July 26, 2014 - Damaging Macroburst across north Phoenix

Severe Thunderstorm Winds Across Northern Phoenix July 26 2014
Updated: 8:00pm Monday July 28 2014

A cluster of thunderstorms over eastern Arizona moved west towards the Phoenix metropolitan area on the evening of July 26th. Initially, the environment over the lower elevations of central Arizona was not favorable for the maintenance of thunderstorms, however the small complex of storms developing over the Superstition Mountains modified and moistened the atmosphere downstream over the metro area. One specific storm rapidly erupted over the northeast part of the Phoenix metro between Scottsdale and Deer Valley. A macroburst, or large area of descending thunderstorm winds, ripped through an area centered around 40th St and Greenway. The damage swath extended nearly 12 square miles consistent with wind speeds of 50 to 70 mph. However, a concentrated area experienced damage as a result of much stronger winds on the order of 80 mph.

Radar Imagery from July 26, 2014


Velocity Image from TPHX Terminal Doppler radar (green towards the radar, red away from radar)	Reflectivity Image from KIWA National Weather Service Doppler radar

Extent of storm damage

Click each image for a larger view


Damage near 40th St & Greenway. Image courtesy Dave Goldbaum	Damage near 40th St & Greenway. Image courtesy Dave Goldbaum	Damage near 40th St & Greenway. Image courtesy Dave Goldbaum	Damage near 40th St & Greenway. Image courtesy Dave Goldbaum

Damage near 40th St & Greenway. Image courtesy Dave Goldbaum	Damage near 40th St & Greenway. Image courtesy Corbin Jaeger	Damage near 40th St & Greenway. Image courtesy Corbin Jaeger	Damage near 40th St & Greenway. Image courtesy Richard Prange

Damage near 40th St & Union Hills. Image courtesy Jessie Gardner	Damage near 40th St & Union Hills. Image courtesy Jessie Gardner	Damage near 29th St & Greenway. Image courtesy Art Swander	Damage near Tatum & Bell. Image courtesy Art Swander

Damage near Tatum & Bell. Image courtesy Art Swander	Damage near Tatum & Bell. Image courtesy Art Swander	Damage near 35th Ave & Thunderbird. Image courtesy Terrell Jones

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1004 PM     TSTM WND GST     APACHE JUNCTION         33.41N 111.55W
07/26/2014  E50 MPH          PINAL              AZ   TRAINED SPOTTER 

1004 PM     TSTM WND GST     EAST MESA               33.42N 111.69W
07/26/2014  M40 MPH          MARICOPA           AZ   TRAINED SPOTTER 

            AND LESS THAN 0.5 MI. VSBY AND GOING DOWN. 

1019 PM     DUST STORM       2 NW SEVILLE            33.25N 111.73W
07/26/2014                   MARICOPA           AZ   TRAINED SPOTTER 

            QUARTER MILE VISIBILITY AND 50 MPH WINDS 

1029 PM     DUST STORM       4 SSE TUMBLEWEED PARK   33.22N 111.79W
07/26/2014                   MARICOPA           AZ   TRAINED SPOTTER 

1029 PM     TSTM WND GST     4 SSE TUMBLEWEED PARK   33.22N 111.79W
07/26/2014  M45 MPH          MARICOPA           AZ   TRAINED SPOTTER 

1029 PM     LIGHTNING        4 SSE TUMBLEWEED PARK   33.22N 111.79W
07/26/2014                   MARICOPA           AZ   TRAINED SPOTTER 

1055 PM     TSTM WND GST     3 SW DESERT RIDGE MARKE 33.65N 112.01W
07/26/2014  M57 MPH          MARICOPA           AZ   TRAINED SPOTTER 

1055 PM     TSTM WND DMG     4 SSW DESERT RIDGE MARK 33.63N 111.99W
07/26/2014                   MARICOPA           AZ   TRAINED SPOTTER 

            NUMEROUS LARGE TREES DOWN NEAR GREENWAY AND 44TH ST. 
            WASHES ALSO RUNNING 

1058 PM     TSTM WND GST     2 S DESERT RIDGE MARKET 33.64N 111.98W
07/26/2014  E69 MPH          MARICOPA           AZ   TRAINED SPOTTER 

            60 PLUS MPH WIND GUSTS. LOTS OF DAMAGE. NO POWER 

1058 PM     TSTM WND DMG     4 SSW DESERT RIDGE MARK 33.63N 111.99W
07/26/2014                   MARICOPA           AZ   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            FIRE DEPART REPORTS TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN ON 
            GREEWAY RD. BETWEEN TATUM AND 41ST ST. 

