Name: High Wind in Arizona, April 26, 2014
Start: 2014-04-26T12:45
End: 2014-04-26T15:45
Location: Arizona

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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Heat and drought
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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS TWC wrote it up.

A strong area of low pressure was located near the Las Vegas, NV area on the morning of April 26, 2014. As the low moved through northern Arizona, strong and gusty southwest winds were experienced in parts of southeastern portions of the state in response to the tightening pressure gradient and subsequent passing of a cold front.

What forecasters said that day

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 Tucson, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 26, 9:00 AM MST, 3 hours 45 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 26, 9:00 AM MST, 3 hours 45 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ
900 AM MST SAT APR 26 2014

.SYNOPSIS...A COLDER STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE STATE TODAY.
WINDY WITH STRONG GUSTS...ESPECIALLY IN COCHISE COUNTY LATER THIS
AFTERNOON. TURNING MUCH COOLER ACROSS SOUTHERN ARIZONA THIS
AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS. SNOW IS POSSIBLE IN THE HIGHER MOUNTAIN ELEVATIONS. A
RETURN TO WARMER TEMPERATURES AND SUNNY SKIES EARLY NEXT WEEK.

&&

.DISCUSSION...THE WEATHER PROBLEM OF THE DAY IS THE EXACT TIMING OF
THE COLD FRONT AS IT PASSES THROUGH SOUTHERN ARIZONA. THIS TIMING
WILL DETERMINE THE HIGH TEMPERATURES...EXTENT OF THUNDERSTORMS AND
THE AREAS OF STRONGEST WINDS. THE MODELS VARY ON THE TIMING AT
TUCSON FROM NOON THROUGH 5 PM...LIKEWISE LATER TIMES FURTHER EAST OF
TUCSON. CLOUD BANDS INDICATE THE FRONT HAS MOVED THROUGH YUM...SO AN
EARLY AFTERNOON TIME FOR TUCSON APPEARS REASONABLE. THIS TIMING IS
ASSOCIATED WITH THE GREATEST CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION AND
THUNDERSTORMS.  WINDS WILL ALSO SHIFT FROM A SOUTHWEST TO MORE OF A
WESTERLY DIRECTION AS THE FRONT PASSES. THE CURRENT FORECAST PACKAGE
HAS THESE TRENDS DEPICTED WELL...SO NO CHANGES PLANNED FOR THIS
MORNING. MORE STORM DETAILS IN THE PREVIOUS DISCUSSION BELOW.

&&

.AVIATION...A STRONG STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
THROUGH ARIZONA TODAY. GUSTY SWLY WINDS BECOMING WINDY BY LATE
MORNING...AND THEN BECOMING MORE WESTERLY THIS AFTERNOON BEHIND A
COLD FRONT PUSHING ACROSS THE AREA FROM THE WEST. EXPECT SURFACE
WIND SPEEDS TO INCREASE TO 15-35 KTS WITH GUSTS OF 40-55 KTS. THE
STRONGEST WIND VALUES SHOULD BE IN EASTERN AREAS AROUND THE
VICINITY OF KDUG. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS THIS
AFTERNOON. GENERALLY VFR WITH BRIEF MFR CIGS POSSIBLE IN SHOWERS.
IMPROVING CONDITIONS SATURDAY NIGHT...AS WINDS DIMINISH WITH
CLEARING FROM THE WEST. DRY CONDITIONS WITH LESS WIND SUNDAY.
AVIATION DISCUSSION NOT UPDATED FOR TAF AMENDMENTS.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS
MORNING TO 7 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR THE EASTERN HALF OF FIRE
ZONE 152...OR EAST OF A DOUGLAS TO SAFFORD LINE BELOW 5000 FEET. THE
COMBINATION OF STRONG AND GUSTY SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS...LOW
RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES AND A HIGH FIRE DANGER RATING WILL CREATE
CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

OTHERWISE...A STRONG PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE EASTWARD ACROSS
ARIZONA TODAY. IN ADDITION TO THE STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS...THERE
IS A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE VALLEYS...AND SNOW
ACROSS THE HIGHER MOUNTAIN ELEVATIONS. MUCH COOLER TEMPERATURES
EXPECTED ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA ON SUNDAY. PRECIPITATION WILL END
NEAR THE ARIZONA/NEW MEXICO BORDER TONIGHT. THEREAFTER...DRY
CONDITIONS WITH A WARMING TREND DURING THE UPCOMING WEEK. EXPECT
NORMAL DIURNAL WIND TRENDS EARLY IN THE NEW WEEK...WITH OCCASIONAL
GUSTS DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS DUE TO DAYTIME HEATING. LOCALLY
GUSTY EAST WINDS MAY THEN OCCUR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION...STRONG AND COOL PACIFIC SYSTEM PUSHING FROM
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INTO WESTERN ARIZONA THIS MORNING. ASSOCIATED
COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH THE STATE TODAY WITH WINDY GRADIENT
ENHANCEMENT AND POTENTIAL DUST ISSUES. MUCH COOLER BEHIND THE FRONT
WITH IT PUSHING THROUGH OUR PART OF THE STATE THIS AFTERNOON. SOME
LIGHT UPSLOPE PRECIP WITH A BETTER CHANCE JUST AHEAD OF AND WITH THE
FRONTAL BOUNDARY...FOR SE AZ BETWEEN 18Z-00Z. DAYTIME HIGHS
GENERALLY RUNNING 15-20 DEGREES BELOW YESTERDAY EXCEPT FOR AREAS
FURTHER EAST THAT WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO HEAT UP IN THE SOUTHERLY
WARM SECTOR BEFORE THE FRONT SWEEPS THROUGH. ISOLATED CONVECTION
POSSIBLE BUT MAIN STORY SHOULD BE THE WIND WITH HIGH WIND CRITERIA
EXPECTED IN FAR EASTERN AREAS (SUSTAINED 40 MPH WITH GUSTS IN THE
50-60 MPH RANGE POSSIBLE).

