A significant rain event occurred across much of southeast Arizona November 27th through the 29th. Three-day rainfall totals of 1 inch were widespread, but the most rain fell in Cochise County and adjacent sections of Graham, Pima and Santa Cruz Counties where amounts of 2 to 3 inches was common.
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.
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 TWC wrote it up.
A significant rain event occurred across much of southeast Arizona November 27th through the 29th. Three-day rainfall totals of 1 inch were widespread, but the most rain fell in Cochise County and adjacent sections of Graham, Pima and Santa Cruz Counties where amounts of 2 to 3 inches was common. Over 5 inches fell in some locations within Cochise County near the International Border and in the San Pedro watershed in Sonora. The heaviest period of rain there occurred on the 27th, which caused flooded roadways into the 28th and also caused the San Pedro River to overflow its banks east of Hereford. Damaging winds occurred ahead of, and along, a cold front on November 29th. The most significant wind damage occurred with thunderstorms during the early morning hours of the 29th in Avra Valley, Marana, Oro Valley and Catalina.
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 Tucson, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Nov 27, 4:01 AM MST, 6 hours 59 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Tucson AZ 401 AM MST Wed Nov 27 2019 .SYNOPSIS...A weather system will bring deep moisture and showers spreading up from the south this afternoon and tonight. Areas of flooding possible southeast of Tucson. A strong Pacific storm will bring significant valley rain and mountain snow later Thursday into Friday. Windy conditions and much cooler temperatures are also expected. Chilly overnight lows to end the week, with warmer afternoon highs early next week. Another storm system may move across the area next Wednesday. && .DISCUSSION...Very active weather period over the next 60 to 72 hours with lots of rain, high elevation snow, strong gusty winds and a few thunderstorms impacting the state of Arizona. Two main weather systems driving the weather will be a closed upper low SW of the Baja Spur which will spread deep moisture across the area today into tonight and a strong cold upper level trof and associated cold front, currently along the west coast, that will moves across the area tomorrow into Friday. Lets take a look at the weather issues over the next several days. Rain: Lots of it. The upper low SW of Baja Spur is slowly moving to the NE and will continue that trend today while opening up. Looking south across Sonora this morning, it has yet to start raining at Hermosillo with latest HRRR runs starting rain there between 4 am and 5 am. This rain will continue to spread initially toward the International border areas of Santa Cruz and Cochise counties around 16z or 9am then continue to spread north and west as the day progresses. Where that western edge of this moisture ends up later today is the tricky part of this forecast. At this moment the current forecast has it western edge later this afternoon to Picacho Peak-Sells line. Moderate to occasional heavy rain this afternoon and evening across Cochise county pushing north and west. Cochise county will see the heaviest rain with rainfall totals in the 1" to 2" with locally higher amounts up to 3". A flash flood watch already in effect for this area. Rainfall amounts across the rest of the area by tonight, except for western Pima county, will range from 0.20" to 1.25" in the valleys with 1.5" to 2.5" for the mountains. Showers will be around on Thanksgiving Day before next round of moderate to heavy rain moves across the area Thanksgiving night into Friday morning. Rainfall rates could be enhanced from any thunderstorms that briefly form. Flash flood watch has been posted for most of the area for this second event. Snow: Lots of it above 7000 feet. Winter storm watches have been posted for all of our mountain ranges for Thursday evening through Friday evening. 1 to 2 feet of snow above 7000 feet with up to 3 feet near mountain peaks. Wind: Breezy to locally windy conditions Thanksgiving day will become windy to very windy post cold front Thanksgiving night into Friday. In coordination with WFO Phoenix have decided to hoist a wind advisory for all of southeast Arizona late Thursday night into early Friday afternoon. Wind gusts in the valleys could reach 50 to 55 mph and 60 to 65 mph in the mountains. There is ensemble guidance point to even stronger winds for the Huachuca mountains and the Sierra Vista area. Some to watch in case the advisory needs to be upgraded to high wind warning with short lead time. Temperatures: Highs rebound to just below normal levels after yesterday cool day. Slightly cooler Thanksgiving Day then much cooler Friday and Saturday. High temperatures rebound to above normal levels early next week. Overnight lows will remain on the chilly side. Next week: Another system is progged to impact the area next