Local
Show Low-area tornado alert covered several Navajo County communities Thursday
A tornado warning issued Thursday afternoon included Shumway, Pinedale and Linden, while a broader watch remained in effect across parts of Arizona and New Mexico. Forecasters also warned of damaging winds and large hail in northern Arizona.
A tornado warning was issued Thursday afternoon for communities near Show Low in Navajo County, including Shumway, Pinedale, Linden, Red Top Mountain, Fool Hollow Lake and Schoens Lake. The warning was scheduled to remain in effect until 5:15 p.m. Arizona time on Oct. 22.
A broader tornado watch for parts of Arizona and New Mexico continued through 8 p.m. A watch means conditions could support tornado development; a warning means a tornado has been spotted or indicated by radar. Neither alert alone confirms that a tornado touched down.
The National Weather Service’s Flagstaff office said severe thunderstorms could bring wind gusts exceeding 60 mph and hail larger than an inch across northern Arizona, with the greatest risk in the eastern part of the state. Storms were expected to weaken from west to east through the afternoon and evening.
Officials advised people under a tornado warning to take shelter in an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Earlier Thursday, tornado warnings for parts of Apache County and the Sedona area had expired.
The alerts came amid reports of significant storm damage in Heber-Overgaard, where a tornado was considered possible but had not been confirmed in the information available Thursday afternoon.