A strong trough of low pressure strong winds to northern Arizona on March 8. A few locations had high wind gusts across the area.
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 trough of low pressure strong winds to northern Arizona on March 8. A few locations had high wind gusts across the area.
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 8, 9:51 AM MST, 1 hour 12 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Flagstaff AZ 951 AM MST Fri Mar 8 2019 .SYNOPSIS...A passing low pressure system will bring rain, and light mountain snow accumulations to the area today. In addition, strong southwest winds will continue today, with the highest wind speeds across eastern Arizona. Driving will be especially difficult for high profile vehicles on Interstate 40 east of Flagstaff. After a dry weekend, a cold and wintry weather pattern will set up for much of next week. && .DISCUSSION...Showers continue to stream into the area ahead of an advancing cold front, with the greatest activity across eastern Yavapai and southeast Coconino counties this morning. This area of showers will move eastward throughout the day. The actual cold front is currently moving into far northwest Arizona. We may see a secondary uptick in rain and snow with the arrival of the front as it sweeps across the area this afternoon. Strong downslope winds into the Little Colorado River Valley will limit precipitation there, so expect less precipitation in the vicinity of Interstate 40 east of Flagstaff. With that said, these strong downslope winds will make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles. Made some small changes to the forecast to increase cloud cover and chances for precipitation. Otherwise, the current forecast is on track. && .PREV DISCUSSION /403 AM MST/...Showers continue to move across the area this morning ahead of a cold front that will bring additional precipitation today over parts of northern Arizona. Winds will once again be the main concern today, with a wind advisory in effect through this evening due to the potential dangerous winds ahead of the frontal passage today. This storm system doesn't have a significant amount of moisture with it, and due to its quick moving nature, most of accumulating snowfall amounts will be limited to the higher terrain with snowlevels above 6500 feet, and orographic lifting helps augment precipitation amounts. A general warming trend will develop this weekend after a cold start on Saturday morning behind the cold front. This is due to a weak ridge of high pressure that will form over the area ahead of a closed low off the California coast that will begin to impact northern Arizona late Sunday and early Monday. This next storm system looks to bring more moisture to the area starting on Monday, unfortunately the latest model tracks take the storm further south limiting the amount of precipitation over northern Arizona, and bringing the bulk of the precipitation to the sky islands further south. Some moisture will still impact the area, including the Mogollon Rim, and the White Mountains where the current forecast has higher snowfall amounts, than the Flagstaff area. A second impact associated with this closed low system looks to be the wetter round for northern Arizona, and current models have timing of this wave increasing during the day Tuesday. At this point confidence is decreasing over timing and location of impacts, but if current solutions continue, this could be a significant moisture event that continues into Wednesday, with another reinforcing shortwave possible on Thursday. With models falling out of agreement by next weekend as this large scale trough responsible for the active weather slowly transitions eastward. && .AVIATION...For the 18Z Package...Sfc winds sw15-25g30-40s most places through 01Z-03Z. Sct shra/-shsn, mainly from KFLG eastward through 01Z-03Z. Wdsprd MVFR/IFR cigs along and sw of higher terrain. Improvement tonight, although pockets of MVFR/IFR cigs will persist along higher terrain through Saturday morning. Aviation discussion not updated for TAF amendments. && .FIRE WEATHER...Scattered rain and snow pellet showers will continue today, along with colder temperatures. Most shower activity will be terrain driven. Southwest winds will become strong again today in most places. Drier conditons develop for Saturday, with less wind and some warming. Sunday through Tuesday...A large trough of low pressure will slowly begin to move across Arizona on Sunday with breezy conditions and slight chances for showers. Unsettled and colder weather is expected Monday and Tuesday with increasing chances for wetting rains and accumulating snow. && .FGZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...Wind Advisory until 6 PM MST this evening FOR AZZ011>014-016-017- 039-040. && PUBLIC...RR AVIATION...Peterson FIRE WEATHER...MAS For Northern Arizona weather information visit weather.gov/flagstaff
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
An ADOT wind sensor on Interstate 40 near Luepp Corner/Road 99 reported a peak wind gust of 60 MPH at 1103 AM.
The ASOS at the Window Rock airport recorded a peak wind gust of 58 MPH at 312 PM MST.
An ADOT wind sensor along Interstate 40 near Lupton reported a peak wind gust of 59 MPH at 312 PM MST.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arizona in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, March 2019
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: 814671, 814675, 814672.