Wednesday/Thursday. && .AVIATION...Valid through 28/12Z. East of a KOLS to KCGZ line, SCT-BKN clouds decks at 4k-7k ft MSL and BKN-OVC clouds AOA 15k ft MSL. West of a KOLS to KCGZ line, FEW- SCT clouds at 6k-9k ft MSL and BKN-OVC clouds AOA 18k ft MSL. SHRA developing south through east of KTUS aft 27/16Z, with brief MVFR conditions and mountain top obscurations. SHRA spreading north and west late tonight into Thursday, with lowering cloud decks and increasing SHRA chances. SFC wind generally SELY/ELY at 8-18 kts, with gusts to 20-25 kts. Aviation discussion not updated for TAF amendments. && .FIRE WEATHER...Valley rain will develop south and east of Tucson today, spreading across all of southeast Arizona tonight into Thursday and then continue across southern Arizona through Friday. Significant snowfall will occur in the mountains, mainly above 7000 feet. The precipitation will come to an end from west to east late Friday night into Saturday. Strong and gusty winds will also occur late Thursday afternoon through Friday. High winds will be possible in the mountains and some Cochise County valleys. Dry and warmer conditions are then expected Sunday into Tuesday of next week. Another storm system may impact the region mid to late next week. && .HYDROLOGY...Latest stage forecast by CBRFC shows rises for our rivers and creeks with most of them below action stage. There will be a few that will approach action stage. Thus will have to keep an eye on flows on Friday and Saturday. && .CLIMATE...Daily rainfall records will likely fall over the next 3 days with some locals, mainly east and south of Tucson, recording top 10 wettest November days. Its possible that all-time wettest Novembers will be approached or exceeded, especially across Cochise county. For example, 1.41" has been recorded this month at Douglas airport which ranks as 5th wettest month on record. All-time wettest November for Douglas airport is 3.35" in 1994. && .TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Wind Advisory from 11 PM Thursday to 2 PM MST Friday for AZZ501>515. Flash Flood Watch from 2 PM MST this afternoon through Friday afternoon for AZZ507-508-512-513. Flash Flood Watch from Thursday morning through Friday afternoon for AZZ501>506-509>511-514-515. Winter Storm Watch from Thursday evening through Friday evening for AZZ510>514. && Visit us on Facebook...Twitter...YouTube...and at weather.gov/Tucson
The Tucson radar (KEMX), 84 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:02 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind, 2 flood, 1 heavy rain, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Three inches of rain fell in Bisbee from midday on November 27 into the morning hours of November 28. A day later, a retention wall failed as a result. The debris from this failed wall caused the closure of a section of Shearer Avenue in Bisbee.
Around one inch of rain fell in southern Cochise County during the afternoon of November 27th with a total of 2 to 3 inches of rain by midnight. By mid evening, several roads became impassable. This included Davis Road, King's Highway north of Route 80 and Frontier Road at Double Adobe. Route 80 was closed west of the Mule Pass Tunnel due to a rock slide.
Widespread rain of 2 to 4 inches fell along the San Pedro River in southern Cochise County and upstream in Sonora on November 27th into the 28th, causing the river to rise markedly on the morning of November 29th. The river neared flood stage at Palominas, but did not come out of its banks. Farther downstream, the San Pedro River flooded Hereford Road on the east side of the bridge, but did not over top the bridge itself. However, the road was closed for several hours.
High winds, aided by saturated ground from 2 to 3 inches of soaking rain during the preceding hours, uprooted several large trees in Sierra Vista. Winds also blew a gazebo over a brick wall and destroyed it.
Thunderstorm winds downed several trees and caused roof and wall damage in parts of Avra Valley and Marana. Additionally, an unoccupied fifth wheel trailer was blown on its side. Two power poles were also damaged near Twin Peaks Rd and Quarry Rd.
A line of thunderstorms caused extensive tree damage from the Rooney Ranch and Steam Pump Ranch area through Oro Valley Marketplace to Catalina Regional Park. A portion of the roof to an outbuilding was blown off at Steam Pump Ranch. The most severe damage occurred to trees within the park and in a residential area immediately to the east. Several one-foot diameter trees were snapped off at the midpoint of the trunk while others were uprooted. Roof damage to mobile homes farther east was also noted. A tree fell on a car at one residence.
A large tree was uprooted by thunderstorm winds near City Hall in Nogales. A soaking rain of nearly 1.5 inches in the 24 hours preceding the thunderstorms had softened the ground around this shallow-rooted tree.
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, November 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 866252, 865935, 866251, 865934, 865915, 865931, 865933.