Significant damage, minor injuries reported in Overgaard after Wednesday’s storms

Significant damage and minor injuries have been reported in Overgaard following Wednesday’s severe storms, the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office said in a Thursday morning update.

Emergency crews are assessing damage and assisting residents after a day of powerful storms that prompted tornado warnings across northern Arizona. The sheriff’s office did not provide additional details about the injuries or identify the weather event as a confirmed tornado.

A reception center for displaced residents has opened at the Navajo County Heber Complex, 2188 West Country Club Drive in Heber. The American Red Cross is coordinating a shelter, with its location and other details to be announced when available.

The Navajo County Sheriff’s Office, Heber-Overgaard Fire District, Arizona Department of Public Safety and Coconino County Sheriff’s Office are responding to the affected area.

Residents are urged to watch for further announcements and follow instructions from emergency personnel.

Tornado warnings issued Wednesday across northeastern Arizona

This came after the National Weather Service in Flagstaff issued another tornado warning Wednesday evening for parts of northeastern Arizona, including Heber, Overgaard and Aripine, in effect until 7:30 p.m.

The warning came shortly after another one was issued for a storm near Forest Lakes, about 19 miles west of Heber-Overgaard, that was moving northeast.

Residents in the warning area should move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building, away from windows. Anyone outdoors, in a mobile home or in a vehicle should get to the closest substantial shelter.

The warning is the latest in a series issued Wednesday as potent storms developed across Arizona. Meanwhile, more than 675,000 residents in the northern half of the state were placed under a rare tornado watch.

Earlier in the day, several tornado warnings were issued for parts of Yavapai County in the Prescott area and parts of Coconino County in and around Flagstaff. As of 1 p.m., all of those warnings had expired without any confirmed sightings.

Tornado warning issued near Forest Lakes in Coconino, Navajo counties

The weather service issued a tornado warning earlier Wednesday evening for parts of Coconino and Navajo counties, including Durfee Crossing, Chevelon Canyon Lake and Chevelon Canyon Dam, in effect until 6:45 p.m.

At 6:20 p.m., a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located 7 miles northwest of Forest Lakes, or 19 miles west of Heber-Overgaard, moving northeast at 30 mph, according to the weather service.

The weather service warned that flying debris would be dangerous to anyone caught without shelter and that mobile homes could be damaged or destroyed. Damage to roofs, windows, vehicles and trees was also likely.

That warning area included State Route 260 between mileposts 300 and 303, as well as the Chevelon Canyon Lake Campground, the Forest Road 237 Camping Area and Camp Shadow Pines.

Tornado warning issued for Show Low area in Navajo, Apache counties

The weather service in Flagstaff issued a tornado warning Wednesday afternoon for parts of Navajo and Apache counties, including Show Low, Taylor, White Mountain Lake Estates, Shumway and Vernon, in effect until 4 p.m.

At 3:47 p.m., a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located 5 miles southeast of White Mountain Lake Estates, or 8 miles northeast of Show Low, moving northeast at 50 mph, according to the weather service. Radar indicated rotation, and the storm also carried a threat of quarter-size hail.

That warning area included Highway 60 between mileposts 340 and 365, State Route 61 between mileposts 353 and 361, and State Route 77 between mileposts 343 and 353, as well as the Fool Hollow Lake Recreation Area Campground.

⚠️ Tornado Warning ⚠️ continues until 4:00 PM MST for portions of Navajo and Apache Counties.

This includes Show Low, Vernon, Shumway, White Mountain Lake Estates, Linden, and Wagon Wheel. More info: https://t.co/Iw5aDGuGUg. #azwx https://t.co/Ls8ziUefnL

— NWS Flagstaff (@NWSFlagstaff) October 21, 2026

Tornado warning issued for Graham County in southeastern Arizona

The weather service in Tucson also issued a tornado warning Wednesday afternoon for parts of Graham County, including Artesia, in effect until 4:45 p.m.

Forecasters said earlier in the day that Graham and Greenlee counties had the highest tornado potential in southeastern Arizona. Longer-lasting supercell storms there could also bring wind gusts of 55 to 70 mph, hail up to 2.5 inches in diameter and flash flooding.

Severe storms could continue overnight, and the risk returns Thursday, mainly from Tucson to the north and east, again centered on Graham and Greenlee counties.

Tornado watch issued for northern half of Arizona until 6 p.m.

After the initial wave of warnings, the weather service issued a tornado watch covering Mohave, Coconino, Yavapai and Navajo counties until 6 p.m.

The watch highlighted the threat of tornadoes, tennis ball-sized hail and wind gusts up to 70 mph. The weather service said the area covered has a population of 675,516, with 355 schools and 20 hospitals.

It is the first tornado watch in Arizona since two were issued Oct. 6, 2010, according to the weather service.

When tornadic activity is predicted, detected or confirmed, three different types of alerts can be activated based on the threat level.

• A watch tells the community to be prepared because conditions indicate tornadoes are possible.
• A warning means danger is imminent after a tornado has been sighted or indicated by radar.
• An emergency is reserved for when a violent twister touches down and creates a severe threat to life and property.

Is there a chance for tornadoes in the Phoenix area?

The probability of twisters forming in the Phoenix area Wednesday was less than 5%, but the chance of the potentially destructive funnel clouds was greater in higher terrains.

“We need what we call the low-level [wind] shear to be strong enough and also the directional turning of the winds with height. And so, that’s likely what we’re going to be experiencing here. So, that’s why there’s a higher-than-normal risk of potentially some isolated tornadoes,” meteorologist Gabriel Lojero of the weather service in Phoenix told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Wednesday morning.

Arizona sees an average of four to six tornadoes per year, according to the Arizona State Climate Office, typically in the EF0 to EF2 range of the Enhanced Fujita Scale.

While tornadoes are not out of the question, the Phoenix area is more likely to see thunderstorms with strong winds and hail Wednesday and Thursday.

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Kevin Stone and Colton Krolak contributed to this report.

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