Another atmospheric river pounded the Desert Southwest, bringing flooding and strong to severe thunderstorms to northwest Arizona.
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 VEF wrote it up.
Another atmospheric river pounded the Desert Southwest, bringing flooding and strong to severe thunderstorms to northwest Arizona.
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 Las Vegas, NV wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 15, 6:21 AM MST, 1 hour 19 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Las Vegas NV 621 AM PDT Wed Mar 15 2023 .SYNOPSIS...An atmospheric river event will bring widespread rain and high elevation snow along with areas of strong winds to the southwest states through this morning. Nature of the storms becomes convective this afternoon and evening with thunderstorms producing hail, gusty winds and heavy rain. Dry weather will follow the rest of the week but additional Pacific moisture will provide chances for unsettled weather late in the weekend. && .UPDATE...In collaboration with Elko and Salt Lake City the wind advisory has been cancelled. && .SHORT TERM...Through Thursday night. In the past 6 hours, observations show another 0.50"-0.75" of rain has fallen below 7000 feet in the the Owens Valley. So far, only seeing slight rises on creeks that LADWP has instrumentation on. Mostly a 0.25" or less elsewhere. Models in good agreement shifting a trough across the region today and tonight. Hi-res simulations support the idea of a broad swath of precipitation developing across southeast California, southeast Nevada and Mohave County in the next few hours. This area expected to exit Mohave County late morning. Nature of precipitation then quickly turns convective this afternoon and evening. HREF MUCAPE of 500-750 J/KG progged within the lower CRV and Mohave County late this afternoon and evening. Not sure if these values can be realized due to the morning rains but potential exists. HRRR indicates Lincoln, Clark, far eastern San Bernardino and Mohave Counties have the best chance for thunderstorms. Hail, gusty wind and heavy rain will accompany those thunderstorms. As the trough shifts further east into Arizona, thunderstorms will exit Mohave County late this evening with a few showers potentially lingering into early Thursday morning. Much quieter Thursday, with only a slight chance of a shower building over far eastern Mohave County in the afternoon. Excessive Rain Outlook issued by WPC placed parts of Lincoln, NE Clark and Mohave Counties under Marginal to Slight Risk through 12z Thursday. Due to antecedent conditions and since stream flows have been running above normal due to recent rain/snowmelt will be issuing a Flood Watch through Thursday afternoon and additional rises likely. .LONG TERM....Friday through Tuesday. A more zonal pattern sets up as we head into the weekend. During this time, ensemble guidance depicts several subtle shortwaves passing through, with anomalous moisture (up to 150% of normal) in tow. This may be enough to produce light precipitation, mostly tied to upslope flow given the marginal forcing. The latest NBM give the area less than a 20% chance of precipitation Friday night as the first wave moves through. PoPs increase again Sunday afternoon, with the NBM giving Lincoln and Mohave Counties, as well as the Sierra and Spring Mountains, a 30-60% of precipitation. Snow levels for both these possible events are forecast to be between 5500-6500'. Other than the precipitation chances, the weekend looks rather pleasant with temperatures a few degrees below normal and light winds. Early next week, PoPs become more widespread as another potential atmospheric river looms in the Pacific. The exact timing, location, and trajectory of this AR is still uncertain, as the GEFS favors landfall in central/southern California while landfall in the Euro ensemble is along the US-Mexico border. Despite details being rather fuzzy, confidence is quite high in cool and wet conditions continuing through next week. The CPC 6-10 day outlook gives our CWA a 70+% probability of above-normal precipitation. It's the winter that just won't quit. && .AVIATION...For Harry Reid...Periods of rain through the morning will drop ceilings as low as 3000-4000 feet. Rain chances at the terminal will decrease around 16Z, with the best chances shifting to areas southeast of I-15 in the Peach Springs and Mormon Mesa corridors through late morning. During the day, scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms are expected to develop, with the greatest chances over the mountains, and a lower chance at the terminal. Any storm near the terminal could drop ceilings to 3000 to 4000 feet. South to southwest winds are expected through Wednesday, occasionally gusting as high as 25 knots, before shifting to the northwest Wednesday night. Northerly winds gusting 15 to 20 knots are expected Thursday, with quiet weather likely on Friday. For the rest of southern Nevada, northwest Arizona and southeast California...Rain and high elevation snow will continue over nearly the entire region this morning, with ceilings below 3000 feet and terrain obscuration common. This afternoon and evening, widespread showers and scattered thunderstorms are expected, primarily southeast of a line from Rachel to Death Valley to Barstow. The main threats with thunderstorms will be erratic, gusty winds, hail and low ceilings with terrain obscuration. Dry weather and breezy northerly winds are expected Thursday, with the strongest gusts of around 30 knots in the Colorado River Valley. Quieter weather is expected Friday. && .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...Spotters are encouraged to report any significant weather or impacts according to standard operating procedures. && SHORT TERM/AVIATION...Pierce LONG TERM...Woods For more forecast information...see us on our webpage: https://weather.gov/lasvegas or follow us on Facebook and Twitter
The Las Vegas radar (KESX), 122 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 14:42 UTC.
6 flood, 4 flash flood, 2 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Hackberry Road was closed.
Blake Ranch Road was closed from mile marker 15 to Highway 93.
Hildale Street, Central Street, and Academy Avenue were closed due to rises on Short Creek.
Thunderstorm winds damaged carports, trees, and roofs.
Highway 95 was closed near 7th Street, and multiple swift water rescues were needed.
Thunderstorm winds damaged carports, trees, and roofs.
County Route 1 was closed.
Water in the Big Sandy River closed Pump Station Road and Banegas Ranch Road.
Indian Head Drive was closed near the intersection of McCormick Boulevard due to flood damage.
Oatman Highway was damaged by flooding of the Warm Springs Wash.
Heavy flow in a wash damaged a bridge, resulting in a train derailment. Eight cars carrying corn syrup derailed.
Antares Road was closed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arizona in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, March 2023
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: 1090660, 1090659, 1090661, 1090963, 1090964, 1090965, 1090966, 1090967, 1090987, 1090990, 1090992, 1091086, 1091094.