Isolated thunderstorms developed and moved west across parts of southeast Arizona during the afternoon and evening. One storm produced a severe wind gust at Nogales Airport.
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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.
Isolated thunderstorms developed and moved west across parts of southeast Arizona during the afternoon and evening. One storm produced a severe wind gust at Nogales Airport.
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 Aug 14, 1:15 PM MST, 5 hours 33 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Tucson AZ 115 PM MST Fri Aug 14 2020 .SYNOPSIS...An extended period of excessive heat can be anticipated into next week as high pressure aloft strengthens over the region. There might be a break in the heat from time-to-time as a chance of showers and thunderstorms remain in the forecast. The weather pattern will become favorable next week for a daily dose of thunderstorms more typical of the monsoon season. && .DISCUSSION...The morning cloudiness had not slowed the daytime heating much as Tucson already reported 107 degrees during the lunch time hours. Recent radar imagery was starting to show a few showers developing in the White Mountains with not much anywhere else so far this afternoon. The high pressure ridge aloft responsible for the elevated heat risk will continue to strengthen and build northward over the weekend. Eventually, the upper high will become centered over the Great Basin region by Monday. Although the position and strengthen of the upper high will bring an extended period of excessive heat to the Desert Southwest, an increase in deeper moisture might spare southeast Arizona from time-to-time after Monday. Otherwise, the weather pattern next week will resemble one more typical of the monsoon season. That said, messaging will be focused on the immediate heat dangers followed by an upswing in thunderstorm activity next week. && .AVIATION...Valid through 16/00Z. Cloud coverage increases during the afternoon becoming SCT-BKN 10k- 15k MSL continuing into the evening. Isolated to scattered SHRA/TSRA mainly east to south of KTUS. Strong and gusty winds will be possible in the vicinity of storms. Surface winds remain less than 12 kts through the period, WLY/NWLY during the afternoon and variable at other times. Aviation discussion not updated for TAF amendments. && .FIRE WEATHER...Isolated to scattered afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms are forecast the next 7 days, favoring areas south and east of Tucson. Temperatures will remain hot and moisture generally drier compared to average. 20-foot winds will follow typical diurnal patterns at less than 15 mph outside of any thunderstorm wind gusts. Daytime humidity will generally be in the 15 to 25 percent range in the valleys and 20 to 30 percent in the mountains with moderate to good overnight recoveries. && .TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Excessive Heat Warning until 8 PM MST Sunday for AZZ503-509. Excessive Heat Warning until 8 PM MST Monday for AZZ501-502- 504>506. && Visit us on Facebook...Twitter...YouTube...and at weather.gov/Tucson
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
540 PM MST Fri Aug 14 2020
AZZ503-150115-
Upper Santa Cruz River and Altar Valleys including Nogales-
540 PM MST Fri Aug 14 2020
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTH CENTRAL PIMA AND
SOUTHWESTERN SANTA CRUZ COUNTIES UNTIL 615 PM MST...
At 539 PM MST, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Arivaca, or 18 miles southwest of Tubac, moving northwest at 15 mph.
Dime size hail and winds in excess of 40 mph and blowing dust will be
possible with this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Arivaca, Ruby and Arivaca Lake.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Heavy rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
&&
LAT...LON 3148 11153 3149 11154 3164 11154 3169 11128
3137 11118
TIME...MOT...LOC 0039Z 151DEG 13KT 3148 11133
TGDThe Tucson radar (KEMX), 57 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:47 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
KOLS ASOS at Nogales Airport measured a wind gust to 59 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arizona in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, August 2020
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: 919515.