Golf Ball-Sized Hail, Tornado Risks Batter Arizona in Rare Storm

Severe thunderstorms unleashed golf ball-sized hail and damaging wind gusts across northern and central Arizona this week, prompting multiple warnings from the National Weather Service. The rare storm system brought with it tornado risks and the potential for flash floods.

Tornado watches were issued for several areas, marking the first such alerts for the state since October 2010. The storms, fueled by warm, moist air moving north from the California coast, created conditions where changing winds could spin and potentially spawn tornadoes, according to meteorologists.

"This is very unusual for this area at this time of the year," said Ryan Bernhart, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Flagstaff. The large hail shattered windows, dented vehicles, and damaged roofs.

Strong winds toppled trees in Flagstaff and Mesa, with some falling onto walls and carports. In the Coconino National Forest, northwest of Flagstaff, dozens of ponderosa pines taller than 30 feet were downed. "These are not small trees that are down," Bernhart noted. "These are pretty strong trees that had been knocked down."

For the Phoenix metro area, the primary threats were heavy rainfall and the possibility of flash flooding on Wednesday night and Thursday morning, according to Mark O’Malley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Phoenix.