Key facts
- Alert
- Severe Thunderstorm Warning (severe)
- Issued by
- National Weather Service, Flagstaff AZ
- Areas
- Gila, AZ; Navajo, AZ
- Places
- Cedar Creek, White Mountain Apache Reservation
- In effect
- until 2:00 PM MST, Oct 22, 2026
- Damage threat
- Considerable
What the National Weather Service says
“Anyone outdoors should move to shelter inside a well-built structure and stay away from windows.”
NWS Flagstaff AZ, Severe Thunderstorm Warning, 1:25 PM MST Oct 22, 2026 · official alert
“This storm is capable of producing dangerous hail.”
NWS Flagstaff AZ, Severe Thunderstorm Warning, 1:25 PM MST Oct 22, 2026 · official alert
What to do
If you are outdoors, move inside a well-built building now and stay away from windows. The National Weather Service says people and animals outdoors will be hurt by hail this size.
Park vehicles under cover if you can do so safely before the storm arrives. Do not drive into the storm. Hail can damage roofs, siding, windows and vehicles.
If you are on Highway 60 or State Route 73 in the warned area, the National Weather Service lists both among the highways affected. Find a safe place to shelter instead of stopping in the open.
Follow the instructions of local officials and the National Weather Service until the warning ends at 2:00 PM MST.
Context
FEMA flood-insurance records show 155 claims in Gila County and 107 in Navajo County. These counts cover only insured flood losses, so they do not show all storm damage.
Both counties have been part of past FEMA disaster declarations for severe storms and flooding, including declarations in 2006 and 2010. Navajo County also had a flood declaration in 2021.
Updates
- The severe thunderstorm warning expired at 2:00 PM MST.
- NWS Flagstaff AZ issued the severe thunderstorm warning until 2:00 PM MST.
History here
Gila County: 155 flood insurance claims in FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program records since 1980, most recent 2025.
Gila County: recent federal disaster declarations
Navajo County: 107 flood insurance claims in FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program records since 1978, most recent 2024.
Navajo County: recent federal disaster declarations
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Questions
- Is there a severe thunderstorm warning in Gila County, Arizona?
- Yes. The National Weather Service in Flagstaff issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Gila and Navajo counties at 1:25 PM MST. It runs until 2:00 PM MST on Thursday, October 22, 2026.
- How big is the hail in this warning?
- The National Weather Service says the storm can produce golf ball size hail. This was indicated by radar.
- Which places are affected?
- Cedar Creek and the White Mountain Apache Reservation are named as impacted. Highway 60 between mile markers 322 and 327 and State Route 73 between mile markers 314 and 330 are also included.
Sources
- NWS Flagstaff AZ: Severe Thunderstorm Warning, Oct 22, 2026 weather.gov
- FEMA OpenFEMA: NFIP claims and disaster declarations fema.gov
How this page is made. The Herebeat Hazard Desk builds event pages from official U.S. government data (National Weather Service, USGS, FEMA). The text is written with AI from that data; every number and quote is checked against the official source automatically before publishing, and the page is updated when the agency updates the event. The official source is always the reference. Spotted a mistake? info@herebeat.app. About the Hazard Desk.