Arizona, 2023Wildfire in Arizona, April 3 to 4, 2023
April 3 to 4, 2023 · NWS TWC · 1 event in 1 county or zone
The human caused Williams Fire started on April 3 in the Hereford area in Cochise County. The wildfire was driven by wind gusts of 45 mph, spread northeast in dry grass, and destroyed two residences and three outbuildings near the intersection of Williams and Waters Rds.
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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $500,000
- 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.
The human caused Williams Fire started on April 3 in the Hereford area in Cochise County. The wildfire was driven by wind gusts of 45 mph, spread northeast in dry grass, and destroyed two residences and three outbuildings near the intersection of Williams and Waters Rds. The fire caused evacuations of several residences and the closure of State Route 92. A total of 1320 acres were burned. Forward progression was stopped on April 4. Fire suppression costs tallied $90,000.
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 Tucson, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 3, 2:39 AM MST, 10 hours 27 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 3, 2:39 AM MST, 10 hours 27 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
239 AM MST Mon Apr 3 2023
.SYNOPSIS...Near normal high temperatures will prevail today.
A weather system will bring strong gusty winds to the area today
and much cooler temperatures Tuesday into Wednesday. A significant
warmup will occur late in the week into the upcoming weekend.
&&
.DISCUSSION...The sky was clear per the latest satellite imagery
this morning. The main story in the short term will be the
increasing wind today and critical fire weather conditions
associated with an approaching weather system. A wind advisory is
in effect today for all of the forecast area. The wind combined
with low humidity values will result in critical fire weather
conditions today. See fire weather section below for additional
details. Can't rule out isolated plumes of blowing dust this
afternoon.
Over the next 7 days there will be a whiplash in temperatures
starting with near normal highs today; much colder Tuesday with
highs 15-25 degrees below normal; a rather cold morning for April
on Wednesday with lows in the 20s and 30s and local areas of
close near record lows; and then a significant warmup heading into
the Easter holiday weekend with highs at or near 90 for the lower
deserts on Sunday. See climate section below for additional
details.
&&
.AVIATION...Valid through 04/12Z.
SKC. SFC winds terrain driven this morning less than 10 kts bcmg
SW 20-30 kts with gusts 35-45 kts btwn 03/16z and 04/02z then
gradually diminishing during latter part of valid pd. Aviation
discussion not updated for TAF amendments.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...Near normal high temperatures again today with
very low humidity levels as min RHs will be below 10 percent in
the valleys and 10-15 percent over the mountains. Strong 20-foot
winds 20-35 mph and very low humidity levels today will result in
critical fire weather conditions. A Red Flag Warning is in effect
today for SE Fire Weather Zone 150 along with most of Zones 151
and 152 where the dead moisture fuel load is heaviest. Much cooler
temperatures will follow Tuesday. A drier airmass accompanying
the cooler conditions could cause critical fire weather criteria
to be reached for an hour or two in eastern areas. After a cold
Wednesday morning, a significant warming trend will begin with
well above normal temperatures expected by Sunday.
&&
.CLIMATE...The air mass behind the system passing through the area
on Tuesday will be rather cold for April on Wednesday morning.
For Tucson, the current forecast low Wednesday of 32 degrees,
although not a daily record, would be the first April low of 32
degrees or colder at the official location since 1945. For
Willcox, the current forecast low of 21 degrees would not only be
a daily record (24 degrees in 1937) but would be the coldest
April low since 1971. Significant warming to close the week with
the first 90 degrees of the year possible on Easter Sunday. Latest
probabilities has a 38% chance of 90 degrees at Tucson airport.
&&
.TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Red Flag Warning from 11 AM this morning to 8 PM MST this
evening for AZZ150>152.
Wind Advisory from 2 PM this afternoon to 11 PM MST this evening
for AZZ501>515.
&&
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Wildfire, Upper San Pedro River Valley
- When
- April 3, 1:06 PM MST to April 4, 11:50 AM MST
- Where
- Upper San Pedro River Valley forecast zone
- Property damage
- $500,000
- Reported by
- State Official
- Coordinates
- 32.109, -110.569 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The human caused Williams Fire started on April 3 in the Hereford area in Cochise County. The wildfire was driven by wind gusts of 45 mph, spread northeast in dry grass, and destroyed two residences and three outbuildings near the intersection of Williams and Waters Rds. The fire caused evacuations of several residences and the closure of State Route 92. A total of 1320 acres were burned. Forward progression was stopped on April 4. Fire suppression costs tallied $90,000.
- Wildfire
- A fire burning in wildland vegetation, with its acreage and damage where known.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Mississippi, April 3, 2023$656,000 · EF1 · 11 events
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Alabama, April 3, 2023$50,000 · EF1 · 20 events
- Tornadoes and Hail in Georgia, April 3, 2023$40,000 · EF1 · 11 events
- High Wind in New Mexico, April 3 to 4, 202370 kt wind · 28 events
- Blizzard and Winter Storm in South Dakota, April 3 to 5, 202323 events
- Heavy Snow in South Dakota, April 3 to 5, 202321 events
- High Wind and Winter Weather in California, April 3, 202382 kt wind · 11 events
- High Wind in Arizona, April 3, 202359 kt wind · 11 events
- High Wind in Colorado, April 3, 202369 kt wind · 8 events
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Wyoming, April 3 to 5, 20236 events
- High Wind in California, April 3, 202363 kt wind · 6 events
- High Wind in Colorado, April 3 to 4, 202370 kt wind · 6 events
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: 1095424.