Strong Wind in Arizona, March 4, 2018

Name: Strong Wind in Arizona, March 4, 2018
Start: 2018-03-04T14:20
End: 2018-03-04T14:20
Location: Arizona

March 4, 2018 · NWS PSR · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $500
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS PSR wrote it up.

An area of low pressure moved steadily east across Arizona on March 4th, and the system was strong enough to generate gusty west winds during the afternoon hours across portions of the greater Phoenix area. The system was dry and there were no showers or thunderstorms present. Despite wind gusts mostly being below 30 mph, a few moderate gusts occurred in the early afternoon in the Deer Valley area that were strong enough to produce minor damage to a residential home.

What forecasters said that day

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 Mar 4, 2:12 PM MST, 8 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 4, 2:12 PM MST, 8 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Phoenix AZ
212 PM MST Sun Mar 4 2018

.SYNOPSIS...
The cooler conditions will not last long as a warming trend will
prevail through much of the week as high pressure builds across
the intermountain West. Above normal temperatures are expected and
some lower desert locales will reach the 80 degree mark for the
first time in nearly a month. Late in the week and into the
weekend, there will be a slight chance of precipitation, mainly
north and east of Phoenix as a storm system moves through the
southern Rockies.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
A fast moving positively tilted trough continues to track eastward
into the Central Rockies today while cooler air has temporarily
settled into the Desert Southwest. The mostly dry weather system
is currently only causing a small band of low level cumulus across
central Arizona and this will quickly diminish this evening.
Highs this afternoon will only top out in the mid to upper 60s
across the deserts, but this will end up being the coolest day of
the week.

Westerly zonal flow aloft for Monday will bring some slight
warming and airmass modification, but highs will still struggle
to reach seasonal normals. For a change, a deep upper low is
forecast to dig southward across the eastern Pacific early this
week. By Tuesday, this low will become nearly stationary well west
of California and allow for a building ridge over the Western
U.S. This will boost heights and temperatures aloft over the
Desert Southwest into the middle part of this week, but also
provide a stream of upper level moisture into the region. High
clouds will dampen daytime highs a bit on Tuesday, but the
building heights aloft should still allow for highs to climb into
the middle to upper 70s.

An upstream kicker shortwave will likely eject the upper low to
the east/northeast starting Wednesday, eventually tracking the
low through the Pacific Northwest. While this occurs, another slug
of upper level moisture will get drawn into the Desert Southwest
off the Pacific. Starting early Wednesday, much stronger moisture
transport is shown this time around, but cloud decks will still be
fairly high at around 15-18K feet. Further warming aloft is also
shown Tuesday into Wednesday, but the clouds for Wednesday may be
enough to more significantly impact surface temperatures. For now,
forecast highs are near median guidance, but this may have to be
lowered slightly if the thicker clouds look imminent.

As usual, after day five model spread is considerably higher and
forecast confidence is much lower. The warm conditions will at
least last through the end of the week, but some slight cooling
looks possible into the weekend as a couple weak shortwaves are
shown moving into the Great Basin or even into our region. The
second wave, possibly coming through next Saturday, may bring
enough moisture for some shower activity, but for now it does not
look all that promising.

&&

.AVIATION...
South-Central Arizona including KPHX, KIWA, and KSDL:

There are few, if any, weather impacts for aviation through
tonight. Winds be rather light and will remain westerly a little
later than normal before becoming easterly during the night.
Otherwise, skies will be fairly clear if not for a few low level
clouds passing through.

Southeast California/Southwest Arizona including KIPL and KBLH:

There will be no major aviation weather concerns through tonight
as winds will remain fairly light and try to follow typical
diurnal tendencies.

Aviation Discussion not updated for amended TAFs.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
Tuesday through Saturday:
High pressure will build across the region this week bringing
temperatures back above normal for the majority of the period.
Minimum humidity levels will fall into a 10-15 percent range with
fair overnight recovery. Some breeziness is possible Friday and
Saturday ahead of a low pressure system, but overall conditions
will be favorable for prescribed burning.

&&

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
Spotters should follow standard reporting procedures.

&&

.PSR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AZ...None.
CA...None.
&&

DISCUSSION...Kuhlman
AVIATION...Deemer
FIRE WEATHER...Hirsch/MO

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Strong Wind, North Phoenix/Glendale

When: March 4, 2:20 PM MST
Where: North Phoenix/Glendale forecast zone
Measured: 35 kt (40 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $500
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 33.349, -112.491 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Gusty west winds developed across portions of Deer Valley during the early afternoon hours on March 4th. According to a trained spotter located about 3 miles south of Deer Valley, at about 1420MST a wind gust dislodged an aluminum whirly-bird weather vane located on the top of the garage. The gust caused the vane to blow off the roof and land on the ground. The strong gust also knocked over a big green trash can causing debris to be blown down the street. The wind gusts were estimated to be near 40 mph. The home's location was about one block south of Greenway Road and just west of Interstate 17.

What these are

Strong Wind: Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Arizona in 2018 Every state in 2018 This day in weather history Warnings in Arizona, March 2018

Sources

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: 736199.