An initial band of moisture associated with Tropical Depression Odile, once rated as strong as a Category 4 hurricane, contributed to heavy rainfall in Greenlee County on September 16th. 91 inches was noted on the Tucson sounding at 1200 UTC September 17th.
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 TWC wrote it up.
An initial band of moisture associated with Tropical Depression Odile, once rated as strong as a Category 4 hurricane, contributed to heavy rainfall in Greenlee County on September 16th. A precipitable water value of 1.91 inches was noted on the Tucson sounding at 1200 UTC September 17th. Odile took a sharp turn to the east later that day, which limited rainfall from Tucson westward, although widespread heavy rain fell in Cochise, Santa Cruz and southeast Graham Counties. From the afternoon of September 17th into the early morning hours of September 18th, rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches were common with locally heavier amounts of 4 to 6 inches reported. Multiple reports of flooding were received due to both flash flooding and river flooding.
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 Sep 16, 10:00 AM MST, 4 hours 10 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ 1000 AM MST TUE SEP 16 2014 .SYNOPSIS...PERIODS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED TODAY AND TONIGHT...WITH HEAVY RAINFALL POSSIBLE. THE MOST WIDESPREAD AND HEAVIEST RAIN IS EXPECTED WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON INTO THURSDAY WITH POTENTIAL FLOODING AND FLASH FLOOD ISSUES. THEREAFTER...LINGERING TROPICAL MOISTURE WILL KEEP SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE FORECAST FRIDAY INTO THE WEEKEND. && .DISCUSSION...ODILE HAS WEAKENED TO TROPICAL STORM STRENGTH AS SHE PUSHES THROUGH THE CENTRAL BAJA PENINSULA TOWARD THE NORTHERN GULF OF CALIFORNIA. IN ADVANCE...A BAND OF MOISTURE LIFTED NORTH ACROSS THE AREA AND IS CURRENTLY HEADED TOWARD THE PHOENIX AREA. THIS DROPPED UP TO 2 TENTHS OF AN INCH OF LIGHT RAIN. BEHIND IT IS A LONG FETCH OF DEEP MOISTURE THAT IS BEING GUIDED DIRECTLY INTO SOUTHEAST ARIZONA AS ODILE IS EVEN PULLING UP THE REMNANTS OF SIXTEEN-E INTO THE EASTERN PERIPHERY OF THE STORM. THIS WILL CONTINUE THE OCCASIONAL SHOWERS THROUGH THE DAY AND WITH A BIT OF HEATING THROUGH CLOUD BREAKS LIKELY SOME THUNDERSTORMS. WILL NEED TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINS LATER TODAY IN ANY STRONGER CONVECTION...BUT TODAY IS NOT THE BIG DAY. THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT ANOTHER BAND IS EXPECTED TO ROTATE NORTH ACROSS THE AREA AND THIS SHOULD HAVE HEAVIER RAINS AS IT PASSES THROUGH. BASICALLY WILL KEEP PRIMING THE PUMP FOR WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY. A WIDESPREAD FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF THE REGION AT THIS TIME. AFTER INITIAL PERIODS OF SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY THIS MORNING THROUGH TODAY...THE FORECAST TRACK BRINGS THE REMNANTS OF ODILE DIRECTLY TOWARD SOUTH CENTRAL WEDNESDAY MORNING WITH THE REMAINING CIRCULATION MOVING RIGHT ACROSS SOUTHEAST ARIZONA LATE WEDNESDAY INTO EARLY THURSDAY. THIS IS EXPECTED TO BE THE FOCUS OF THE HEAVY RAIN...WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. DEPENDING ON THE EXACT SPEED OF THE SYSTEM...THE HEAVIEST RAIN MAY OCCUR OVERNIGHT WEDNESDAY WITH FLOODING CONCERNS DEVELOPING DURING THE NIGHT AND CONTINUING INTO THURSDAY. WE ARE ANTICIPATING STORM TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS THROUGH THURSDAY IN THE 1.5 TO 4 INCH RANGE IN VALLEYS AND 4 TO 6 INCH RANGE IN MOUNTAINS. AS IS ALWAYS THE CASE WITH CONVECTION...RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL BE HIGHLY VARIABLE AND THAT NEEDS TO BE EXPECTED. WITH THE HEAVIEST RAIN EXPECTED NEAR AND JUST EAST OF THE TRACK OF ODILE AS IT LIFTS THROUGH...THE AREAS OF BIGGEST THREAT FOR FLASH FLOOD AND FLOOD ACTIVITY WOULD BE IN SANTA CRUZ...SOUTHERN AND EASTERN PIMA...COCHISE...SOUTHERN GRAHAM...AND GREENLEE COUNTIES. THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR COCHISE COUNTY TODAY WITH COVERAGE INCREASING TO THE REST OF THE AREA TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. IT SHOULD BE EMPHASIZED HOWEVER THAT ALL OF SOUTHEAST ARIZONA IS UNDER SIGNIFICANT THREAT FOR FLASH FLOODING...NOT JUST THE AFORE MENTIONED FAVORED AREAS. PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THE HYDROLOGY SECTION BELOW OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS FOR THOUGHTS ON RIVER AND CREEK FLOODING POTENTIAL. BY FRIDAY WE SHOULD BE PRETTY WORKED OVER BUT STILL HAVE AN IMPRESSIVE AMOUNT OF RESIDUAL AND BOUNDARY LAYER MOISTURE TO RECIRCULATE INTO THE WEEKEND. SOME MEDIUM RANGE