After a break in monsoon storm activity, widespread shower and thunderstorm activity impacted much of southeast Arizona. The main impacts were strong gusty winds and areas of blowing dust.
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.
After a break in monsoon storm activity, widespread shower and thunderstorm activity impacted much of southeast Arizona. The main impacts were strong gusty winds and areas of blowing dust.
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 11, 2:00 PM MST, 1 hour 50 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
200 PM MST Thu Jul 11 2024
.SYNOPSIS...Excessive heat continues across southeast Arizona
today before thunderstorms develop later this afternoon. Scattered
thunderstorms are expected to develop and move through the area
this afternoon and evening, with the potential for severe and
damaging wind gusts. Additional monsoon activity over southeastern
Arizona will be possible going into this weekend and early next
week.
&&
.DISCUSSION...Hazy day after outflows from the east and south
last night sent dust overnight with visibilities down as low as 1
mile. Temperatures this afternoon on fairly similar trend as
yesterday with today being the last day of Excessive Heat Warnings
in this stretch of record to near record heat. Nothing like what
occurred last July when Tucson set record highs on eight
consecutive days.
Convection has started over the higher terrain per early afternoon
visible imagery with stronger convection occurring over northern
Greenlee/Graham counties. Mid-level steering flow out of the N/NE
to NE which will allow these storms to propagate S/SW across the
forecast areas through this evening. Severe wind gust potential is
up under this rim shot regime, especially considering the hot
boundary layer that exists and likely inverted-V profiles, and SPC
has areas west of Clifton to Douglas line in slight risk for
severe wind. 11/12z HREF is highlighting parts of SE AZ including
Tucson metro with 30% chance of wind gusts in excess of 50 kts
within 25 miles of a given point. SPC's Mesoscale discussion 1579
indicated a 40% chance for possible severe thunderstorm watch
being issued. In coordination with WFO Phoenix, went ahead an
issued a blowing dust advisory from 4 pm to 8pm to handle any dust
that is generated by t-storm outflows. Can't rule out a dust
warning late this afternoon into this evening.
Friday into the weekend: Gradual increase in daily chances of
showers and thunderstorms under E/SE flow aloft with the upper
high near 4-corners. There will be daily variability in storm
coverage with flash flooding threat increasing this weekend.
Next week: Upper high will gradually shift west turning our
steering flow out of the NE, thus brining back the chance for
storms to push off the rim.
Temperatures remaining hot Fri/Sat then near normal Sun into next
week.
&&
.AVIATION...Valid through 13/00Z.
Between 11/20Z and 12/05Z, SCT-BKN clouds at 7k-10k ft AGL and ISOLD-
SCT TSRA/SHRA beginning in the NE of the forecast area and moving to
the SW area. MVFR conditions near TSRA, with mountain obscurations,
VSBY restrictions and gusts to 40+ kts. Aft 05/05Z, gradual clearing
until ISOLD-SCT TSRA/SHRA begins at 12/21Z thru the forecast period.
Outside of TSRA outflows, SFC wind less than 10 kts and variable in
direction from 12/05Z thru 12/18Z. SFC wind aft thru the end of the
period WLY/NWLY at 8-15 kts and gusts to 15-25 kts. Aviation
discussion not updated for TAF amendments.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...Daily chances for thunderstorms across southeast
Arizona are expected going into next week, with day to day variation
in location or coverage. Today, scattered thunderstorms with the
potential for very strong outflow winds will move through
southeastern Arizona. Minimum relative humidities this afternoon and
tomorrow will range from 10 to 16 percent in the lower elevations
and 15 to 30 percent in mountain areas. Humidity values increase
this weekend as greater moisture returns. Away from thunderstorms,
20 foot winds of 12 to 16 mph with gusts to around 25 mph are
expected each day with light and terrain driven winds overnight.
&&
.CLIMATE...Near record to record high temperatures today.
DATE Jul 11
FCST RCD/YR
TUCSON INTL AIRPORT 110 111/1958
PICACHO PEAK 111 112/1998
SIERRA VISTA FD 99 103/2020
&&
.TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Excessive Heat Warning until 8 PM MST this evening for
AZZ501>506-509.
Blowing Dust Advisory until 8 PM MST this evening for
AZZ501>505- 515.
&&
Visit us on Facebook...Twitter...YouTube...and at weather.gov/TucsonThe Tucson radar (KEMX), 138 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:49 UTC.
5 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Three ADOT weather stations in San Simon and Bowie recorded thunderstorm wind gusts of 73, 71 and 62 mph, respectively. There was also a dust storm with visibilities less than a quarter of a mile during this event.
Severe weather in the Kearny area damaged equipment causing power outages to roughly 120 people.
An AWOS at San Manuel Airport recorded a thunderstorm wind gust of 60 mph.
A trained spotter estimated 1 inch hail in Tucson.
Widespread thunderstorm over much of the Tucson Metro. Numerous downed trees across the region with recorded wind gusts of 60 mph in Tucson Estates. Over 20,000 TEP customers without power due to damaged equipment.
Power poles reported down west of Interstate 10 between Tangerine and Avra Valley Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arizona in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, July 2024
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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1181598, 1181599, 1181600, 1181601, 1181602, 1181603.