Is there a tornado warning in Flagstaff, Arizona?

Yes. The National Weather Service in Flagstaff issued a Tornado Warning for Coconino County at 9:09 AM MST, in effect until 9:45 AM MST. Flagstaff areas named include East Flagstaff, Downtown Flagstaff and Fort Valley.

What is the tornado threat in Coconino County?

At 9:09 AM MST, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was 5 miles northwest of Forest Highlands, moving north at 45 mph. The hazard is a tornado and quarter size hail, based on radar-indicated rotation.

Which highways are affected by the Coconino County tornado warning?

The warning includes Interstate 40 between mile markers 188 and 195 and Interstate 17 between mile markers 338 and 339. It also covers Route 66, State Route 89A and Highway 180 in the stated mile-marker ranges.

Tornado Warning for East Flagstaff and Coconino County, AZ: Oct 21, 2026

Key facts

Alert: Tornado Warning (extreme)
Issued by: National Weather Service, Flagstaff AZ
Areas: Coconino, AZ
Places: East Flagstaff, Downtown Flagstaff, Fort Valley, Forest Highlands, Bellemont, Camp Navajo, Northern Arizona University, Sunnyside, Railroad Springs, Cheshire, Coconino Estates, Flagstaff Ranch
In effect: until 9:45 AM MST, Oct 21, 2026
Detection: Radar indicated

The red outline is the area the National Weather Service put under the tornado warning. Source: NWS alert polygon. Not to scale with roads.

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What the National Weather Service says

“Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a well-built building”
NWS Flagstaff AZ, Tornado Warning, 9:09 AM MST Oct 21, 2026 · official alert

“away from windows.”
NWS Flagstaff AZ, Tornado Warning, 9:09 AM MST Oct 21, 2026 · official alert

“Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter.”
NWS Flagstaff AZ, Tornado Warning, 9:09 AM MST Oct 21, 2026 · official alert

What to do

Move now to an interior room on the lowest floor of a well-built building, away from windows.

If you are outdoors, in a mobile home or in a vehicle, get to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris.

Stay sheltered until the warning ends at 9:45 AM MST or the National Weather Service says the threat has passed. Avoid travel on the highways named in the warning, including Interstate 40 and Interstate 17.

Context

FEMA flood-insurance records list 300 claims in Coconino County from 1978 to 2026. These claims count only insured properties and reflect flooding, not tornadoes.

FEMA has made several disaster declarations for the county, including severe storms and flooding in September 2021 and in October 2010. They show a history of storm impacts, but they do not describe this warning.

Updates

9:40 AM MST The tornado warning is no longer in effect.
9:09 AM MST NWS Flagstaff AZ issued the tornado warning until 9:45 AM MST.

History here

Coconino County: 300 flood insurance claims in FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program records since 1978, most recent 2026.

Coconino County: recent federal disaster declarations

DR-4620 (2021): severe storms and flooding
DR-1940 (2010): severe storms and flooding
DR-1888 (2010): severe winter storms and flooding

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Questions

Is there a tornado warning in Flagstaff, Arizona?: Yes. The National Weather Service in Flagstaff issued a Tornado Warning for Coconino County at 9:09 AM MST, in effect until 9:45 AM MST. Flagstaff areas named include East Flagstaff, Downtown Flagstaff and Fort Valley.
What is the tornado threat in Coconino County?: At 9:09 AM MST, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was 5 miles northwest of Forest Highlands, moving north at 45 mph. The hazard is a tornado and quarter size hail, based on radar-indicated rotation.
Which highways are affected by the Coconino County tornado warning?: The warning includes Interstate 40 between mile markers 188 and 195 and Interstate 17 between mile markers 338 and 339. It also covers Route 66, State Route 89A and Highway 180 in the stated mile-marker ranges.

Sources

NWS Flagstaff AZ: Tornado Warning, Oct 21, 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.