Isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms formed throughout the afternoon in areas from Tucson east, with movement to the southwest. These storms caused flash flooding in Nogales, Tucson, and in the Frye Fire Burn Scar on Mt.
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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.
Isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms formed throughout the afternoon in areas from Tucson east, with movement to the southwest. These storms caused flash flooding in Nogales, Tucson, and in the Frye Fire Burn Scar on Mt. Graham.
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 Jul 22, 9:30 AM MST, 4 hours 20 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Tucson AZ 930 AM MST Sat Jul 22 2017 .SYNOPSIS...Scattered to numerous afternoon and evening thunderstorms will prevail into early next week. The greatest daily thunderstorm coverage should occur east to south of Tucson with reduced thunderstorm activity across the western deserts. && .DISCUSSION...Mostly sunny to partly cloudy conditions prevailed across southeast Arizona this morning with a few storms already starting to pop up, mainly over the higher terrain east of Tucson. Upper air charts showed inverted trof extending from northwest NM to southern Sonora MX. Visible imagery this morning showed a MCV near Glenwood NM which was drifting slowly to the southwest. Tucson morning sounding was fairly similar to yesterday with a PW values of 1.82" and a bit stronger northerly steering flow. Latest model data thou is indicating that the steering flow across Graham, Greenlee and Cochise counties this afternoon will be rather light which will increase the flash flood threat due to slow moving storms. WFO El Paso has already hoisted a flash flood watch for SW NM for this afternoon and evening and I will continue to contemplate one for portions of my eastern zones. The cell that developed over the Chiricahua Mountains after 830 am dumped 0.80" in less than an hour. The last three runs of the NAM has been all over the place with respects to placement of heavy rain this afternoon, tonight and into the overnight hours. Flow aloft becomes more E-SE tonight late tonight and potentially southerly on Sunday as models move inverted trof across the area. Sunday could end being rather gunked over with lots of showers around and embedded isolated thunderstorms. Below normal high temperatures to continue this weekend with well below normal highs possible on Sunday based on lots of cloud cover around. Mid-shift already made downward adjustments for today and Sunday and await full 12z MOS data before making any further changes. At this time, the forecast high in Tucson for Sunday of 89 degrees would be the first sub-90 high in July since 2010. Monsoon train remains on the track next week while high temperatures warm back to late July normal values. && .AVIATION...Valid thru 23/12Z. VFR conditions with cloud decks generally 5k-10k ft AGL with BKN layers above, and surface wind variable in direction mainly less than 12 kts. SCT TSRA/SHRA developing after 22/18Z and continuing through the remainder of the period. Winds vicinity TSRA could gust 40+ kts. Aviation discussion not updated for TAF amendments. && .FIRE WEATHER...Scattered to numerous mainly afternoon and evening thunderstorms will continue into early next week with locally heavy rain and strong winds. Temperatures will remain below normal with a continuation of elevated humidity levels through Tuesday. Wednesday through Friday conditions will become a bit drier and warmer with somewhat less convection. From 20-foot winds will mainly remain below 15 mph with the exception of strong outflow winds in the vicinity of thunderstorms. && .TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...None. && Visit us on Facebook...Twitter...YouTube...and at weather.gov/Tucson
The Tucson radar (KEMX), 113 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:51 UTC.
4 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain falling on the Frye Fire Burn scar caused flooding of the Wet Canyon Campground/Picnic Area.
A border patrol SUV parked near the international border and the Santa Cruz River became stuck in the mud and became overrun by the floodwaters of the Santa Cruz River.
Flash flooding occurred on the northwest side of Tucson, north of West Ina Rd between Silverbell Road and I-10. Flash flooding also caused River Road to become impassable between Alvernon and Swan Roads.
Heavy rain caused flash flooding near Oracle and Drachman.
A mesquite tree was blown down near Pima and Beverly Streets.
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, July 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: 714798, 714803, 714805, 714828, 714832.