A back door cold front funneled northeast winds between the Santa Catalina and Tortolita Mountains, which caused isolated wind damage in Dove Mountain.
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The episode as NWS TWC wrote it up.
A back door cold front funneled northeast winds between the Santa Catalina and Tortolita Mountains, which caused isolated wind damage in Dove Mountain.
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 Dec 7, 4:00 AM MST, 0 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Tucson AZ 400 AM MST Thu Dec 7 2017 .SYNOPSIS...Much cooler temperatures with gusty winds today followed by freezing temperatures for much of the area tonight. Dry conditions with above normal temperatures will prevail this weekend and into next week. && .DISCUSSION...IR satellite imagery and surface observations depicted clear skies from Tucson westward at this time. Meanwhile, partly cloudy to cloudy skies were noted across eastern sections. Dew points valid 3 AM MST were 10-20 degrees lower versus 24 hours ago north of a Safford-Tucson-Sells line, and were mainly in the single digits to 20s. Dew points were still in the 30s south-to-southeast of Tucson. Stronger winds were also ongoing north of Tucson, and especially across central/northern Arizona. A highly amplified upper pattern continues across the eastern Pacific and CONUS early this morning, with a north-to-south ridge axis near the West Coast, and a broad trough east of the Rockies. Water vapor imagery depicted a cyclonic twist representing a vort max moving southward near the Four Corners region. There still appears to be just enough moisture to support a slight chance of showers near the New Mexico border today. Otherwise, the main emphasis today will be regarding much cooler temperatures and gusty northeast-to-east winds as northerly flow aloft strengthens across the area. There is the potential for patchy blowing dust, but have not opted to depict at this time with the official forecast issuance with the notion that visibilities will not be significantly reduced. Clearing skies across eastern sections early this evening then clear skies are expected area-wide later tonight. The combination of clear or mostly clear skies and a very dry near-surface environment will promote very cold temperatures from Tucson eastward. Although some elevated wind speeds will likely occur, forecast confidence was sufficiently high to have converted the inherited Freeze Watch to a Freeze Warning from 10 PM this evening to 9 AM MST Friday. Please refer to AWIPS product PHXNPWTWC /WMO header WWUS75 KTWC/ for additional information. Thereafter, the highly amplified upper pattern continues to be progged by the 07/00Z GFS/GEFS and ECMWF/EPS Friday into the middle of next week. These solutions remained quite close to previous solutions from 24-48 hours ago. A Rex Block pattern is progged to develop Saturday as strong high pressure aloft becomes centered over the Pacific Northwest, and weak low pressure aloft develops west of the Baja California spur. The GFS/ECMWF then move the upper low northeastward to the northern Baja California/northern Gulf of California area early next week. Appears that precip-free conditions will continue with any moisture of significance above about 600 mb. This moisture may be sufficient for partly cloudy skies into Monday before clear skies or mostly clear skies return Tuesday and Wednesday. High temperatures this afternoon are forecast to be about 5-15 degrees cooler versus 24 hours ago. The greatest cooling will likely occur from Tucson northward. Slightly warmer temperatures are on tap Friday followed by more significant warming Saturday. Only minor daily temperature changes Sunday and Monday with a few degrees of additional warming by next Wednesday. Thus, below normal daytime temperatures into Friday will be short-lived as above normal temps are forecast to return Saturday and continue into the middle of next week. && .AVIATION...Valid thru 08/12Z. Isolated -SHRA mainly near the New Mexico state line today. Otherwise, clear skies KTUS vicinity westward into Friday morning. East of KTUS scattered to overcast clouds generally 5k-10k ft AGL into this afternoon, then clear or mostly clear skies by daybreak Friday. Surface wind increasing from the northeast to east 12-25 kts with gusts upward to 40 kts after 16Z and into this afternoon. Surface wind this evening into Friday nely/ely 5-15 kts tonight. Aviation discussion not updated for TAF amendments. && .FIRE WEATHER...A Red Flag Warning is in effect until 4 PM MST this afternoon for most of AZZ150 and for AZZ151 north of the Catalina Mountains. The combination of strong and gusty northeast winds, low relative humidity and a high fire danger will create critical fire conditions. Otherwise, isolated showers may occur near the New Mexico border today followed by dry conditions tonight into next Wednesday. Strong and gusty northeast to east winds today then winds diminishing this evening. 20-foot winds will generally be easterly under 15 mph Friday into next Wednesday. && .TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Red Flag Warning until 4 PM MST this afternoon for AZZ150-151. Freeze Warning from 10 PM this evening to 9 AM MST Friday morning for AZZ503-504-506>509. && DISCUSSION...Francis AVIATION/FIRE WEATHER...Hardin Visit us on Facebook...Twitter...YouTube...and at weather.gov/Tucson
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Strong northeast winds downed several small trees at the residence of the Pinal County Emergency Manager.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arizona in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, December 2017
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: 731571.