Scattered thunderstorms moved northwest across southeast Arizona during the afternoon and evening. Storms produced heavy rain and flash flooding in Clifton, on the Tohono O'odham Nation and in western Pima County.
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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 moved northwest across southeast Arizona during the afternoon and evening. Storms produced heavy rain and flash flooding in Clifton, on the Tohono O'odham Nation and in western Pima County. Isolated flash flooding, wind damage and blowing dust occurred in other locations.
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 24, 9:55 AM MST, 2 hours 29 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Tucson AZ 955 AM MST Sun Jul 24 2022 .SYNOPSIS...Deeper moisture will mean an increase in thunderstorms most of this week. Upcoming storms will carry an increasing flash flood threat along with strong winds and lightning. && .DISCUSSION...Skies continued to clear across SE AZ in the wake of a thunderstorm complex that developed overnight and shifted over central and western AZ this morning. The subsidence in the wake of this complex should be short-lived as a disturbance over the Texas Big Bend approaches from the east and differential surface heating kicks in. A few showers and thunderstorms were already evident around Marfa Texas in association with this disturbance. That said, high resolution models were still showing thunderstorms regenerating this afternoon and continuing through the nighttime hours tonight. No updates necessary this morning. Please refer to the previous discussion in this product for more details. && .AVIATION...Valid through 25/18Z. Isolated to Scattered TSRA. Localized +TSRA likely. Lower cigs between 4-7k ft AGL can be expected around precipitation, including gusty winds in excess of 40 kts. Otherwise, cloud bases range 8-12k ft AGL with diurnal sfc winds generally less than 12 kts. Aviation discussion not updated for TAF amendments. && .FIRE WEATHER...Increasing moisture will bring more widespread showers and thunderstorms, providing a greater potential for heavy rainfall. Most locations should see at least a wetting rain into next week, with many locations seeing areal averages greater than one half inch. Strong and erratic outflow winds accompany the stronger storms, with otherwise diurnal wind trends. && .PREV DISCUSSION...\Issued at 307 AM MST Sun Jul 24 2022\ Broad high pressure across southern tier states with a high center consolidated over northern New Mexico this morning. The resulting southeasterly flow continues to import deeper moisture into SE AZ, with a lower level surge continuing from the south. Precipitable water values range from around 1.2 inches near the NM border (a bit of mid level drying across southern NM), to 1.8 inches just west of Tucson. Surface dewpoints have reached deep monsoon values in the 60s to lower 70s, up 3 to 8 degrees over the past 24 hrs. We'll continue to see scattered showers and thunderstorms in the early morning hours with strong wind and heavy rain still a threat. Latest meso model trends suggest an elevated storm environment again by mid afternoon as the flow remains brisk enough to reset. Elevated shear and convective potentials should mean more wet microburst activity from individual storms. With weak upper level diffluence and vigorous outflows, MCS activity in our area remains a concern. We will have one or two 6-8 hr down periods over the next few days, but overall the threat for flash flooding will be elevated the first half of the week. By mid week, ensembles and ensemble means lean toward a new ridge position through the Great Basin with a high center reconsolidating to our northwest. Even with a less favorable synoptic position for the high, initial upstream mid level flow will still be moist for a few days, with plenty of boundary layer moisture to recirculate along with some flavor of lower level push continuing from the south. Most days look busy into next weekend, with temperatures back down to near or below average. && .TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flood Watch from 1 PM MST this afternoon through Tuesday afternoon for AZZ501>515. && Visit us on Facebook...Twitter...YouTube...and at weather.gov/Tucson
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
1218 PM MST Sun Jul 24 2022
AZZ503-513-242000-
Dragoon/Mule/Huachuca and Santa Rita Mountains including
Bisbee/Canelo Hills/Madera Canyon-Upper Santa Cruz River and Altar
Valleys including Nogales-
1218 PM MST Sun Jul 24 2022
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of east central Santa
Cruz County through 100 PM MST...
At 1218 PM MST, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 8
miles southeast of Patagonia, or 19 miles east of Nogales, moving
northwest at 10 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 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.
This storm will remain over mainly remote areas of east central Santa
Cruz County.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential 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 3147 11054 3141 11061 3147 11080 3161 11064
TIME...MOT...LOC 1918Z 135DEG 7KT 3147 11063
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
JRMThe Tucson radar (KEMX), 83 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:24 UTC.
7 flash flood, 2 thunderstorm wind, 1 dust storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain of 2-3 in 1 hour caused flash flooding and rock slides across Route 80 northwest of Bisbee.
Heavy rain of 1-2 in less than 1 hour near Tucson Mountain Park, caused flash flooding of several roads in Tucson Estates. Sheridan Ave. was washed out south of Kinney.
Thunderstorm winds uprooted trees near Greenock and Oracle Rd. in Oro Valley.
Heavy rain of 1.5 in 1 hour caused flash flooding and the closure of Dragoon Rd. south of Interstate 10.
Heavy rain of 2-3 in 90 minutes caused a rapid rise in Canada Del Oro Wash, causing the flooding and closure of Overton Rd.
Heavy rain of 3-4 in 90 minutes caused flash flooding of Highway 85 near Puerto Blanco Dr. north of Lukeville.
Thunderstorm winds produced a wall of dust that moved from near Santa Rosa north across northern Tohono O'odham Nation, eventually reaching Interstate 8 in Pinal County. Visibility was reduced to near zero, which stopped traffic along Route 15 north of Santa Rosa.
Guthrie RAWS measured a wind gust to 59 mph and large tree limbs were downed by thunderstorm winds in Clifton.
Heavy rain of 2 in 1 hour in the Clifton-Morenci area resulted in flash flooding and mud flows along Chase Creek which flooded Coronado Blvd. before flowing into the San Francisco River.
Heavy rain of around 3 in 2 hours caused flash flooding of Highway 86 southeast of the Gu-Achi Trading Post. Santa Rosa Wash rose several feet north of Highway 86 but remained within its banks.
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: 1049327, 1049336, 1049329, 1049338, 1049343, 1049349, 1050024, 1049367, 1050022, 1049356.