Scattered thunderstorms developed over the Mogollon Rim during the afternoon and moved south-southwest into Cochise County during the evening. One storm produced a severe wind gust near Bowie.
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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.
Scattered thunderstorms developed over the Mogollon Rim during the afternoon and moved south-southwest into Cochise County during the evening. One storm produced a severe wind gust near Bowie.
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 22, 3:31 PM MST, 3 hours 40 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Tucson AZ 331 PM MST Sat Aug 22 2020 .SYNOPSIS...A chance of thunderstorms through the weekend, with temperatures closer to average for late August. High pressure building back through Arizona will tend to limit thunderstorm coverage and push temperatures back up next week. Excessive heat is possible with near record high temperatures Monday and Tuesday. && .DISCUSSION...The mid morning discussion remains valid for the rest of today regarding storm activity. For storms in the Tucson Metro, a strong outflow will be needed to break the cap. Best chance for that to happen would be in the evening. Elsewhere, storms developing across the higher terrain will work south and west through the evening, with the greatest coverage south and east of Tucson. Did not make any changes to the Excessive Heat Watch at this time. There is just enough uncertainty in regards to moisture/storm chances Monday into Tuesday, which could keep temperatures down a degree or two from forecast. The way this Monsoon has gone, an upgrade to a warning is probably coming. Sunday remains on track for an active day across most of SE AZ, including the Tucson Metro. Storms will once again fire off the higher terrain north and east of Tucson and work into the lower deserts to the south and west through the late afternoon and into the evening. Main threats will be heavy rain and gusty winds. Some localized blowing dust cannot be ruled out for portions of Pima and Pinal Counties if outflows are organized and strong. Activity continues Monday and potentially into Tuesday with the main focus for areas west of Tucson. We will have to wait and see how Sunday works out. If we have a big day, this could be tempered a bit. Still expecting a downward trend in activity mid to late week as high pressure strengthens in the region and meanders south. This will provide a less than optimal pattern for storm activity. By next weekend, there are hints another upswing in activity is possible. Confidence is marginal at this time as the pattern appears to be a little messy across the west. && .AVIATION...Valid through 24/00Z. FEW-BKN clouds 7k-12k ft MSL much of the period. ISOLD-SCT TSRA/SHRA this afternoon into this evening. Some +TSRA will be possible with brief reductions in CIGS/VIS and MTN obscurations. Expect another round of ISOLD-SCT TSRA/SHRA Sunday afternoon into the evening, especially for KTUS and KOLS. +TSRA with aviation impacts once again possible. Wind gusts over 40 kts possible with any TS. SFC winds generally less than 10 kts this evening and Sunday morning becoming NWLY 5-10 kts with gusts to 20 kts. Aviation discussion not updated for TAF amendments. && .FIRE WEATHER...Moisture remains in place with isolated to scattered afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms into Monday. Greatest coverage appears to be Sunday. Min RH 25-30 percent across the valleys and 30-45 percent in the mountains through Sunday along with good/excellent overnight RH recoveries. 20-foot winds generally remain less than 15 mph outside of any thunderstorm gusts which could reach 40+ mph. Drier conditions and hotter temperatures next week slightly reduces shower/thunderstorm coverage and daytime humidity values by 5 to 10 percent. && .TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Excessive Heat Watch from Monday morning through Tuesday evening for AZZ501-502-504>506-509. && Visit us on Facebook...Twitter...YouTube...and at weather.gov/Tucson
The Tucson radar (KEMX), 117 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:11 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
CWOP AU921 south of Bowie measured a thunderstorm 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: 919563.