Strong to severe thunderstorms moved westward through Southeastern Arizona the afternoon and evening of August 9th, 2025. These storms caused severe wind gusts and lofted blowing dust.
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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.
Strong to severe thunderstorms moved westward through Southeastern Arizona the afternoon and evening of August 9th, 2025. These storms caused severe wind gusts and lofted blowing dust. Additionally, there was heavy rainfall causing flash flooding causing a roadway to close for 11 hours and stranded a car.
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 Aug 9, 2:21 PM MST, 5 hours 24 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Tucson AZ 221 PM MST Sat Aug 9 2025 .SYNOPSIS... Thunderstorm chances are forecast each afternoon and evening through the coming week across southeastern Arizona, though there will be day to day variability in these chances. Isolated to scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop through this evening, especially from Santa Cruz through Cochise County. An isolated threat for wind gusts and heavy rain will exist with these thunderstorms. High temperatures will generally remain above normal through the coming week. && .KEY MESSAGES... - Isolated to scattered thunderstorms forecast today, with highest coverage across Santa Cruz through Cochise County. An isolated threat for damaging wind gusts and flash flooding will accompany these thunderstorms. - Daily chances for thunderstorms will continue through the coming week with day to day variability in chances. - High temperatures will likely remain a few degrees above average through the coming week. && .DISCUSSION... With the center of an upper level high from eastern Arizona into New Mexico, southeasterly flow in the mid-levels has ushered 1-1.4 inches of precipitable water into southeastern Arizona today. The 18Z upper air observation out of Tucson still depicts a pocket of dry air around 700mb, with a subsidence cap between 850-700mb. This capping will likely be less of an issue further south where moisture content is greater and terrain provides a stronger point of initiation. Across far southeastern Arizona, especially Santa Cruz to southern Cochise county, 1500-2000 J/kg of MUCAPE and similar DCAPE were depicted on the SPC mesoanalysis page this afternoon. This combination of instability parameters highlights a threat for severe wind gusts with any stronger thunderstorms that form, which is highlighted on SPC's Day 1 outlook. Additionally this level of precipitable water will likely cause brief periods of heavy rain, however the flash flooding risk is uncertain as outflows pushing out from thunderstorms will likely cause shorter durations of heavy rainfall events. That said, an isolated flash flood risk will be messaged. Going further north towards the Tucson metro, coverage becomes less certain and the aforementioned capping inversion will play a role in Tucson's thunderstorm chances. The conditional instability depicted on the 18Z upper air observation lead to a modest bump in Tucson's chances with this forecast package, but remains in the 30 percent range. Thunderstorms will additionally develop off the White Mountains and should move into Graham and southern Greenlee counties, which may also produce a strong wind threat. Over the coming days moisture in some sense should stick around southeastern Arizona, leading to daily thunderstorm chances. By tomorrow night, mean wind makes an attempt to swing around to the north to northeast, which may cause thunderstorm chances to linger late in the night over the next few nights as this pattern often favors thunderstorm longevity. Otherwise day to day variability with probabilities depending on moisture quality and previous activity will be the reasonable expectation through the remainder of the week. && .AVIATION...Valid through 11/00Z Isolated to scattered thunderstorms this afternoon and evening, mainly south and east of KTUS. Gusty winds to around 45 kts possible near thunderstorms, with an isolated chance of exceeding 50 kts. Otherwise northwesterly winds of 10-15 kts through early evening, and 12-17 kts at KSAD with gusts up to 30 kts. Additional thunderstorm chances possible Sunday afternoon and evening. Aviation discussion not updated for TAF amendments. && .FIRE WEATHER... High temperatures will remain several degrees above normal through the coming week. Daily chances for thunderstorms and wetting rains through the week with daily variability in coverage and intensity. Min RHs will generally be around 14-22 percent in the lower elevations and 20-30 percent in the mountains. Winds will generally be less than 15 mph with typical afternoon gusts up to 20 mph into the new week, though stronger northwesterly winds possible in the Gila River Valley through early this coming week with afternoon gusts up to 35 mph. && .TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && Public...Edwards Aviation...Edwards Fire Weather....Edwards Visit us on Facebook...Twitter...YouTube...and at weather.gov/Tucson
The Tucson radar (KEMX), 94 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:44 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Personal weather station recorded gust of 60 MPH. This wind was able to loft areas of blowing dust that reduced visibility to 3 to 5 statute miles.
Cochise County official reported vehicle was stuck in flowing water at mile post 5 along Davis Rd east of Tombstone that closed for approximately 9 hours. A nearby rain gauge had 0.12 inches of rainfall.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arizona in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, August 2025
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: 1291584, 1291583.