THE COLD FRONT WILL PUSH QUICKLY INTO NEW MEXICO THIS EVENING WITH
PARTIAL CLEARING FROM THE WEST. AIRMASS POTENTIAL OF OVERNIGHT LOWS
IN COLDEST EASTERN VALLEY LOCATIONS (COCHISE COUNTY) NEAR FREEZING
SUNDAY MORNING...HOWEVER GRADIENT ENHANCEMENT WILL KEEP WINDS UP
ENOUGH IN EASTERN AREAS TO KEEP THINGS MIXED ALONG WITH PATCHY
RESIDUAL MOISTURE.

AS THE EASTERN PACIFIC RIDGE NOSES IN FROM THE WEST THE 00Z ECMWF
HAS RETURNED TO TRYING TO PINCH OFF A LITTLE ENERGY BACKING INTO THE
DESERT SOUTHWEST AROUND THURSDAY WITH AN OMEGA CONFIGURATION IN THE
FAR WEST. THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TEMPERATURES WITH THAT
SCENARIO AND THE MUCH WARMER POTENTIAL OF SIMPLY PHASING IN THE
RIDGE FROM THE WEST. BEST GUESS IS WE'LL AT LEAST SEE ENOUGH ENERGY
CARVING INTO THE BACK SIDE OF THE MEAN TROUGH POSITION DOWNSTREAM TO
ENHANCE OUR WINDS IN EASTERN AREAS AND TEMPER THE WARMING TREND
SOMEWHAT...ESPECIALLY CLOSER TO THE NEW MEXICO BORDER.

&&

.TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
  RED FLAG WARNING FROM 11 AM TO 7 PM MST TODAY FOR AZZ152.

  HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 11 AM TO 9 PM MST TODAY FOR AZZ508-512.

  WIND ADVISORY FROM 11 AM TO 9 PM MST TODAY FOR AZZ507-509-
   511-513.

  WIND ADVISORY FROM 11 AM TO 7 PM MST TODAY FOR
   AZZ503-504-506-510-514.

&&

VISIT US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER...YOUTUBE...AND AT WEATHER.GOV/TUCSON

PREV DISCUSSION...MEYER
AVIATION/FIRE WEATHER...MEADOWS
DISCUSSION...GWS

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Upper San Pedro River Valley

When: April 26, 12:45 PM MST to 3:45 PM MST
Where: Upper San Pedro River Valley forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 32.109, -110.569 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Southwest winds gusting to between 60 and 70 mph were common during the afternoon hours in Santa Cruz and Cochise counties. The observatory at Mt. Hopkins in the Santa Rita Mountains reported several gusts as high as 66 mph. The KALK and FKHU ASOS at Fort Huachuca and the ASOS at Bisbee-Douglas Airport all measured maximum gusts from 58 to 61 mph between 1300 and 1430 MST. The strong winds fanned a small 75 acre wildfire west of Sierra Vista. The human-caused Aerostat fire was attended to quickly and contained by 1900 MST that evening. No injuries or damage were reported.

High Wind, Eastern Cochise County Below 5000 Feet

When: April 26, 12:45 PM MST to 3:45 PM MST
Where: Eastern Cochise County Below 5000 Feet forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 31.880, -109.751 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Southwest winds gusting to between 60 and 70 mph were common during the afternoon hours in Santa Cruz and Cochise counties. The observatory at Mt. Hopkins in the Santa Rita Mountains reported several gusts as high as 66 mph. The KALK and FKHU ASOS at Fort Huachuca and the ASOS at Bisbee-Douglas Airport all measured maximum gusts from 58 to 61 mph between 1300 and 1430 MST. The strong winds fanned a small 75 acre wildfire west of Sierra Vista. The human-caused Aerostat fire was attended to quickly and contained by 1900 MST that evening. No injuries or damage were reported.

High Wind, Dragoon/Mule/Huachuca and Santa Rita Mountains

When: April 26, 12:45 PM MST to 3:45 PM MST
Where: Dragoon/Mule/Huachuca and Santa Rita Mountains forecast zone
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 31.834, -110.796 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Southwest winds gusting to between 60 and 70 mph were common during the afternoon hours in Santa Cruz and Cochise counties. The observatory at Mt. Hopkins in the Santa Rita Mountains reported several gusts as high as 66 mph. The KALK and FKHU ASOS at Fort Huachuca and the ASOS at Bisbee-Douglas Airport all measured maximum gusts from 58 to 61 mph between 1300 and 1430 MST. The strong winds fanned a small 75 acre wildfire west of Sierra Vista. The human-caused Aerostat fire was attended to quickly and contained by 1900 MST that evening. No injuries or damage were reported.

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Arizona in 2014 Every state in 2014 This day in weather history Warnings in Arizona, April 2014

Sources

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: 512702, 513854, 513855.