An area of high pressure centered over the Texas Panhandle allowed for temperatures to climb to dangerous levels on the 20th. Four heat-associated fatalities (one direct and three indirect) were reported by the Maricopa County Department of Public Health.
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 PSR wrote it up.
An area of high pressure centered over the Texas Panhandle allowed for temperatures to climb to dangerous levels on the 20th. Four heat-associated fatalities (one direct and three indirect) were reported by the Maricopa County Department of Public Health.
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 Phoenix, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 19, 9:15 PM MST, 2 hours 45 minutes earlier.
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</html>Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Phoenix AZ
719 PM MST THU JUL 19 2018
AZZ556-558-562-563-200300-
Southeast Gila County AZ-Tonto Basin AZ-Globe/Miami AZ-
Pinal/Superstition Mountains AZ-
719 PM MST THU JUL 19 2018
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR GILA AND MARICOPA COUNTIES UNTIL
800 PM MST...
At 719 PM MST, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 7
miles northeast of Claypool, or 9 miles north of Globe, moving west
at 15 mph.
Nickel size hail will be possible with this storm.
This storm will remain over mainly rural areas of Gila and Maricopa
Counties.
This includes the following highways...
US Highway 60 between mile markers 255 and 268.
AZ Route 188 between mile markers 217 and 235.
LAT...LON 3341 11072 3349 11111 3371 11096 3364 11092
3369 11084 3358 11064
TIME...MOT...LOC 0219Z 110DEG 13KT 3353 11077
HirschSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Phoenix AZ
757 PM MST THU JUL 19 2018
AZZ547-556>558-562-563-200400-
Southeast Gila County AZ-Tonto Basin AZ-Mazatzal Mountains AZ-
Globe/Miami AZ-Rio Verde/Salt River AZ-
Pinal/Superstition Mountains AZ-
757 PM MST THU JUL 19 2018
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR GILA AND MARICOPA COUNTIES UNTIL
900 PM MST...
At 757 PM MST, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Tonto National Monument, or near Roosevelt, moving west at 50 mph.
Nickel size hail and wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph will be possible with
this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Roosevelt, Roosevelt Dam, Four Peaks, Apache Lake, Tonto Basin and
Tonto National Monument.
This includes the following highways...
US Highway 60 near mile marker 255, and between mile markers 258 and
260.
AZ Route 188 between mile markers 217 and 263.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead
to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
If on or near Roosevelt Lake, get out of the water and move indoors
or inside a vehicle. Remember, lightning can strike out to 10 miles
from the parent thunderstorm. If you can hear thunder, you are close
enough to be struck by lightning. Move to safe shelter now! Do not
be caught on the water in a thunderstorm.
&&
LAT...LON 3380 11115 3376 11099 3364 11092 3368 11084
3366 11078 3375 11071 3372 11066 3341 11073
3357 11146 3391 11130
TIME...MOT...LOC 0257Z 111DEG 45KT 3361 11108
HirschThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 heat. Local standard time, as filed.
One direct fatality was reported by the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, with their details, such as age, gender and circumstances unavailable.
One indirect fatality was reported by the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, with their details, such as age, gender and circumstances unavailable.
Two indirect fatalities were reported by the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, with their details, such as age, gender and circumstances unavailable.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat, Central Phoenix | 2018-07-20 | Unknown | Direct | ||
| Heat, Buckeye/Avondale | 2018-07-20 | Unknown | Indirect | ||
| Heat, Central Phoenix | 2018-07-20 | Unknown | Indirect | ||
| Heat, Central Phoenix | 2018-07-20 | Unknown | Indirect |
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, July 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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 864919, 864921, 865922.