RESOLUTIONS ARE ALSO KEEPING A FAVORABLE FLOW FROM THE SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST OVER THE WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK THAT MAY KEEP THUNDERSTORMS IN THE FORECAST INTO LATE SEPTEMBER. CERNIGLIA && .HYDROLOGY...TROPICAL STORM ODILE IS EXPECTED TO GENERATE HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTHEAST ARIZONA THROUGH THURSDAY OR FRIDAY. STORM TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS RANGING FROM 1.5 TO 5 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE...WITH CREEK AND MAIN STEM RIVER FLOODING POSSIBLE. THIS MAY INCLUDE THE GILA...SAN PEDRO AND SANTA CRUZ RIVERS AND CREEKS SUCH AS SABINO...BRAWLEY AND THE NOGALES WASH. OTHER SMALLER WASHES AND STREAMS WILL ALSO BE A CONCERN AS WELL. && .AVIATION...VALID THRU 17/18Z SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THIS MORNING...INCREASING IN BOTH COVERAGE AND FREQUENCY THROUGH THE DAY TODAY. AREAS OF CIGS NEAR 5K FT AGL DEVELOPING ACROSS SOUTHERN PART OF THE REGION WITH MULTIPLE LAYERS ABOVE AND AREAS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. SHOWERS WILL INCREASE WEDNESDAY WITH MVFR CONDITIONS POSSIBLE. SFC WINDS WILL GENERALLY BE LESS THAN 10 KTS EXCEPT STRONG GUSTS POSSIBLE VICINITY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS. AVIATION DISCUSSION NOT UPDATED FOR TAF AMENDMENTS. && .FIRE WEATHER...INCREASING TROPICAL MOISTURE WITH WIDESPREAD SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORMS ACTIVITY THROUGH MOST OF THE WEEK. THERE IS A GOOD THREAT OF FLOODING ISSUES LATER WEDNESDAY...WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY. EVEN AFTER ODILE WE EXPECT TO KEEP ENOUGH MOISTURE AROUND FOR A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FRIDAY INTO THE WEEKEND. && .TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON FOR AZZ501-505-506-509-510. FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON FOR AZZ507-508-512-513. FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM LATE TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON FOR AZZ502>504-511-514-515. && VISIT US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER...YOUTUBE...AND AT WEATHER.GOV/TUCSON
The Tucson radar (KEMX), 170 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:12 UTC.
4 flash flood, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain caused flash flooding along Highway 70 near mile marker 377. Flash flooding also occurred at mile marker 380 where Rainville Wash overtopped the roadway.
Graham County dispatch reported that Ash Creek was flowing rapidly which resulted in the closure of Cluff Ranch Rd. Eventually, Ash Creek came out of its banks and began running into a residential area in the town of Pima. At least 1 home was flooded, and 6 people were air lifted out of Ash Canyon due to loss of road access and flooding concerns. No one was injured.
Graham County Sheriff's Office reported 4 homes in Solomon area flooded between 1650 and 1710 LST when a wash came out of its banks.
Flash flooding in Nogales occurred late in the evening as Ephraim Wash flooded over Washington Ave, with 2 homes flooded and several families evacuated off of Western Ave around 2200 LST. Nogales Wash also overtopped its banks from Doe St. downstream to Chula Vista Lane. In addition, concrete slabs within the wash were damaged, leaving the International Outfall Interceptor (IOI) that carries 9-12 million gallons of raw sewage from Sonora, Mexico to Rio Rico, exposed. In Rio Rico, Sonoita Creek flooded Pendleton Drive.
Multiple road and bridge closures occurred in response to heavy rainfall across much of Cochise County. Increased flows on the San Pedro River eventually over-topped both the Highway 92 bridge in Palominas and the Hereford Bridge, causing both to be closed for a period of time. The Hereford Bridge sustained damage, and it did not re-open until nearly a month later on October 16, 2014. Further east, rainfall in the Old Bisbee area weakened a portion of a hillside. Falling soil and rock collapsed a retaining wall which fell onto a vehicle, while another residence sustained damage. The bridge at Cave Creek Road near Portal which leads to Cathedral Rock cabins was completely washed out. Water rushed around several buildings up to 2 feet deep in some locations but little damage occurred. One resident was evacuated from her home as a precaution. Additionally, many roads in rural Cochise County were closed for a time due to areal flooding.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arizona in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, September 2014
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: 543899, 543329, 543330, 543331, 543498.