Arizona Faces Winter‑Season Tornado Warnings as Storm Continues to Move North A severe storm that battered Mesa and Chandler late Tuesday brought hail, wind and rain, while a series of tornado warnings covered parts of Yavapai, Coconino and Prescott areas into Wednesday morning. Storm chasers followed the poweRful supercell as it traveled across northern Arizona. Storm Impact on the Phoenix‑Area On Tuesday night, a powerful storm swept through Mesa, Arizona, leaving a trail of damage that included uprooted trees, snapped branches and hail that punched holes in roofs. low‑lying neighborhoods in Chandler also received heavy rain and gusty winds. At the Talise Apartments, a large branch crashed into a carport, bending the structure and damaging a vehicle underneath. Residents awakened to shattered windshields as trees fell onto their cars, describing the pounding gusts as "crazy." Tornado Warnings Stretch Across Central Arizona The National Weather Service issued a series of tornado warnings that began at 5 a.m. for portions of Yavapai and Coconino counties,afterwards expanding to include Flagstaff, Fort Valley,Mt. Elden, University Heights and several nearby areas. A separate warning was issued just before 8 a.m. for Prescott and surrounding communities, and another for Jerome and the surrounding historic park. Most of the warnings, which were based on radar‑indicated rotation rather than ground observation, were lifted by mid‑morning as the storm moved eastward, but the threat remained present until at least 9:45 a.m. in parts of Coconino County. National Weather Service Insight Gabriel Lojero, a meteorologist with the Phoenix National Weather Service,explained that the combination of low‑level wind shear and directional turning of winds with height is what creates a higher-than-normal risk of isolated tornadoes in the region. He noted that the probability of tornadoes affecting the Phoenix metro area on Wednesday was below 5 percent, but the chance of destructive fuNnel clouds was higher in the elevated terrain. Storm Chasers in Arizona Storm chaser and photographer Mike Olbinski followed the supercell from Fountain Hills to Prescott and Ash Fork, capturing images of the rotating column. He too discussed the challenge of chasing storms that head north of Flagstaff toward Sedona, given the difficulty of reaching the core of the cell. other enthusiasts, such as Reed Timmer and Jim Tang, arrived in Arizona during the pattern of a 5‑percent tornado enhanced forecast, hoping to finally catch a tornado in the state. Olbinski said he expects the strongest conditions to remain north of Flagstaff,where the Storm Prediction Center indicates better low‑level shear and warmer temperatures.