A large complex of thunderstorms moved over the Tucson Metro resulting in Flash Flooding, especially in the Drexel Heights area. Additionally, several reports of severe threshold wind gusts occurred in the Tucson area and in Nogales.
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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.
A large complex of thunderstorms moved over the Tucson Metro resulting in Flash Flooding, especially in the Drexel Heights area. Additionally, several reports of severe threshold wind gusts occurred in the Tucson area and in Nogales.
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 21, 2:28 PM MST, 2 hours 33 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Tucson AZ 228 PM MST Sun Jul 21 2024 .SYNOPSIS...Temperatures will remain 1-4 degrees above normal for the next 7 days. Storms today will move off the rim and move through lower elevation this afternoon and evening producing strong winds and heavy rainfall. After today there will be daily chances for afternoon and evening thunderstorms with the normal threats of heavy rainfall and strong outflow winds. && .DISCUSSION...Isolated storms have begun to form over the rim and a couple of the sky islands. Mid-level flow is out of the north/northwest around 15-25 kts which should be sufficient to move storms off the rim and into the lower deserts. CAPE values are around 1000-1500 J/kg with 0-6 km shear of 15-25 kts which should help sustain storms as they move southwestward this afternoon and evening. Hi-res models are in fairly good agreement with the above scenario. Storms will begin to propagate off the rim in the next hour or two, making it to Tucson between 4-6 pm, then the international border by 7-8 PM. Storms will be capable of strong to severe wind gusts aided by 1000 J/kg of DCAPE and a small dry layer at 400 mb measured by the 21/12Z KTWC sounding. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in place for Pinal County. Blowing dust may become an issue in Pinal County later this afternoon. Heavy rainfall will be another threat with PWAT values around the NAEFS 90th percentile. Storms will be capable of rainfall rates of 1"-2" per hour which could cause flash flooding issues especially over areas that received rainfall yesterday. Also, WPC has most of the CWA in a slight risk for excessive rainfall. Monday the high moves a little further north keeping southeast Arizona under northeast flow aloft. PWAT also decreases by 0.2" east of Tucson as well. 500 mb wind speeds look to be a little weaker, but another rim shot will be possible. Hi-res guidance shows this with storms again forming along the rim and moving southwestward into the lower deserts. Coverage looks to be slightly reduced compared to today but storms will again be capable of strong outflow winds and heavy rainfall. The upper level ridge stays centered over southern Nevada until around the Thursday timeframe. PWAT values hover around or just below normal for areas east of Tucson and slightly above normal from Tucson west. This will lead to continued daily afternoon and evening scattered thunderstorms with the normal monsoon threats of strong winds and locally heavy rainfall. This coming weekend ensembles still show the high moving south thanks to troughing in the Pacific Northwest. This doesn't seem to affect moisture in southeast Arizona, but with the high being closer overhead this could lead to less vigorous storms. && .AVIATION...Valid through 23/00Z. SCT-BKN clouds at 8k-12k ft AGL thru tonight then gradual clearing after midnight. Thunderstorms have formed along the Mogollon Rim and are expected to move southwestward this afternoon. KTUS is expected to be impacted by TSRA between 21/23Z-22/02Z and KOLS/KDUG 22/00Z-22/04Z. MVFR conditions in TSRA with wind gusts in excess of 45 knots. Outside of TSRA, SFC winds at most locations 12 knots or less favoring NWLY direction during the afternoon/early evening hours and variable in direction at other times. Aviation discussion not updated for TAF amendments. && .FIRE WEATHER...Scattered afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms for the next 7 days with day-to-day variability on which areas will see the best chance of rainfall. Each day will have the threat of heavy rain, localized flash flooding and strong gusty winds. Minimum relative humidity values will be 20-30 percent in most lower elevation locations and 25-40 percent in mountain areas. Away from thunderstorms, 20-foot winds will generally be 15 mph or less, with afternoon/early evening gusts to 20-25 mph and light winds overnight. Wind direction during the afternoon hours will primarily be west to northwest through the weekend, especially from Tucson westward and in the upper Gila River Valley. && .TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && Visit us on Facebook...Twitter...YouTube...and at weather.gov/Tucson
The Tucson radar (KEMX), 57 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:00 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Nogales International Airport recorded a wind gust of 58 mph.
Wind damage in the Drexel Heights area. Specifically, reports of damage to a few manufactured homes near Valencia Rd and Cardinal Ave.
Several trees down in Rita Ranch due to strong thunderstorm winds.
Numerous roads closed due to Flash Flooding in the Drexel Heights area. A Pima County Sheriff reported a motorist stuck in a vehicle on flooded roadway that was rescued by emergency services due to flooding of the Black Wash.
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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1188615, 1188616, 1188617, 1188618.