1058 PM     TSTM WND DMG     4 SSW DESERT RIDGE MARK 33.63N 112.00W
07/26/2014                   MARICOPA           AZ   TRAINED SPOTTER 

            METEOROLOGIST REPORTS HUGE TREES DOWN AND CRUSHED CARS 
            AT APT COMPLEX AT GREENWAY 40TH ST. POWER POLES AND 
            WIRES DOWN AS WELL. 

1101 PM     TSTM WND DMG     4 WSW DESERT RIDGE MARK 33.66N 112.05W
07/26/2014                   MARICOPA           AZ   TRAINED SPOTTER 

            TREES UPROOTED NEAR 16TH ST AND UTOPIA 

1105 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 N NORTH MOUNTAIN PARK 33.62N 112.06W
07/26/2014                   MARICOPA           AZ   TRAINED SPOTTER 

            TREES DOWN...STREET FLODDING....CONTINUOUS CLOUD-GROUND 
            LIGHTNING 

1105 PM     HAIL             3 N NORTH MOUNTAIN PARK 33.62N 112.06W
07/26/2014  E0.25 INCH       MARICOPA           AZ   TRAINED SPOTTER 

            TREES DOWN...STREET FLOODING....CONTINUOUS CLOUD-GROUND 
            LIGHTNING 

1106 PM     HAIL             3 SW DESERT RIDGE MARKE 33.65N 112.01W
07/26/2014  E0.25 INCH       MARICOPA           AZ   TRAINED SPOTTER 

1106 PM     HEAVY RAIN       3 SW DESERT RIDGE MARKE 33.65N 112.01W
07/26/2014  M0.31 INCH       MARICOPA           AZ   TRAINED SPOTTER 

1106 PM     TSTM WND DMG     6 N NORTH MOUNTAIN PARK 33.68N 112.09W
07/26/2014                   MARICOPA           AZ   TRAINED SPOTTER 

            NUMEROUS POWER POLES DOWN NEAR 7TH AVE AND DEER VALLEY 
            RD 

1108 PM     TSTM WND GST     9 E PEORIA              33.69N 112.08W
07/26/2014  M61 MPH          MARICOPA           AZ   ASOS            

            53KTS AT DEER VALLEY AIRPORT 

1113 PM     TSTM WND GST     9 E PEORIA              33.69N 112.08W
07/26/2014  M61 MPH          MARICOPA           AZ   ASOS            

            SECONDARY 53KT GUST AT DEER VALLEY AIRPORT 

1114 PM     HEAVY RAIN       3 SW DESERT RIDGE MARKE 33.65N 112.01W
07/26/2014  M0.82 INCH       MARICOPA           AZ   TRAINED SPOTTER 

            0.82 INCH OF RAIN IN LESS THAT 20 MINUNTES 

1125 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 ENE PEORIA            33.70N 112.20W
07/26/2014                   MARICOPA           AZ   TRAINED SPOTTER 

            LARGE TREE DOWN AND BLOCKING TRAFFIC NEAR 67TH AVE AND 
            PINNACLE PEAK RD 

1134 PM     HEAVY RAIN       3 SW DESERT RIDGE MARKE 33.65N 112.01W
07/26/2014  M1.15 INCH       MARICOPA           AZ   TRAINED SPOTTER 

            1.15 INCH OF RAIN IN 31 MINUTES 

1140 PM     TSTM WND GST     1 W LUKE AFB            33.53N 112.38W
07/26/2014  M60 MPH          MARICOPA           AZ   AWOS