The Snake Ridge Fire was started by lightning on Friday May 19th, 2017 about nine miles northwest of Clints Well, and 10 miles southwest of Happy Jack, Arizona. This natural fire was allowed it to fulfill its role and move across the landscape consuming dead and downed wood, pine needles and forest fuels.
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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 FGZ wrote it up.
The Snake Ridge Fire was started by lightning on Friday May 19th, 2017 about nine miles northwest of Clints Well, and 10 miles southwest of Happy Jack, Arizona. This natural fire was allowed it to fulfill its role and move across the landscape consuming dead and downed wood, pine needles and forest fuels. The final size by July 5th was 15,333 Acres.
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 Flagstaff, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 31, 10:03 PM MST, 1 hour 57 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Flagstaff AZ 1003 PM MST Wed May 31 2017 .SYNOPSIS...A more stable air mass will move over the state on Thursday causing decreasing chances for showers and thunderstorms. Expect pleasant, warm weather over the weekend. && .DISCUSSION...Shower and thunderstorm activity has significantly decreased across the majority of northern Arizona this evening. Isolated showers may continue near the White Mountains and in far northeast Arizona through the overnight hours. The current forecast captures this well, and no updates are anticipated this evening. && .PREV DISCUSSION /337 PM MST/...Sufficient moisture and instability across northern Arizona has resulted in scattered thunderstorm development across nearly all of the mountainous terrain. Thunderstorms have been short lived and producing local areas of moderate rain and gusty winds. Gusty winds up to about 45 mph will continue to be the main threat, especially as the storms move into the lower elevations late this afternoon and evening. These storms having been driven by daytime heating will begin to dissipate by early in the evening. The forecast challenge Thursday will be the coverage of continuing thunderstorm activity. Confidence is not high that moisture will move out as quickly as forecast model guidance suggests. We have kept low thunderstorm chances in the forecast for mountainous areas. More stable air moving in from the west, in response to a weak trough passing through the state, should lead to generally decreasing storm coverage by late Thursday afternoon or early evening. A lingering isolated shower may be possible through Friday afternoon along the New Mexico border with otherwise dry weather returning. Expect pleasant weather over the weekend as high pressure moves through the region. We will likely see the warmest daytime temperatures yet this season. There is potential for increased wind early next week, but confidence is low at this time. && .AVIATION...For the 06Z package...VFR conditions will continue over northern Arizona for the next 24 hours. Isolated to scattered high-based thunderstorms are forecast between 18z Thursday - 02Z Friday, along and north of the Mogollon Rim. The greatest activity is expected near the Four Corners. Strong and erratic surface winds are likely in the vicinity of storms, otherwise expect south-southwest winds from 10-20 knots through sunset. Aviation discussion not updated for TAF amendments. && .FIRE WEATHER...Expect isolated to scattered afternoon showers and thunderstorms through early evening, mainly east of a line from the Grand Canyon, to Williams, to Payson. The main threat will be gusty and erratic outflow winds. Drier air arrives Thursday and Friday, with generally light southwest winds. Any high-based convective threats will be pushed to the New Mexico border areas. Saturday through Monday...Mainly dry conditions, light winds and a warming trend are forecast through the weekend. A slight chance of high based thunderstorms will persist along the New Mexico border. Southwest winds may increase modestly on Monday. && .FGZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && PUBLIC...RR/MCT AVIATION...RR FIRE WEATHER...Peterson For Northern Arizona weather information visit weather.gov/flagstaff
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
The Snake Ridge Fire burned 15,333 acres in dead and down wood, pine needles and forest fuels.
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, June 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: 706953.