A strong cold front moving across Arizona produced areas of high winds.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
A strong cold front moving across Arizona produced areas of high winds.
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 Mar 30, 3:45 PM MST, 1 hour 30 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Flagstaff AZ 345 PM MST Thu Mar 30 2017 .SYNOPSIS...Strong southwest winds will continue into this evening as a strong cold front moves into Arizona. This cold front will move through the state tonight and early Friday, producing rain and snow showers along with a few thunderstorms. The chance for showers will linger over eastern Arizona through Saturday, with improving conditions returning by Sunday. && .DISCUSSION... Winds have strengthened significantly this afternoon in advance of an approaching cold front. Active wind-related headline products appear on track with gusts frequently occurring in the 40 to 50 mph range for much of northern Arizona. Showers are increasing across S Nevada/SW Utah, and this activity will spread into our forecast area in the coming hours. Snow levels, while generally warm ahead of the front, will plummet overnight. Confidence increased for accumulating snowfall across the higher terrain of the Kaibab Plateau, and we recently issued a Winter Weather Advisory for that zone above 7000 feet. In addition to the rain and snow expected, thunderstorms will likely accompany the frontal passage, especially from I-40 northward. Much colder air trails the front, with wrap-around showers and instability showers continuing into Friday and Saturday. A brief break in the unsettled weather is forecast for Sunday, then another trough and cold front will approach by Monday/Tuesday, though it doesn't look nearly as cold or a strong as the one currently impacting the region. && .AVIATION...For the 00Z Package...Southwest sfc winds 20-30kt gusts to 45 kt through 02Z-06Z. Fastest speeds along and north of the Mogollon Rim. Blowing dust could develop over valley locations, especially the Little Colorado River valley in the vicinity of Winslow. A cold front will move west to east through northern Arizona tonight. MVFR and local IFR conditons with -SHRA/-SHSN and isolated thunderstorms west of a KPRC-KFLG-K0V7 line by 06z and spreading eastward through 12Z. 12Z-18Z Friday, strong winds continue in southern Apache county, with scattered -SHRA/-SHSN mainly along/north of Mogollon Rim, then scattered to numerous -SHRA/-SHSN and isolated thunderstorms along/north of Mogollon Rim 18Z-00Z. Aviation discussion not updated for TAF amendments. && .FGZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...Wind Advisory until 11 PM MST this evening FOR AZZ005-008>013- 015-016-038>040. Wind Advisory until 10 AM MST Friday FOR AZZ014-017. High Wind Warning until 8 PM MST this evening FOR AZZ004-006-007. Winter Weather Advisory from 8 PM this evening to 5 AM MST Saturday FOR AZZ004. && PUBLIC...KD AVIATION...JJ For Northern Arizona weather information visit weather.gov/flagstaff
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Flagstaff AZ 314 PM MST Thu Mar 30 2017 AZZ004>017-038>040-310645- Kaibab Plateau-Marble and Glen Canyons-Grand Canyon Country- Coconino Plateau-Yavapai County Mountains- Northeast Plateaus and Mesas Hwy 264 Northward-Chinle Valley- Chuska Mountains and Defiance Plateau- Little Colorado River Valley in Coconino County- Little Colorado River Valley in Navajo County- Little Colorado River Valley in Apache County- Western Mogollon Rim-Eastern Mogollon Rim-White Mountains- Oak Creek and Sycamore Canyons-Black Mesa Area- Northeast Plateaus and Mesas South of Hwy 264- 314 PM MST Thu Mar 30 2017 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of north central Arizona...northeast Arizona and west central Arizona. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight An approaching cold front will cause strong winds to develop by this afternoon and evening across most of northern Arizona. A variety of High Wind Warnings and Wind Advisories have been issued for today and tonight. The strongest winds are anticipated over northwest Coconino County, including the Grand Canyon. Strong winds will persist well into Friday morning over east central Arizona, including Springerville and Saint Johns. Showers and thunderstorms will accompany the cold front as it moves across the region this evening and overnight. The thunderstorms will produce gusty winds, with a few severe thunderstorms capable of winds in excess of 60 mph possible over northwest Coconino County this evening. Snow levels will fall to 4500 to 5500 feet behind the front after Midnight MST. Some snow accumulations are possible above 6000 feet. In fact, a Winter Weather Advisory is in effect from tonight through Friday night for the Kaibab Plateau above 7000 feet. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday Rain and snow showers will persist Friday and Saturday, especially in the afternoon hours. Isolated thunderstorms remain possible. Fair weather returns Sunday, with gusty winds arriving again on Monday, ahead of yet another cold front. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report significant weather according to standard operating procedures. KD
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The ASOS at the Winslow Airport (two miles across the county line) had wind gusts of over 50 MPH from 500 PM to 600 PM and a peak gust of 63 MPH at 521 PM MST.
The Winslow Airport ASOS had wind gusts of over 50 MPH from 500 PM to 600 PM and a peak gust of 63 MPH at 521 PM MST.
The anemometer on Agassiz Peak (11,500 feet) measured wind gust over 58 MPH for close to 3 hours. The peak wind gusts were 73 MPH from around 800 PM to around 805 PM. The Flagstaff Airport reported a peak wind gust of 66 MPH at 759 PM and the Williams Airport had a peak wind gust of 66 MPH at 715 PM .
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, March 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: 688686, 688688, 688678.