Payson, AZ — The National Weather Service in Flagstaff has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for parts of Coconino, Gila, and Navajo counties in north central Arizona, running through 6:00 PM Mountain time. What is happening: At 5:27 PM Mountain time, radar placed the storm over Ellison Creek Estates, about 11 miles northeast of Payson, tracking east at 35 miles per hour. Local impacts: Golf-ball-size hail and 60-mile-per-hour wind gusts. Hail that large can injure anyone caught outside and punch through weaker roofs. Fast-developing severe storms like this one can also spin up a tornado with little warning. What to do: Anyone outdoors should get inside a sturdy building immediately and stay away from windows. Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of the building. Keep an eye on the sky behind and ahead of this storm — a tornado warning could follow. Source: National Weather Service, Flagstaff AZ, October 21, 2026. Reported by TNW News.