California, 2018

Damaging Wind in California, July 9, 2018

July 9, 2018 · NWS PSR · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Thunderstorms with strong and gusty outflow winds developed along the lower Colorado River Valley and to the north of Yuma during the evening hours on July 9th. Some of the storms generated winds that were measured to be in excess of 70 mph.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
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.

Thunderstorms with strong and gusty outflow winds developed along the lower Colorado River Valley and to the north of Yuma during the evening hours on July 9th. Some of the storms generated winds that were measured to be in excess of 70 mph. The strong winds did not produce any damage.

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 Jul 9, 8:14 PM PST, 13 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 9, 8:14 PM PST, 13 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Phoenix AZ
914 PM MST Mon Jul 9 2018

.SYNOPSIS...
Monsoon moisture levels will continue to remain high enough this
week to bring daily thunderstorm chances to most of the region. Temperatures
will continue to trend downward through the middle of the week
and then level off a few degrees below normals.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Thunderstorm activity was widespread across south-central Arizona
(including the Phoenix area) late this afternoon and evening.
Long-lived multi-cell cluster of storms continues to propagate
westward late this evening into southwestern Arizona, not before
producing some damage in the Phoenix area. Current threats
include strong winds and blowing dust, though earlier storms also
produced very intense rainfall rates. Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport
recorded 0.56 inches of rain, which broke the daily record of 0.44
inches set in 1996. Strong steering flow associated with the
well-defined inverted trough precluded widespread flooding.

Upper trough will continue migrating westward overnight with
shower and thunderstorm activity gradually diminishing across
southeastern California. Latest CAMs including HRRR suggest
additional rainfall will develop along the eastern flank of the
PVD across mainly south-central Arizona Tuesday morning. Lingering
cloudiness is also expected to inhibit destabilization Tuesday.
Consequently, main focus will shift to southeastern Arizona late
Tuesday afternoon, with potential again for blowing dust from
Maricopa County eastward in the evening.

&&

.AVIATION...
South-Central Arizona including KPHX, KIWA, and KSDL:
Storm activity over Pinal, Gila, and Yavapai Counties will
converge over Maricopa County - including metro Phoenix - between
22Z- 00Z. Storms then track westward. Expect large swaths of
strong surface winds from thunderstorm outflow. The winds will
also cause areas of reduced visibility in blowing dust. The
stronger storms will produce brief heavy rain and small hail.
Anticipate much quieter conditions over metro Phoenix beginning by
03Z. However, renewed shower development is anticipated overnight
but not with very strong storms.

Southeast California/Southwest Arizona including KIPL and KBLH:

Strong storms are expected to move out of Yavapai and Maricopa
Counties and into southwest Arizona beginning by about 23Z. Storms
are anticipated to track westward and weaken as they move west of
the Lower Colorado River Valley. However, large swaths of strong
winds and blowing dust are possible throughout the area.

Aviation Discussion not updated for amended TAFs.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
Thursday through Monday:
An active Monsoon pattern continues the rest of the week into
early next week. As usual, south-central AZ will have better
chances than areas west of there. Minimum humidities will remain
above 15% with good overnight recovery. Apart from thunderstorm
activity, winds will generally be light.

&&

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
Spotters may be needed late this afternoon and evening.

&&

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

DISCUSSION...Hirsch
AVIATION...AJ
FIRE WEATHER...AJ

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 9, 7:08 PM PST, 1 hour 19 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
808 PM MST MON JUL 9 2018

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0745 PM     FLASH FLOOD      7 SW PHOENIX            33.38N 112.15W
07/09/2018                   MARICOPA           AZ   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            FLOODED ROADWAYS AROUND 43RD AVE AND
            BASELINE THROUGH DOBBINS RD.

&&
Local storm report, Jul 9, 7:21 PM PST, 1 hour 6 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
821 PM MST MON JUL 9 2018

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0455 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 ESE PEORIA            33.57N 112.22W
07/09/2018                   MARICOPA           AZ   TRAINED SPOTTER

            LARGE TREE DOWN AND ROOF SHINGLES BLOWN OFF.
            TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.

&&
Local storm report, Jul 9, 7:29 PM PST, 58 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
829 PM MST MON JUL 9 2018

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0445 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 NW PHOENIX            33.47N 112.10W
07/09/2018                   MARICOPA           AZ   TRAINED SPOTTER

            25 FT SECTION OF ROOF BLOWN OFF BUILDING.
            TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.

&&
Local storm report, Jul 9, 7:31 PM PST, 56 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
831 PM MST MON JUL 9 2018

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0515 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 NNW CITRUS PARK       33.57N 112.46W
07/09/2018                   MARICOPA           AZ   TRAINED SPOTTER

            ROOF TILES BLOWN OFF.

&&
Local storm report, Jul 9, 7:53 PM PST, 34 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
853 PM MST MON JUL 9 2018

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0826 PM     DUST STORM       1 N FORTUNA FOOTHILLS   32.67N 114.41W
07/09/2018                   YUMA               AZ   TRAINED SPOTTER

            LESS THAN 100 FT VISIBILITY PER SOCIAL MEDIA
            VIDEO.

&&
Local storm report, Jul 9, 7:57 PM PST, 30 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
857 PM MST MON JUL 9 2018

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0848 PM     FLASH FLOOD      4 E MOBILE              33.07N 112.21W
07/09/2018                   MARICOPA           AZ   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS

            HIGHWAY 238 CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING.

&&

The radar

The Yuma radar (KYUX), 49 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 04:26 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Imperial

When
July 9, 8:27 PM PST
Where
Imperial County, 10.11 mi NNE of Bard
Measured
62 kt (71 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
32.910, -114.470

Thunderstorms with gusty outflow winds developed along the lower Colorado River Valley during the evening hours on July 9th; some of the stronger storms were located just to the north of the town of Yuma and south of Castle Dome Landing. A mesonet automatic weather station measured a wind gust to 71 mph with one of the the strong storms.

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in California in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in California, July 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: 769390.