Suspected Tornadoes, Golf Ball Hail and Fallen Trees Hit Arizona
The National Weather Service, the U.S. federal agency that issues forecasts and warnings, suspects at least three tornadoes touched down across central Arizona late on Wednesday, October 21, according to The Guardian.
The same storms produced hail the size of golf balls. On Wednesday night, that hail pummeled roofs and shattered windows in northern and central Arizona, and it damaged vehicles, according to the Associated Press. Wind gusts in the same area were also strong enough to damage vehicles. A possible tornado caused significant damage in one central Arizona community, where it knocked down utility poles, the Boston Herald reported.
Overnight tornadoes in the Four Corners region, the area where several Southwestern states meet, blew away roofs, knocked trees onto homes and downed power lines. One person was injured, with injuries described as not life-threatening. The Guardian reported those details.
Severe weather continued on Thursday. Much of Arizona was under tornado and flood watches, a status meaning conditions are favorable for the named hazard to develop, as large hail struck. The National Weather Service's Phoenix office said at 1:02 p.m. Mountain Standard Time that a few brief tornadoes were possible through early evening. It also said wind gusts over 60 miles per hour, hail over one inch in diameter, and heavy rain that could cause flooding were possible in the watch area, which included Globe, Miami and San Carlos in eastern Arizona. A separate Flood Watch covered higher terrain east of Phoenix through the evening.
In Flagstaff and Mesa, strong winds toppled trees, and some fell onto walls and carports. In Coconino National Forest, northwest of Flagstaff, dozens of ponderosa pines more than 30 feet tall came down.
The Phoenix area had already seen the hail. Golf ball-sized hail hit Phoenix on October 21 during what was described as a rare storm, according to ABC News video posted on Facebook. The hail and damaging winds in northern and central Arizona were part of a rare storm moving through the West, AP reported.
The National Weather Service's Albuquerque office also issued a Tornado Watch for portions of western New Mexico and eastern Arizona, running through 9 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time on Thursday.
