Scattered thunderstorms developed and moved southwest across Graham, Greenlee and Cochise counties. One storm produced damaging winds in the Sierra Vista area.
Every event with a place to put it. 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.
Scattered thunderstorms developed and moved southwest across Graham, Greenlee and Cochise counties. One storm produced damaging winds in the Sierra Vista area.
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 Jul 7, 1:25 PM MST, 5 hours 50 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Tucson AZ 125 PM MST Wed Jul 7 2021 .SYNOPSIS...A drying trend will somewhat curtail thunderstorm coverage the rest of the week. As this happens, temperatures will climb several degrees. Conditions look favorable for an increase in thunderstorm chances by early next week. && .DISCUSSION...Radar is scanning isolated showers and thunderstorms beginning to form over the higher terrain of Greenlee County as well as a few spots southeast of Tucson. The morning sounding showed 1.4" PW, with good mid-level steering flow from the northeast and a moderate inversion just above 500mb. Models are in good agreement with two favored areas of organized convection--one over the Whites and the other just south of the International Border. Storms are progged to continue to propagate toward the southwest off the rim along with some organized outflow boundaries. As gusty winds push north from the activity in Sonora, we'll likely see some convergent areas that will help to enhance thunderstorm development. Tucson is right on the western edge of favorable instability and will likely need the extra lift from these outflows. For tomorrow, hi-res guidance shifts precip toward the west as drier air advects in from the east. Over the duration of the forecast, the general location of the high will drift subtly along the northern Arizona border allowing for consistent northeasterly to easterly flow aloft. Daily thunderstorm activity is expected to continue, albeit not across a widespread area as no solid reinforcement of deep moisture is expected until early next week. At that point, all model guidance points to a strong uptick in precipitation for the entire forecast area. This is aided by an easterly wave that tracks along central Mexico and into the entrance of the Gulf of California, helping to push additional moisture into our region. && .AVIATION...Valid through 09/00Z. SCT clouds 8k-12k ft MSL through the period except SCT-BKN with layers above at times KTUS east and south. Into this evening expect isolated SHRA/TSRA mainly south and east of Tucson. However, KTUS could see outflows from storms that travel southwestward from the White Mountains between 07/23Z and 08/03Z. Wind gusts to 40 kts possible near any TSRA. Otherwise SFC winds will rather light and variable through the period except favoring a westerly direction KTUS and KOLS this afternoon. Aviation discussion not updated for TAF amendments. && .FIRE WEATHER...Expect isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms from Tucson east and southward this afternoon and evening. Thursday and Friday best storm chances will be over the T.O. Nation and White Mountains, then along the international border and White Mountains over the weekend. Next week additional moisture begins to move back in leading to better storm chances area wide. Min RH values will generally be in the 20-35 percent range for lower elevations through early next week with very good overnight recoveries. Only exception is Pima and Pinal Counties which could have some areas in the teens over the next few hours and again Thursday afternoon at peak heating. General winds will be light and following normal daily trends when not influenced by storms. && .TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && Public...Howlett Aviation/Fire Wx...Cerniglia Visit us on Facebook...Twitter...YouTube...and at weather.gov/Tucson
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
233 PM MST Wed Jul 7 2021
AZZ509-510-072215-
Upper Gila River and Aravaipa Valleys including Clifton/Safford-White
Mountains of Graham and Greenlee Counties including Hannagan Meadow-
233 PM MST Wed Jul 7 2021
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL GREENLEE COUNTY UNTIL 315
PM MST...
At 232 PM MST, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 13
miles northwest of Mule Creek, moving south at 20 mph.
Half inch hail and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with this
storm.
Locations impacted include...
Clifton, Morenci, York, Three Way and Guthrie.
LAT...LON 3286 10912 3296 10941 3333 10924 3327 10904
3321 10904
TIME...MOT...LOC 2132Z 017DEG 19KT 3323 10916
CarpenterSpecial Weather Statement National Weather Service Tucson AZ 329 PM MST Wed Jul 7 2021 AZZ509-510-072315- Upper Gila River and Aravaipa Valleys including Clifton/Safford-White Mountains of Graham and Greenlee Counties including Hannagan Meadow- 329 PM MST Wed Jul 7 2021 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EAST CENTRAL GRAHAM AND CENTRAL GREENLEE COUNTIES UNTIL 415 PM MST... At 329 PM MST, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over Clifton, moving south at 20 mph. Winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Clifton, Morenci, York, Three Way and Guthrie. 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. Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle. && LAT...LON 3315 10936 3312 10906 3276 10909 3285 10951 TIME...MOT...LOC 2229Z 020DEG 16KT 3303 10923 GL
The Tucson radar (KEMX), 64 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:16 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm winds downed seven power poles and damaged or destroyed several storage sheds near Moson Rd, between Dakota and Nevada Aves.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arizona in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, July 2021
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: 975653.