Tornado warning issued for Flagstaff
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The gist
The National Weather Service Flagstaff issued three tornado warnings for Yavapai and Coconino counties early Wednesday.
All warnings expired after 6 a.m., but forecasters warned the storm threat lingered.
Background
The National Weather Service Flagstaff is the weather service office that issued the tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings for northern Arizona. The warnings came as potent storms developed across Arizona early Wednesday, with a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado tracked northeast of Perkinsville. Arizona averages four to six tornadoes a year, typically in the EF0 to EF2 range of the Enhanced Fujita Scale (a measure of tornado strength), according to the Arizona State Climate Office.
How it unfolded
- Oct 21, 2026 5:00The National Weather Service Flagstaff issued three tornado warnings for portions of Yavapai and Coconino counties around 5 a.m., covering areas including Perkinsville, J.D. Dam Lake, Summit Mountain and the stretch between Flagstaff and Williams.
- Oct 21, 2026 5:31A severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located 8 miles northeast of Perkinsville, or 20 miles north of Cottonwood, moving northeast at 40 mph, with tornado and quarter-size hail hazards.
- Oct 21, 2026 6:00Warnings initially set to expire at 5:45 a.m. were briefly extended for areas including Bellemont, Humphreys Peak and Lava River Cave; all warnings expired after 6 a.m.
- Oct 21, 2026 6:44A severe thunderstorm warning for Coconino and Navajo counties ran until 7:15 a.m.; a storm 9 miles south of Cow Springs was moving north at 45 mph with 60 mph wind gusts and quarter-size hail.
- Oct 21, 2026 9:45A tornado warning for Flagstaff, Fort Valley, Mt. Elden, University Heights and nearby areas, plus a second warning adding Doney Park, Sunset Crater National Monument and East Flagstaff, was set to expire at 9:45 a.m.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- NWS Flagstaff issued warnings for specific Coconino County areas including Flagstaff, Doney Park, Sunset Crater N.M., Timberline, East Flagstaff and Wupatki Trails, in effect until 9:45 a.m. MST.
- Expert
- Meteorologist Gabriel Lojero of the National Weather Service in Phoenix said strong low-level wind shear and directional turning of winds with height raised the risk of isolated tornadoes.
- Caution
- Arizona's Family meteorologists said the warnings were based on radar-indicated rotation rather than ground observation.
Still unverified
Arizona's Family meteorologists said the warnings came from radar-indicated rotation, not ground observation; earlier warnings south of Flagstaff, including Prescott, Prescott Valley, Clarkdale and Jerome, expired without any tornado sightings, according to reports.