Arizona, 2020

High Wind in Arizona, February 25 to 26, 2020

February 25 to 26, 2020 · NWS FGZ · 1 event in 1 county or zone

A dry cold front brought high winds to the peaks just north of Flagstaff above 10,000 feet. The peak wind gust was 84 MPH at 11,555 feet.

Where it happened

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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 FGZ wrote it up.

A dry cold front brought high winds to the peaks just north of Flagstaff above 10,000 feet. The peak wind gust was 84 MPH at 11,555 feet.

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 Flagstaff, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 24, 8:40 PM MST, 6 hours 40 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 24, 8:40 PM MST, 6 hours 40 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Flagstaff AZ
840 PM MST Mon Feb 24 2020

.SYNOPSIS...Dry weather is expected for the coming week. Breezy
northeast winds and briefly cooler temperatures are expected on
Tuesday, before temperatures warm up later in the week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...Clear skies and near normal low temperatures are
in store for the overnight period across northern Arizona. Look
for gusty northwesterly winds to persist in some spots. We're
still on track for a pesky cold front on Tuesday with temperatures
dropping 10 to 15 degrees from high temperatures seen on Monday
and gusty north to northeast winds. Winds will be strongest,
gusting to around 40 mph, in favored locations along and south of
the Mogollon Rim

After a warm day today, a dry cold front will push down across
the Northland on Tuesday with cooler daytime temperatures and
gusty northeast winds, especially along and just south of higher
terrain features. Precipitation is not expected.

For Wednesday through Saturday, high pressure will lead to warmer
temperatures, lighter winds, and continued dry conditions.

Forecast models are indicating the potential for another storm
system early next week, and we will continue to monitor the
likelihood of that scenario and any associated impacts in the
coming days.

&&

.AVIATION...Expect VFR conditions and generally clear skies over the
next 24 hours. Expect generally light winds with locally gusty
northwest winds decreasing by 08-10Z. Gusty northeasterly winds will
develop Tuesday morning...locally gusting over 30kts. These winds
will slowly decrease after 03Z Wednesday. Aviation discussion not
updated for TAF amendments.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...Breezy northwest winds will continue into the
evening. A dry cold front will bring much cooler temperatures and
gusty northeast winds on Tuesday.

.Wednesday through Friday....Expect a warming trend with dry weather
and lighter winds.

&&

.FGZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE.

&&

PUBLIC...McCollum/KD
AVIATION...MAS/KD
FIRE WEATHER...MAS/KD

For Northern Arizona weather information visit
weather.gov/flagstaff

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Western Mogollon Rim

When
February 25, 3:20 AM MST to February 26, 2:00 AM MST
Where
Western Mogollon Rim forecast zone
Measured
73 kt (84 mph) measured gust
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
35.839, -111.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The wind sensor on Agassiz Peak at 11,555 feet measured sustained winds above 40 MPH from 7 AM February 25 until 200 AM on February 26. Wind gusts above 58 MPH were measured from 320 AM until 200 AM. The peak wind gusts of 84 MPH were measured between 11:10 and 11:20 AM (inclusive). The wind sensor at 9,969 feet measured a peak wind gust of 62 MPH at 11:00 AM.

What these are

High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Arizona in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, February 2020

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: 870192.