Chino Valley, Arizona —

What is happening: A severe thunderstorm is moving northeast across northern Arizona this morning, and the National Weather Service in Flagstaff has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Coconino and Yavapai counties until 5:00 AM MST. At 4:27 AM, the storm was sitting 8 miles northeast of Chino Valley and racing northeast at 40 miles per hour — fast enough to reach new ground quickly. The warning covers Chino Valley, Paulden, Drake, Perkinsville and the Sycamore Canyon Wilderness, plus State Route 89 between mile markers 328 and 355.

Local impacts: The storm is packing 60 mile-per-hour wind gusts and half-dollar-size hail, about 1.25 inches across. Hail that size can dent vehicles and crack windshields, and winds that strong can peel siding, damage roofs and bring down tree limbs.

What to do:

- Get inside a sturdy building now and stay away from windows.

- Move vehicles under cover if you can do it quickly — hail this size causes damage fast.

- If you are driving on State Route 89, pull off the road well away from trees and wait it out.

- Stay put until the warning expires — with the storm moving at 40 mph, conditions can change in minutes.

Source: National Weather Service Flagstaff, Arizona. Issued October 21, 2026.