Thunderstorms moved north in advance of upper level low pressure which was approaching from the west. A severe thunderstorm produced large hail, damaging winds, heavy rain and flooding in the Graham County community of Pima.
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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 TWC wrote it up.
Thunderstorms moved north in advance of upper level low pressure which was approaching from the west. A severe thunderstorm produced large hail, damaging winds, heavy rain and flooding in the Graham County community of Pima.
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 Nov 4, 10:21 AM MST, 1 hour 9 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Tucson AZ 1021 AM MST Fri Nov 4 2016 .SYNOPSIS...Scattered showers and thunderstorms will occur east of Tucson today. A chance of showers exists Friday night mainly near the New Mexico border, then dry conditions will prevail this weekend and into the middle of next week. Expect near normal daytime temperatures Friday, then above average temperatures will return this weekend and next week. && .DISCUSSION...Our low is currently lifting slowly north and northeast through Pima and Pinal counties. It should be near the northern AZ/NM border sometime tonight. As this happens, our best area of dynamics and moisture will be northeast of Tucson the remainder of the day, with special focus on Graham and Greenlee counties for strong storms and locally heavy rain due to training echoes. We made some adjustments bumping QPF values values up in that area. Otherwise this system should be out of our hair by tomorrow morning. && .AVIATION...Valid through 05/18Z. Expect scattered showers and thunderstorms mainly northeast of KTUS with clearing from the south and west as a low lifts out of the area. MVFR ceilings/visibilities near thunderstorms with KSAD most vulnerable. Outside of thunderstorm outflows, surface wind generally less than 12 kts thru the forecast period. Aviation discussion not updated for TAF amendments. && .FIRE WEATHER...Expect scattered showers and thunderstorms today, mainly northeast of Tucson across Graham and Greenlee counties. A slight chance of showers continues near the New Mexico border Saturday, with dry conditions returning area-wide on Sunday and continuing through next Friday. 20-foot winds will generally be less than 15 mph, except for some afternoon gustiness. && .PREV DISCUSSION...Radar continued to detect some lingering showers and a few thunderstorms early this morning in eastern Pinal and Graham counties. The upper low responsible for this activity was centered over southern Arizona in the vicinity of Sells. Latest models continued to track the upper low northeast today with it weakening as it moves into the four corners region on Saturday. Until then, scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms can expected east of Tucson today with rain chances limited to the White Mountains on Saturday. Thereafter, a ridge of high pressure aloft nudges into the region early next week. This feature will bring dry conditions along with daytime temperatures rebounding to above normal readings. && .TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...None. && Meyer Visit us on Facebook...Twitter...YouTube...and at weather.gov/Tucson
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUCSON AZ 1124 AM MST FRI NOV 4 2016 AZZ509>511-041915- UPPER GILA RIVER AND ARAVAIPA VALLEYS INCLUDING CLIFTON/SAFFORD-WHITE MOUNTAINS OF GRAHAM AND GREENLEE COUNTIES INCLUDING HANNAGAN MEADOW-GALIURO AND PINALENO MOUNTAINS INCLUDING MOUNT GRAHAM- 1124 AM MST FRI NOV 4 2016 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL GRAHAM COUNTY UNTIL 1215 PM MST... AT 1122 AM MST...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 9 MILES NORTHWEST OF SAFFORD NEAR PIMA...MOVING NORTH AT 15 MPH. 3/4 INCH HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 45 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM, ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... SAFFORD...THATCHER...PIMA...FORT THOMAS. THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO STATIONS AND AVAILABLE TELEVISION STATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. LAT...LON 3277 10962 3267 10982 3308 11008 3317 10977 TIME...MOT...LOC 1822Z 161DEG 11KT 3290 10984 MEYER
The Tucson radar (KEMX), 133 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:30 UTC.
1 flash flood, 1 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Two to three inches of rain caused Union Canal to overflow into the streets of Pima. In addition, flood damage occurred to cotton that was already harvested and being stored as modules in area fields.
Large hail damaged several cars and residences in the community of Pima.
Thunderstorm winds damaged large tree limbs and a number of roofs in the community of Pima.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arizona in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, November 2016
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: 667691, 667273, 667274.