FFWFGZ The National Weather Service in Flagstaff has extended the * Flash Flood Warning for...Wet Beaver Creek Coconino County in north central Arizona... Yavapai County in west central Arizona... * Until 115 AM MST. * At 1000 PM MST, Doppler radar indicated widespread showers produced heavy rain in the Wet Beaver Creek drainage. Between 0.5 and 2 inches of rain have fallen, with additional rain showers expected overnight. This has combined with rainfall amounts between 1.0 and 3.0 inches last night to cause a significant rise at the Wet Beaver Creek river gauge near Rim Rock. At 3:30 PM MST, the stage height climbed to around 11 ft, and in the past levels this high have impacted the first ground level of residences along Rim Rock Drive and Beaver Vista. Water levels are receding at the Wet Beaver Creek river gauge near Rim Rock, but flash flooding is still possible along Wet Beaver Creek, downstream of the gauge. HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding. Widespread rainfall producing flash flooding. SOURCE...Radar and automated gauges. IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams, normally dry washes, streets and underpasses. * Some locations that will experience flash flooding include... Camp Verde, Bell Crossing/The Crack, Wet Beaver Wilderness, Wet Beaver Creek Day Use Area, Lawrence Crossing, Rimrock, and McGuireville. This includes the following highways... Interstate 17 between mile markers 291 and 299. State Route 179 near mile marker 299. This includes the following recreation areas and campgrounds... Wet Beaver Creek Campground. This includes the following swimming holes... Wet Beaver Creek Day Use Area and Bell Crossing "The Crack". This includes the following creeks, washes and rivers... Wet Beaver Creek, Cottonwood Wash, Little Colorado River and Jacks Canyon.
FFWFGZ The National Weather Service in Flagstaff has extended the * Flash Flood Warning for...West Clear Creek in Coconino County in north central Arizona... Yavapai County in west central Arizona... * Until 115 AM MST. * At 738 PM MST, Doppler radar indicated rain and thunderstorms across the warned area. Between 0.5 and 2.00 inches of rain have fallen in the past few hours. This, combined with widespread rainfall last night, will lead to flash flooding. A stream gage on West Clear Creek observed a nearly 7 ft rise, and that water will continue to move downstream over the next few hours. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding. Widespread rainfall producing flash flooding. SOURCE...Radar and automated gauges indicated. IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams, normally dry washes, streets and underpasses. * Some locations that will experience flash flooding include... Camp Verde, Indian Maiden Falls, Hanging Garden, Bullpen Day Use Area, Verde Lakes, Rockin' River Ranch State Park and West Clear Creek Wilderness. This includes State Route 260 between mile markers 225 and 231...and near mile marker 235...and between mile markers 245 and 246. This includes the following recreation areas and campgrounds... Clear Creek Group Campgrounds. This includes the following swimming holes... Bull Pen Day Use Area, West Clear Creek near the campground and Indian Maiden Falls. This includes the following creeks, washes and rivers... Clover Creek, Brady Canyon, Toms Creek, Corduroy Wash, Long Canyon, West Clear Creek, Verde River and Walker Creek.
* WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues. * WHERE...Pine Creek and the East Verde River downstream to the Verde River. Portions of east central, north central, and west central Arizona, including the following counties, in east central Arizona, Gila. In north central Arizona, Coconino. In west central Arizona, Yavapai. * WHEN...Until 1245 AM MST Saturday. * IMPACTS...Minor flooding in creeks and normally dry washes is occurring. Some low-water crossings may become impassable. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 632 PM MST, Doppler radar indicated 0.75 to 2.25 inches of rain has fallen, with showers likely to bring additional rainfall overnight. A 5 foot rise was observed along Fossil Creek, and a 2 foot rise was observed along the East Verde, and Verde, rivers within the warned area as well. Elevated water levels will continue for the next several hours in area creeks and streams. - This includes the following creeks, washes and rivers... East Verde River and tributaries downstream along the Verde River and Pine Creek. - Some locations that will experience flooding include... Keams Canyon, Polacca Airport, First Mesa, Jeddito, Tees Toh, Seba Dalkai, Hard Rock, Hotevilla-Bacavi, Low Mountain, Dilkon, Whippoorwill, Toyei, Tolani Lake, Tselani-Cottonwood, Forest Lake, Black Mesa, Homolovi Ruins State Park and Sunrise. - This includes the following highways... State Route 260 between mile markers 233 and 251. State Route 87 between mile markers 267 and 280. This includes the following swimming holes... All swimming holes and waterfalls on Fossil Creek and Fossil Creek Dam "The Toilet Bowl". - Additional information is available at weather.gov/flagstaff.
* WHAT...Flooding, caused by excessive rainfall from deep sub-tropical moisture moving over the area, will be possible through Saturday. * WHERE...Much of northern and central Arizona, except for Apache County south of the Four Corners. * WHEN...Through Saturday evening. * IMPACTS...Flooding will be possible in creeks, streams and normally dry washes. Low-water crossings could also become flooded, which would create deadly travel conditions. Creeks and streams may rise out of their banks. Flooding of paved roads and highway underpasses will be possible. Unpaved roads could become muddy and impassable.
The National Weather Service issues alerts in different categories to indicate the severity of storms and if the public should take immediate action to prevent the loss of life or property or be aware of the potential of the same.
A weather warning is issued when severe weather conditions are occuring or imminent and there is danger to life and/or property. The warning will include what action should be taken including evacuation or shelter in place and should be heeded immediately. Warnings are usually issued for a small, specific area and for a definite period of time.
A weather watch is an alert issued by the National Weather Service when conditions are favorable for the development of severe weather. A weather watch means that severe weather is possible in the area, so it is important to stay tuned to the latest forecasts and be prepared for potential storms.
The purpose of a weather watch is to provide advance warning to people in the affected area so that they can take necessary precautions. It is important to remember that a weather watch does not mean that severe weather will definitely occur, but simply that there is a higher chance of it happening.
If you live in an area where severe weather is common, it may be wise to have a plan in place for what you will do if a storm hits. Make sure you have plenty of food and water stored, as well as flashlights, batteries, and other supplies. You may also want to consider evacuating if necessary.
An advisory means the conditions are likely to occur. These are typically used for less severe weather events like frost or winds but can be used for other types of severe weather.
A red flag warning is issued by the National Weather Service to inform the public, firefighters, and land management agencies that conditions are ideal for wildland fires and any fire which does start could spread rapidly. These are often issued after drought conditions, when humidity is very low and especially when there are high or erratic winds. The possibility of lightning is also a determining factor. Fire fighting agencies often will increase their staffing and equipment resources due to the forecast risk. For the public, a Red Flag Warning often means high fire danger leading to restrictions or bans on outdoor burning including burn piles, burn barrels and campfires. Use of anything which may produce sparks, including outdoor lawn equipment, chainsaws and welding, may be restricted or prohibited.
The weather criteria for fire weather watches and red flag warnings vary with each Weather Service office’s warning area based on the local vegetation type, topography, and distance from major water sources. They usually include the daily vegetation moisture content calculations, expected afternoon high temperature, afternoon minimum relative humidity and daytime wind speed.
An enhanced version of the warning, called extreme red flag warning, may be issued. This means that conditions for fire growth and behavior are extremely dangerous due to a combination of strong winds, very low humidity, long duration, and very dry fuels.