Rare Storm Pummels Arizona With Golf Ball-Sized Hail and First Tornado Watch Since 2010
A rare, powerful storm tore across the U.S. West on October 21, pummeling northern and central Arizona with golf ball-sized hail and destructive winds, the Associated Press reported. Severe thunderstorms swept the state from Tuesday night into Wednesday, prompting multiple National Weather Service warnings. Hail measuring 2 to 3 inches in diameter damaged roofs, shattered windows and dented vehicles. The tornado watch issued during the storm was Arizona's first since October 2010.
Large trees were toppled in Flagstaff and Mesa, some crashing onto walls and carports, and dozens of ponderosa pines over 30 feet tall were felled northwest of Flagstaff in the Coconino National Forest. National Weather Service meteorologist Ryan Bernhart in Flagstaff called the weather very unusual for the area and season.
For the Phoenix metro area, the main threat shifted to heavy rain and flash flooding, with the highest risk from Wednesday night into Thursday morning, Phoenix meteorologist Mark O'Malley said.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：凤凰城市中心雨夜。摄影：Alan Stark from Goodyear, AZ, United States，CC BY-SA 2.0（Wikimedia Commons）。Photo: downtown Phoenix on a rainy night. Photo by Alan Stark from Goodyear, AZ, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons).
