Mid level dry air pushed in above low level monsoon moisture, triggering widespread thunderstorms with flash flooding and severe weather.
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 VEF wrote it up.
Mid level dry air pushed in above low level monsoon moisture, triggering widespread thunderstorms with flash flooding and severe weather.
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 Las Vegas, NV wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 26, 8:00 PM MST, 6 hours earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV 800 PM PDT FRI JUL 26 2013 .SYNOPSIS...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE OVER THE AREA THROUGH SATURDAY WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL POSSIBLE AND GUSTY WINDS. A DRYING TREND WILL BEGIN FROM THE WEST ON SUNDAY WITH DRY CONDITIONS EXPECTED AREAWIDE BY TUESDAY OF NEXT WEEK. TEMPERATURES WILL GENERALLY BE A LITTLE BELOW NORMAL OVER THE WEEKEND WITH NEAR TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES NEXT WEEK. && .UPDATE...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS STILL AFFECTING MAINLY NORTHERN MOHAVE COUNTY AND CENTRAL AND NORTHERN LINCOLN COUNTY THIS EVENING WITH MAINLY SCATTERED LIGHT SHOWERS AND ISOLATED STORMS MOVING NORTH THROUGH INYO COUNTY. THE STORMS OVER LINCOLN AND MOHAVE COUNTY SEEM TO HAVE BEEN FORMING ALONG A WEAK CONVERGENCE BOUNDARY THAT STRETCHES FROM NORTHERN ARIZONA TO EASTERN LINCOLN COUNTY. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY ALSO BE ENHANCED BY A WEAK CIRCULATION THAT IS MOVING THROUGH CENTRAL MOHAVE COUNTY. LAPS DATA STILL SHOWING FAIRLY DECENT INSTABILITY OVER THE FAR EASTERN AREAS OF THE CWA INCLUDING NORTHEAST CLARK COUNTY. THIS IS AN AREA THAT WILL HAVE TO BE WATCHED THIS EVENING AS SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY MOVING SOUTHEAST AND SOME LIGHT RADAR RETURNS HAVE BEEN SHOWING UP ALONG THE CLARK/LINCOLN COUNTY LINE. ITS POSSIBLE THAT STORMS MAY CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND MOVE SOUTHWEST LATER THIS EVENING. MID LEVEL CIRCULATION STILL MOVING UP THROUGH CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AND ALTHOUGH PRECIPITATION HAS BEEN FAIRLY WEAK OVER INYO COUNTY OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF HOURS...THUNDERSTORMS MAY INCREASE IN INTENSITY OVERNIGHT. HAVE KEPT THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR INYO COUNTY THROUGH 8AM SATURDAY MORNING. && .PREV DISCUSSION... 238 PM PDT FRI JUL 26 2013 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT...A FAIRLY ACTIVE PERIOD LOOKS TO BE IN STORE FOR THE CWA THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT BUT THERE IS CONSIDERABLE UNCERTAINTY AS TO WHERE THE MAIN FOCUS WILL BE. CURRENTLY THERE IS A WEAK CIRCULATION MOVING ACROSS WESTERN SAN BERNARDINO WHICH IS EXPECTED TO MOVE NORTH DURING THE NIGHT. THIS SHOULD PROVIDE A FOCUS FOR CONVECTION DURING THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON AND OVERNIGHT AS IT CONTINUES NORTH ACROSS INYO COUNTY. AT THE SAME TIME...A SECOND CIRCULATION IS MOVING WEST ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE CWA...WHILE DAYTIME HEATING/CLEARER SKIES ARE MANAGING TO ALLOW ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS TO FORM OVER THE REMAINDER OF THE CWA. THE HIGHEST PWAT VALUES ARE OVER THE EXTREME SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA...APPROACHING 2 INCHES...WHICH MEANS PLENTY OF MOISTURE ACROSS THE CWA TO SUPPORT LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL...WITH LITTLE CHANGE EXPECTED FOR SATURDAY. THE PROBLEM FOR SATURDAY IS WHERE WILL THE TWO CIRCULATIONS GO. CONSIDERABLE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NAM/ECMWF AND THE GFS ARE OCCURRING WHICH IS LEADING TO THE UNCERTAINTY MENTIONED EARLIER. THE NAM/ECMWF TAKES THE GENERAL COMBINED CIRCULATIONS ACROSS CENTRAL NEVADA ON SATURDAY...WHILE THE GFS HAS THE TRANSITION FURTHER SOUTH. THE RESULT BEING THAT THE MAIN FOCUS OF THUNDERSTORMS ON SATURDAY WILL BE OVER THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE CWA PER THE NAM/ECMWF...OR OVER THE EASTERN PORTION...ESPECIALLY MOHAVE/CLARK COUNTIES PER THE GFS. DUE TO THE UNCERTAINTY HAVE TRENDED TOWARDS A COMPROMISE WITH SCATTERED TO LIKELY THUNDERSTORMS FOR SATURDAY AFTERNOON/NIGHT OVER BOTH AREAS. INITIAL THOUGHTS WAS TO BROADBRUSH A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR SATURDAY IN THESE AREAS...BUT DECIDED TO HOLD OFF ON THIS FOR THIS PACKAGE IN ORDER TO TRY AND NARROW IT DOWN...IF NEEDED...IN LATER PACKAGES. HOWEVER WILL CONTINUE THE CURRENT FLASH FLOOD WATCHES THAT ARE OUT THROUGH THIS EVENING/NIGHT FOR THE WESTERN SECTIONS. EXPECTING INCREASED CLOUD COVER EITHER WAY OVER MUCH OF THE CWA ON SATURDAY WHICH WILL RESULT IN COOLER DAYTIME TEMPERATURES OVER THE REGION WHICH WILL RESULT IN NEAR TO SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL READINGS FOR SATURDAY. .LONG TERM...