A low pressure system and associated cold front will moved across Arizona on April 12th. General southwest winds of 25 to 35 MPH gusting to 45 MPH were observed.
Every event with a place to put it; 8 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 low pressure system and associated cold front will moved across Arizona on April 12th. General southwest winds of 25 to 35 MPH gusting to 45 MPH were observed. However, the area extending from Winslow to Show Low to Springerville and northward saw higher 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 Apr 11, 9:21 PM MST, 1 hour 46 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Flagstaff AZ 921 PM MST Wed Apr 11 2018 .SYNOPSIS...Winds will remain locally gusty tonight, before becoming very strong on Thursday as a cold front moves into Arizona. Blowing dust and dangerous crosswinds will be a distinct possibility across northeast Arizona on Thursday. This will be a prolonged period of strong winds and dangerous fire weather conditions, possibly lasting through Friday. Much colder air will move into the area Thursday and Friday, but precipitation chances will be very low. High pressure will return over the weekend, with warming temperatures and lighter winds. && .UPDATE...The Wind Advisory for today has expired. It will remain gusty overnight for high elevation areas as the trough approaches from the west, but most areas should remain below advisory criteria (40+ mph gusts). A few exceptions are possible, especially the Hwy 89 corridor northeast of Flagstaff including Doney Park, and the Houserock Valley near Hwy 89A east of the Kaibab Plateau. These areas could see some localized 40-50 mph gusts later tonight with a few even higher gusts at times. The main wind event is still on track for Thursday with 55-65 mph gusts likely in east central Arizona and 40-50 mph gusts elsewhere in northern Arizona. && .PREV DISCUSSION /252 PM MST/...Expect gusty southwest winds to continue overnight across all of northern Arizona with a few gust to 45 mph from Flagstaff north and east until just after sunset. For the remainder of the night locally gusty winds to around 35 mph will continue most prominent across the Mogollon Rim and in the vicinity of higher terrain location such as the San Francisco Peaks, Kaibab Plateau and Black Mesa. For Thursday and Friday...A low pressure system and associated cold front will move across Arizona on Thursday and into New Mexico by Friday morning. The result will be on Thursday general southwest winds of 25 to 35 MPH gusting to 45 MPH. However, the area extending from Winslow to Show Low to Springerville and northward will see wind gusts in excess of 60 MPH and thus a High Wind Warning for Thursday has been issued for the described area. Except for a slight chance of a sprinkle or short lived light shower Thursday night into early Friday north of Interstate-40 it will remain dry. As a result all of northern Arizona is under a Red Flag Warning on Thursday for dangerous fire weather conditions. Much colder temperatures are expected with the passage of the cold front with high temperatures dropping 15 to 20 degrees from today to Friday. Winds will shift from southwesterly to northerly Thursday night and Friday. The winds could stay strong enough on Friday for heightened fire weather danger. Stay tuned. For the Weekend and early next week...High pressure moves in for warming daytime temperatures Saturday and Sunday. Winds will become lighter remaining out of the north on Saturday but shifting to southwest on Sunday in advance of another low pressure system. More strong winds are expected on Monday. && .AVIATION...For the 06Z package...VFR conditions will prevail over the next 24 hours under periods of high clouds. Tonight, gusty downslope winds will develop along and immediately to the northeast of the Mogollon Rim and higher terrain features. After 14Z Friday, winds will increase across all of northern Arizona. The strongest winds are forecast east of Flagstaff where southwest gusts into the 50 to 60 knot range are possible. Aviation discussion not updated for TAF amendments. && .FIRE WEATHER...A Red Flag Warning remains in effect on Thursday for all of northern Arizona from Noon to 1900 LST. Winds will increase mid-morning, with gusts into the 45 to 65 mph range - strongest across Navajo and Apache Counties. Much cooler weather is forecast Friday, but gusty north-northwest winds and dry conditions may combine to produce continued critical fire weather conditions. Saturday through Monday...Dry conditions with less wind is expected for the weekend. Another round of very strong winds possible Monday. && .FGZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...Red Flag Warning from noon to 7 PM MST Thursday FOR AZZ104>118-137>140. Wind Advisory from 7 AM to 7 PM MST Thursday FOR AZZ004>010-015- 016-018-037>039. High Wind Warning from 9 AM to 7 PM MST Thursday FOR AZZ011>014- 017-040. && PUBLIC...JJ/McCollum AVIATION...RR FIRE WEATHER...KD For Northern Arizona weather information visit weather.gov/flagstaff
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
8 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Bright Angel RAWS station (8134 ft) reported a peak wind gust of 58 MPH at 1107 PM.
The RAWS 4 miles north of House Rock reported a peak wind of 60 MPH at 319 AM.
The ADOT wind sensor at Two Guns along Interstate 40 had a peak wind gust of 62 MPH. The time of the high winds for this zone was estimated by using the Winslow ASOS times (just 5 miles across the zone boundary).
The ASOS at the Winslow Airport reported wind gusts over 58 MPH from to 115 PM to 140 PM with the peak wind gust of 62 MPH at 1218 PM. The sustained winds were above 40 MPH much of the time between 955 AM to 440 PM. The ADOT wind sensor at Jackrabbit (and I-40) reported a peak wind gust of 61 MPH 1123 AM.
The ASOS at Show Low Airport reported a peak wind gust of 59 MPH at 1135 AM. The sustain wind was over 40 MPH at times between 930 AM and 515 PM.
The ASOS at the Springerville Airport reported a peak wind gust of 69 MPH at 1235 PM with wind gusts over 58 MPH from to 1130 AM to 410 PM. The sustained winds were above 40 MPH much of the time between 1145 AM to 540 PM. The peak wind gust at St Johns Airport was 62 MPH at 342 PM. The winds were sustained over 40 MPH from 1230 PM to 215 PM.
The peak wind gust at Limestone Canyon (RAWS) was 63 MPH at 324 PM. The winds gusted over 58 MPH between 100 PM and 430 PM. The peak wind gust at Heber-Overgaard was 61 MPH at 1235 PM.
The peak wind gust at Window Rock Airport was 66 MPH 254 PM. Blowing dust/sand reduced the visibility below 3 miles between 1225 PM and 500 PM. The visibility dropped down to a mile at around 300 PM. The ASOS stopped transmitting just after 335 PM. The peak wind gust at Lupton was 66 MPH at 233 PM. The winds gusted over 58 MPH between 150 PM and 345 PM. The Navajo Times Newspaper reported that a roof was blown off a mobile home in Kinlichee (7 miles northeast of Ganado) at 339 PM.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arizona in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, April 2018
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: 743532, 743536, 743518, 743513, 743534, 743508, 743535, 743539.