A strong, late season low pressure system brought windy conditions to northern Arizona on May 19. A few locations experienced high and damaging winds.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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, late season low pressure system brought windy conditions to northern Arizona on May 19. A few locations experienced high and damaging winds.
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 May 19, 2:13 PM MST, 1 hour 32 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Flagstaff AZ 213 PM MST Tue May 19 2020 .SYNOPSIS...Strong winds and critical fire weather conditions will diminish after sunset. Cooler temperatures can be expected Wednesday, before warming again into the weekend. Breezy conditions will develop on Friday and Saturday. && .DISCUSSION...Strong south to southwest winds are being observed across northern Arizona this afternoon. Several observing stations are reporting gusts in the 40 to 55 mph range. Additionally, relative humidity values are in the single digits across northeast Arizona leading to critical fire weather conditions. Wind Advisories and Red Flag Warnings remain in effect through 7pm MST this evening. Expect winds to decrease after sunset as the cold front pushes east of the area. Behind the front, a cool and dry airmass will move over the state. Clear skies and weakening winds will make for a couple chilly mornings on Wednesday and Thursday. Some higher elevation areas will see below freezing low temperatures. Be sure to protect any sensitive plants you have outdoors. Daytime temperatures on Wednesday will be around 5 degrees below normal for mid-May. A slow warming trend takes place through the remainder of the week. Breezy conditions will develop again on Friday and Saturday afternoons as a disturbance moves through the Great Basin. As we look into next week, ensemble guidance is indicating that high pressure will strengthen over the Southwest US. This would bring a return to well above normal temperatures. Stay tuned. && .AVIATION...For the 00Z package...Primarily VFR conditions for the next 24 hours. Until 02z, areas of MVFR visibilities possible across Navajo and Apache counties due to blowing dust. Surface winds S-SW 20-35kts with gusts 35-50 kts. Fastest winds along and north of the Mogollon Rim. After 02z, winds transition to SW-W and decrease to 10-20 kts. Aviation discussion not updated for TAF amendments. && .FIRE WEATHER...A Red Flag Warning remains in effect for northeastern Arizona through 7 PM MST today. A dry frontal passage tonight will lead to much slower winds Wednesday through Thursday. Wednesday's high temps should be the coolest in the next 7 days. .Friday through Sunday...Dry through this period with temperatures will warm slightly each day. Breezy southwest afternoon winds possible Friday and Saturday as a disturbance moves through the Great Basin. && .FGZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...Wind Advisory until 7 PM MST this evening FOR AZZ004>016-037>040. Red Flag Warning until 7 PM MST this evening FOR AZZ105-109>114- 139-140. && PUBLIC...TPS AVIATION...DL FIRE WEATHER...DL For Northern Arizona weather information visit weather.gov/flagstaff
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
223 PM MST TUE MAY 19 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0221 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 1 ESE KAYENTA 36.71N 110.23W
05/19/2020 M53 MPH NAVAJO AZ PUBLIC
THE AWOS AT KAYENTA AZ REPORTS A WIND GUSTS
OF 46 KNOTS.
&&
41PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
252 PM MST TUE MAY 19 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0119 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 1 NE FLAGSTAFF AIRPORT 35.16N 111.66W
05/19/2020 M55 MPH COCONINO AZ PUBLIC
STRONG WINDS CAUSED BROKEN TREE BRANCHES IN
RESIDENTIAL YARD.
&&
TPSThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The measured peak wind gust in Bellemont was 65 MPH at 345 PM. A large pondreosa pine tree snapped off in northwest Flagstaff.
A Mesonet station 4 miles north of House Rock measured a peak wind gust of 62 MPH at 419 PM.
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, May 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: 887595, 887596.