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...A WEAK SHORTWAVE MOVING INTO THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COAST ON SUNDAY WILL BRING DRIER...MORE STABLE AIR TO THE SOUTHWESTERN CWA WHERE DRY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED. SUFFICIENT MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY IS FORECAST OVER THE NORTHERN ZONES AND MOHAVE COUNTY WHERE ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL EXPECTED. THE UPPER FLOW BECOMES SOLIDLY SOUTHWEST ON MONDAY RESULTING IN MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS EVERYWHERE EXCEPT PERHAPS THE EASTERN CWA FRINGES. THE SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW AND EMBEDDED SHORTWAVES MOVING INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST WILL CONTINUE TO SCOUR MOISTURE OUT OF THE AREA THROUGH AT LEAST THURSDAY. THIS PATTERN FITS IN WELL WITH A CLIMATOLOGICAL DECREASE IN MONSOON ACTIVITY HEADING INTO EARLY AUGUST. MODELS INDICATE THERE COULD BE A WEAK MOISTURE PUSH NEXT WEEKEND. && .AVIATION...FOR MCCARRAN...THUNDERSTORMS IN AND AROUND THE VALLEY ARE EXPECTED INTO THIS EVENING WITH CIGS AROUND 6K FEET POSSIBLE AND A POTENTIAL FOR A BRIEF REDUCTION IN VISIBILITY IN STRONGER OUTFLOW OR IF STORMS DEVELOP OVER THE AIRPORT. SURFACE WINDS WILL GENERALLY BE DRIVEN BY THUNDERSTORM OUTFLOW THROUGH THIS EVENING WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30KTS. WHEN WINDS RELAX BETWEEN OUTFLOW...A SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST DIRECTION UNDER 10KTS IS EXPECTED. MORE STORMS WITH GUSTY WINDS AND BRIEF HEAVY RAIN ARE POSSIBLE TONIGHT AND SATURDAY. FOR THE REST OF SOUTHERN NEVADA...NORTHWEST ARIZONA...AND SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED AREAWIDE THROUGH SATURDAY...WITH WINDS GENERALLY OUT OF THE SOUTH AROUND 10KTS OUTSIDE OF THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. CIGS WILL VARY BUT COULD BE AS LOW AS 6K FEET IN STORMS ALONG WITH BRIEF VISIBILITY REDUCTIONS. && .VEF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NV...NONE. AZ...NONE. CA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING FOR CAZ519>521. && GORELOW/JENSEN/SALMEN FOR MORE FORECAST INFORMATION...SEE US ON OUR WEBPAGE: HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/LASVEGAS OR FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV 207 PM PDT FRI JUL 26 2013 AZZ001>003-036-CAZ522-524-526-527-NVZ014>022-270700- NORTHWEST PLATEAU-LOWER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY-NORTHWEST DESERTS- LAKE MEAD NATIONAL RECREATION AREA-DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK- EASTERN MOJAVE DESERT-CADIZ BASIN-SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY- UPPER COLORADO RIVER VALLEY-ESMERALDA AND CENTRAL NYE COUNTY- LINCOLN COUNTY-NORTHEAST CLARK COUNTY- WESTERN CLARK AND SOUTHERN NYE COUNTY-SHEEP RANGE- SPRING MOUNTAINS-LAS VEGAS VALLEY-SOUTHERN CLARK COUNTY- 207 PM PDT FRI JUL 26 2013 /207 PM MST FRI JUL 26 2013/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST ARIZONA...CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHERN NEVADA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE SEEN THROUGH TONIGHT. THESE STORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF PRODUCING BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL AND GUSTY WINDS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ON SATURDAY WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL AND GUSTY WINDS CONTINUING. A DRYING TREND WILL BEGIN FROM THE WEST ON SUNDAY...WITH DRY CONDITIONS EXPECTED OVER THE AREA TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER...SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANDY SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. CAZ519>521-270700- EASTERN SIERRA SLOPES-OWENS VALLEY-WHITE MOUNTAINS OF INYO COUNTY- 207 PM PDT FRI JUL 26 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CALIFORNIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT WITH WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR VERY HEAVY RAINFALL. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE SEEN ON SATURDAY WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL POSSIBLE. DRYING WILL BE SEEN ON SUNDAY...HOWEVER ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS...MAINLY OVER THE MOUNTAINS ARE STILL POSSIBLE. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER...SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANDY SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. CAZ523-525-270700- WESTERN MOJAVE DESERT-MORONGO BASIN- 207 PM PDT FRI JUL 26 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CALIFORNIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AND GUSTY WINDS. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH 8 PM THIS EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ON SATURDAY BUT DRYING ON SUNDAY SHOULD PUSH THE CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TO THE EAST OF THE AREA...RESULTING IN NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER FOR THE AREA SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER...SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANDY SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
The Cedar City radar (KICX), 77 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 09:01 UTC.
6 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Moccasin Wash Road was closed due to flash flooding.
Five to 10 inches of water and debris flowed over DW Ranch Road.
A tour bus drove into a flooded wash at mile marker 16 on Pierce Ferry Road, floated down the wash, and lodged on its side on an embankment. Everyone was rescued. The bus was a total loss.
Diamond Bar Road was closed due to flooding.
At least three cars were stuck in water, with water lapping over the hoods. Water and debris flowed over several roads, and one swift water rescue took place. Three rain gages in the area measured 2 to 2.5 inches of rain in two hours.
Tree limbs 2-4 inches in diameter were blown down.
Central Street in Colorado City was closed due to flooding.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arizona in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, July 2013
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: 466569, 466571, 466579, 466574, 466576, 466577, 466581.