Monsoon moisture surged back across northern Arizona which allowed strong to severe thunderstorms to form.
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 FGZ wrote it up.
Monsoon moisture surged back across northern Arizona which allowed strong to severe thunderstorms to form.
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 Jul 20, 2:35 PM MST, 1 hour 40 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Flagstaff AZ 235 PM MST Wed Jul 20 2022 .SYNOPSIS...Hot afternoon temperatures will continue with both Thursday and Friday expected to be exceptionally warm. There will be a slight decrease in shower and thunderstorm chances for most of northern Arizona the next couple days before a more active monsoon period returns over the weekend and into next week. && .DISCUSSION...Well above normal temperatures have already been recorded this afternoon as high pressure is centered directly over northern Arizona. Clouds have begun to increase across the region with isolated storms developing along the Mogollon Rim from the Flagstaff area stretching southward towards Payson. Storms have also formed in the White Mountains. The chance of showers and storms in this area will increase this afternoon with isolated activity possible south of the Rim as well as in Yavapai and Coconino Counties. Some localized afternoon high temperatures may be hindered from climbing much higher by localized cloud cover and precipitation. Thunderstorm activity will begin to diminish after 6pm MST with a mostly quiet night possibly being interrupted by a few lingering isolated showers and storms. Thursday and Friday...With the anticyclone over us the next several days, expect similar conditions Thursday and Friday with a modest lull in the monsoon. Isolated to scattered storms will still have the potential to produce localized hazardous conditions with flash flooding near burn scars and in slot canyons being the main concern. Excessive Heat Warnings are in effect for the Grand Canyon, Glen Canyon, and Marble Canyon with the warned area expanding to the valleys of Yavapai County for Thursday and Friday. Confidence is high regarding the hot afternoons with the only remaining uncertainty being connected to where localized clouds and storms will form each afternoon. These showers and storms will providing some relief from the heat. Generally light west to southwesterly winds could be interrupted by gusty conditions near thunderstorms. Saturday through Wednesday...A trough to our west along the eastern Pacific/west coast will push against our ridge, forcing the ridge to retreat eastward. Models agree that the ridge will flatten across the southern U.S. with portions of Arizona being on the western periphery. Temperatures will return to average for July before cooling further towards the start of next week. The ridge position will allow for a more favorable wind pattern by Saturday with southerly winds bringing moisture northward. Above normal precipitable water through the weekend into the beginning of next week will cause monsoon activity to ramp up. Scattered to widespread thunderstorms each afternoon into the evening are anticipated. Both the GFS and ECMWF have an inverted trough moving westward across southern Arizona Monday into Tuesday which will further enhance precipitation. However, the timing with this trough is not consistent between models. Regardless, buckle down for a monsoon burst period! The threat of flash flooding will increase as northern Arizona becomes more saturated over the weekend and into next week. && .AVIATION...For the 00Z TAF package...VFR conditions and light winds persist over the next 24 hours except in the vicinity of thunderstorms. ISO to SCT TSRA mainly along and south of KFLG-KSOW- KSJN line will continue until 02Z with isolated activity possible elsewhere in northern Arizona. Quiet weather overnight with similar conditions and storm chances Thursday. Aviation discussion not updated for TAF amendments. && .FIRE WEATHER...Hot and drier conditions through Friday. Scattered showers and storms possible Thursday and Friday along the eastern Mogollon Rim. A few isolated storms cannot be ruled out for the rest of northern Arizona. Light winds will become gusty near storms. Saturday through Monday...Temperatures trend downward with a moisture surge beginning Saturday. The chance of rain increases through the weekend into next week with storms each afternoon. && .FGZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...Excessive Heat Warning from 11 AM Thursday to 8 PM MST Friday FOR AZZ037. Excessive Heat Warning until 8 PM MST Friday FOR AZZ005-006. && PUBLIC...JM AVIATION...JM FIRE WEATHER...JM For Northern Arizona weather information visit weather.gov/flagstaff
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Flagstaff AZ
318 PM MST Wed Jul 20 2022
AZZ015-038-202245-
Western Mogollon Rim-Oak Creek and Sycamore Canyons-
318 PM MST Wed Jul 20 2022
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of Yavapai and Coconino
Counties near Oak Creek Canyon and I-17 through 345 PM MST...
At 317 PM MST, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Junipine Resort, or 10 miles northeast of Sedona, moving southeast at
10 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Munds Park, Junipine Resort, Garland's Oak Creek Lodge, Slide Rock
State Park, Cave Springs Campground, Pine Flat Campground, Sterling
Fish Hatchery and West Fork Of Oak Creek.
This includes the following highways...
Interstate 17 between mile markers 320 and 330.
State Route 89A between mile markers 382 and 391.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3497 11181 3506 11175 3502 11155 3488 11161
TIME...MOT...LOC 2217Z 297DEG 8KT 3499 11170
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
JJThe Flagstaff radar (KFSX), 92 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:14 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
A wind gust of 58 MPH was reported in Spring Valley at 415 PM. There was damage to a shed roof and lawn structure as well as a tree was blown down.
Prescott Valley Police reported hazardous flooding at the intersection of East Lakeshore Drive and East Towago Drive and the intersection of Navajo Drive and Florentine Road. Rain Gauges in the area recorded from 1.50 and 1.86 inches of rain.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arizona in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, July 2022
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: 1047723, 1046998.