Full Breakdown
Severe Storms Prompt Tornado and Flood Watches Across Northern Arizona
By Drooid · · How we work
National Weather Service Alerts
The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for northern Arizona that remained in effect until 6 p.m. on Wednesday. Simultaneously, a flood watch covering northern and central Arizona was extended through Thursday night. These alerts were based on radar-detected rotation and heavy precipitation moving through the high-country region.
Resident and Traveler Accounts
Flagstaff resident Karin Mougin received a mobile alert about the possible tornado and described the experience of seeking shelter in a home without a basement. A traveler passing through the area reported receiving real-time radar updates from a relative in Tennessee, prompting the driver to pull over until the storm passed.
Data and Observations
The storm produced hail reported as large as a golf ball, with Moulin noting pieces “bigger than the quarter.” Creeks near downtown Flagstaff ran high, and ice pellets lined the banks. Multiple tornado warnings were logged from early morning through the afternoon, and the flood watch remained active into the following night.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I got the alert on my phone about the possible tornado,” — Karin Mougin, a Flagstaff resident
- “I was kind of scrambling because we just don't have a basement like in the Midwest to go into, so yeah, I felt a little scared at that point, like where do I go?” — Karin Mougin, a Flagstaff resident
- “I saw the huge hail that was like, I don't know, bigger than the quarter,” — Karin Mougin, a Flagstaff resident
These firsthand comments illustrate the immediate public response to the alerts and the unusual severity of hail in a region that rarely experiences such large hailstones.