Key facts
- Alert
- Tornado Warning (extreme)
- Issued by
- National Weather Service, Flagstaff AZ
- Areas
- Coconino, AZ
- Places
- Fort Valley, Arizona Snowbowl, Saddle Mountain, Kachina Peaks Wilderness, Lava River Cave, Wing Mountain
- In effect
- until 6:15 AM MST, Oct 21, 2026
- Detection
- Radar indicated
What the National Weather Service says
“Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a well-built building away from windows.”
NWS Flagstaff AZ, Tornado Warning, 5:49 AM MST Oct 21, 2026 · official alert
“Tornadoes are difficult to observe at night. Take cover now!”
NWS Flagstaff AZ, Tornado Warning, 5:49 AM MST Oct 21, 2026 · official alert
“Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter.”
NWS Flagstaff AZ, Tornado Warning, 5:49 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. Do not wait to see the tornado.
If you are outdoors, in a mobile home or in a vehicle, get to the closest substantial shelter. Protect yourself from flying debris.
If you are on U.S. Highway 89 near mile marker 435 or Highway 180 between mile markers 227 and 240, look for sturdy shelter right away.
Stay sheltered until the warning expires at 6:15 AM MST or the National Weather Service says the danger has passed.
Context
The warning was issued at 5:49 AM MST on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, and is still in effect. The National Weather Service says rotation was indicated by radar, so a tornado was possible but not confirmed in the message.
FEMA records show 300 flood insurance claims in Coconino County between 1978 and 2026. These claims count only insured properties and are about flooding, not tornadoes. FEMA has also listed three past disaster declarations for the county, most recently in 2021 for severe storms and flooding.
Updates
- The tornado warning is no longer in effect.
- NWS Flagstaff AZ issued the tornado warning until 6:15 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
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Questions
- Is there a tornado warning in Coconino County, Arizona?
- Yes. The National Weather Service in Flagstaff has a Tornado Warning in effect for Coconino County until 6:15 AM MST.
- Where is the storm and which way is it moving?
- At 5:49 AM MST the storm was near Fort Valley, 11 miles northwest of Flagstaff. It was moving northeast at 35 mph.
- What places are affected by the tornado warning?
- The National Weather Service lists Fort Valley, Arizona Snowbowl, Saddle Mountain, Kachina Peaks Wilderness, Lava River Cave and Wing Mountain. U.S. Highway 89 near mile marker 435 and Highway 180 between mile markers 227 and 240 are also included.
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.