Numerous thunderstorms moved southwest across southeast Arizona. Flash flooding occurred on the west slopes of the Rincon Mountains.
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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.
Numerous thunderstorms moved southwest across southeast Arizona. Flash flooding occurred on the west slopes of the Rincon Mountains. Additionally, a brief landspout tornado was reported over open desert in Cochise County.
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 29, 2:03 PM MST, 1 hour 42 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Tucson AZ 203 PM MST Sat Jul 29 2017 .SYNOPSIS...An elevated risk of thunderstorms will continue this weekend with locally heavy rain and strong winds with some storms. High temperatures will generally be a few degrees below normal due to the rainfall coverage again Sunday and Monday. The weather pattern will remain favorable for daily thunderstorms this coming week. && .DISCUSSION...The morning upper-air sounding at Tucson showed a very moist air mass in place, with a much weaker steering flow and less vertical wind shear compared to yesterday. A couple of large- scale features in play this weekend with the GOES-16 mid and upper level water vapor imagery depicting two westward tracking upper lows. One exiting the Texas Big Bend and the other over the southern tip of Baja which will influence the upper level flow pattern today and tomorrow. The latest 19Z HRRR solution focused most of the rainfall across Pima, Santa Cruz, and Cochise counties through later this evening. This was in good agreement with the current activity late this morning and early this afternoon. Based on the weaker steering flow and abundant moisture, flash flooding will continue to be the main concern through this evening and likely again Sunday. The overall flow pattern will remain favorable for daily showers and thunderstorms, although a decreasing trend in rain chances after this weekend. Daytime temperatures will warm a few degrees to more normal readings starting Tuesday with the decrease in rainfall coverage. && .AVIATION...Valid thru 30/18Z. Scattered to numerous TSRA/SHRA through later this evening. Brief MVFR/IFR conditions likely in/near TSRA this afternoon and evening. SFC wind variable in direction mainly less than 12 kts, except in the vicinity of TSRA where gusts may exceed 40 kts. Aviation discussion not updated for TAF amendments. && .FIRE WEATHER...Daily shower and thunderstorm chances will continue into next week across most of southeast Arizona. Elevated humidities will remain in place through the weekend into next week. Outside of thunderstorm winds, expect 20-foot winds to remain at or below 15 mph and follow typical upslope/down valley diurnal patterns. Fire weather concerns are low through at least late next week. && .TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...None. && Visit us on Facebook...Twitter...YouTube...and at weather.gov/Tucson
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
315 PM MST SAT JUL 29 2017
AZZ507-508-511-513-292300-
Upper San Pedro River Valley including Sierra
Vista/Benson-Dragoon/Mule/Huachuca and Santa Rita Mountains including
Bisbee/Canelo Hills/Madera Canyon-Eastern Cochise County Below 5000
Feet including Douglas/Willcox-Galiuro and Pinaleno Mountains
including Mount Graham-
315 PM MST SAT JUL 29 2017
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN COCHISE COUNTY UNTIL
400 PM MST...
At 314 PM MST, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 14
miles northeast of Benson, or 20 miles southwest of Willcox. this
storm was nearly stationary.
Winds in excess of 40 mph and will be possible with this storm.
Locations impacted include...
I-10 And Texas Canyon and Dragoon.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Heavy rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
&&
LAT...LON 3195 11010 3198 11024 3206 11038 3220 11034
3233 11024 3229 11005 3217 10992 3204 10999
TIME...MOT...LOC 2214Z 201DEG 1KT 3212 11015
CernigliaSpecial Weather Statement National Weather Service Tucson AZ 324 PM MST SAT JUL 29 2017 AZZ508-292300- Eastern Cochise County Below 5000 Feet including Douglas/Willcox- 324 PM MST SAT JUL 29 2017 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTH CENTRAL COCHISE COUNTY UNTIL 400 PM MST... At 323 PM MST, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near Douglas, moving southwest at 10 mph. Wind gusts up to 50 mph, small hail and heavy rain will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Douglas, Bisbee-Douglas Airport and Pirtleville. LAT...LON 3147 10979 3152 10957 3133 10945 3134 10973 TIME...MOT...LOC 2223Z 058DEG 8KT 3141 10960
The Tucson radar (KEMX), 26 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:44 UTC.
1 flash flood, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain on the Rincon Mountains caused high flows on Tanque Verde Creek and Rincon Creek. Redington Pass Road was flooded and Rincon Creek at Rincon Gauge recorded a crest of 9.32 feet. This is the fourth highest on record for this site.
A brief landspout tornado occurred over open country south of Saint David.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arizona in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Arizona, 2017Warnings 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: 714502, 714509.