[PHX-Skywarn] PHXFFAPSR.20030212 - "NWS - WEATHER EVENT NOTIFICATION"

[ldad administrator]

THIS MESSAGE WAS SENT FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX MAIL SERVER

WGUS65 KPSR 122159
FFAPSR
AZZ021>024-026>028-131000-

BULLETIN...IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHOENIX AZ
300 PM MST WED FEB 12 2003

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH-CENTRAL
ARIZONA FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT UNTIL 5 PM THURSDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PHOENIX HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD
WATCH FOR MUCH OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA FROM MIDNIGHT
TONIGHT UNTIL 5 PM MST THURSDAY.

COUNTIES AND PORTIONS OF COUNTIES IN THE WATCH AREA ARE...MARICOPA...
NORTHERN PINAL..SOUTHERN GILA...AND CENTRAL AND EASTERN PORTIONS OF
LA PAZ AND YUMA COUNTIES. CITIES AND TOWNS IN THE WATCH AREA INCLUDE
...THE GREATER PHOENIX METROPOLITAN AREA...WICKENBURG...QUARTZSITE...
WENDEN...GILA BEND...CASA GRANDE...COOLIDGE...FLORENCE...SUPERIOR...
GLOBE-MIAMI...AND ROOSEVELT.

THE WET...TROPICAL-LIKE STORM SYSTEM THAT HAS BEEN APPROACHING
ARIZONA THE PAST FEW DAYS WAS PUSHING A LARGE SHIELD OF RAIN INTO
MUCH OF ARIZONA THIS AFTERNOON. THIS RAIN WILL BECOME MODERATE TO
HEAVY AT TIMES ACROSS MOST OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH-CENTRAL ARIZONA
THIS EVENING...WITH SOME SPOTS LIKELY SEEING A QUARTER OF AN INCH PER
HOUR OR MORE...ESPECIALLY IF THUNDERSTORMS OCCUR.

THE RAIN WILL REMAIN HEAVY AT TIMES THROUGH THURSDAY WITH RAINFALL
TOTALS OF WELL OVER AN INCH EXPECTED AT MANY SPOTS. IN FACT...SOME OF
THE HIGHER TERRAIN AREAS OF FAR NORTHERN MARICOPA AND SOUTHERN GILA
COUNTIES COULD TOTAL OVER TWO INCHES OF RAIN FROM THIS STORM.

EVEN THOUGH GROUND CONDITIONS ARE STARTING OUT VERY DRY...RAINFALL
OF THIS INTENSITY OVER AN EXTENDED DURATION WILL LIKELY BEGIN TO
SATURATE SOILS...WITH ANY ADDITIONAL RAINFALL POSSIBLY CAUSING WASHES
TO BEGIN RUNNING. URBAN FLOODING ALSO IS A GOOD POSSIBILITY...CAUSING
PROBLEMS FOR THE THURSDAY MORNING COMMUTE.

REMEMBER...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
FLASH FLOODING IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. RESIDENTS AND
MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO AVOID FLOOD PRONE AREAS. MOTORISTS SHOULD
NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS FLOODED ROADWAYS.

LISTEN TO THE LATEST FORECASTS IN THE EVENT ANY ADVISORIES OR
WARNINGS ARE NEEDED.

$$

ESTLE



NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE