS ON THE INTERNET AT WEATHER.GOV/PHOENIX DISCUSSION...WANEK/CB AVIATION...MEYERS FIRE WEATHER...MEYERS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ 610 AM MST FRI JUL 23 2010 AZZ021>023-026>028-241300- WEST CENTRAL DESERTS-NORTHWEST MARICOPA COUNTY-GREATER PHOENIX AREA- SOUTHWEST DESERTS-SOUTHWEST MARICOPA COUNTY- NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL PINAL COUNTY- 610 AM MST FRI JUL 23 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA...SOUTHWEST ARIZONA AND WEST-CENTRAL ARIZONA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE WILL BE A SLIGHT CHANCE TO A CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS IN EXCESS OF 45 MPH...LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN...BLOWING DUST AND DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THERE WILL BE A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR MAINLY AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS THIS WEEKEND AND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...WITH CHANCES INCREASING BY NEXT TUESDAY. THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS IN EXCESS OF 45 MPH...BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL...BLOWING DUST AND DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. AZZ020-025-CAZ030>033-241300- LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY AZ-YUMA/MARTINEZ LAKE AND VICINITY- JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK-LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY CA- RIVERSIDE COUNTY/EASTERN DESERTS-IMPERIAL COUNTY- 610 AM MST FRI JUL 23 2010 /610 AM PDT FRI JUL 23 2010/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EXTREME SOUTHWEST ARIZONA...EXTREME WEST-CENTRAL ARIZONA...EXTREME SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NO WEATHER HAZARDS ARE EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY IT WILL BECOME VERY HOT THIS WEEKEND...WITH MANY LOCATIONS EXPECTED TO REACH OR EXCEED 110 DEGREES OVER THE LOWER DESERT. HIGH TEMPERATURES SHOULD REMAIN BELOW EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING THRESHOLDS. TEMPERATURES WILL LOWER INTO THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK...THEN BECOME VERY HOT BY NEXT THURSDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. AZZ024-241300- SOUTHERN GILA COUNTY/TONTO NATIONAL FOREST FOOTHILLS- 610 AM MST FRI JUL 23 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST-CENTRAL ARIZONA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE WILL BE A CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS IN EXCESS OF 45 MPH...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AND DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. THE RAINFALL MAY BE SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE WASHES TO RUN...AS WELL AS LOCAL FLOODING OF AREA ROADS AND LOW LYING AREAS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THERE WILL BE A CONTINUED CHANCE FOR MAINLY AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY. THE STRONGER STORMS MAY PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS IN EXCESS OF 45 MPH...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AND DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. .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 BRECKENRIDGE
The Phoenix radar (KIWA), 128 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:28 UTC.
2 heavy rain, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Brief heavy downpours at highway 60 and Vulture Mine road. One report indicated .35 inch in less than an hour.
Heavy rainfall from strong thunderstorms produced areas of flooding in the Wickenburg area. Standing and running water was reported near the intersection of highways 93 and 60, not far from the center of Wickenburg. Rainfall rates up to three quarters of an inch per hour were also reported in the area.
Very strong thunderstorm winds, gusting to 60 mph, downed a number of branches. Locally heavy rain was reported as well, with one half of an inch reported in just 30 minutes.
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, July 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 252451, 250237, 250236.