Apache County, Arizona severe weather history spans 234 recorded events between 1957 and 2025. The dominant hazard is flash flood, accounting for 41.9% of all recorded events. It ranks #2,219 nationally and #12 in Arizona.
234
Recorded events
4
Direct deaths
2
Direct injuries
$273K
Property damage
The record
What the Apache County, Arizona severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Apache County, Arizona severe weather history averages 3.4 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2010s, with 101 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 6 events fall before 1990 and 228 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The deadliest hazard in the Apache County, Arizona record is lightning, responsible for 4 direct deaths. The costliest is flash flood, with $241K in reported property damage. In total, 9 distinct hazard types appear in this county archive, each listed with its own dated record below.
By hazard type
Every hazard type recorded in Apache County
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | 98 | 0 | $241K | 0 | 1997–2024 |
| Heavy Rain | 37 | 0 | $10K | 1.58 | 2002–2024 |
| Funnel Cloud | 24 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 1997–2024 |
| Hail | 21 | 0 | $10K | 1.75 | 1990–2024 |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 21 | 0 | $4K | 93 | 1978–2025 |
| Tornado | 17 | 0 | $0 | F0 | 1957–2025 |
| Flood | 9 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 1996–2025 |
| Lightning | 5 | 4 | $8K | 0 | 2006–2013 |
| Wildfire | 2 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 1996–2002 |
Decade by decade
Apache County, Arizona severe weather history by decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
17 mapped tornado paths intersect this county: 17 touched down inside it and 0 crossed in from a neighbouring county. This comes from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
| Date | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Path length | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-06-04 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 mi | Touched down here |
| 2022-09-13 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | 7.7 mi | Touched down here |
| 2021-06-17 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 mi | Touched down here |
| 2015-10-20 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | 6.9 mi | Touched down here |
| 2010-10-21 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | 0.8 mi | Touched down here |
| 2010-08-03 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 2009-05-22 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 2008-09-03 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 mi | Touched down here |
| 2006-08-30 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 2005-07-25 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 mi | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest events on record in Apache County
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 20, 2006 | Lightning | MC NARY | 1 | 1 | $0 |
| Sep 20, 2013 | Lightning | NAZLINI ARPT | 1 | 0 | $0 |
| Jul 12, 2011 | Lightning | NAZLINI ARPT | 1 | 0 | $0 |
| Jul 16, 2007 | Lightning | NAZLINI | 1 | 0 | $0 |
| Oct 7, 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | CROSS CANYON | 0 | 1 | $0 |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
A 21-year-old man from the town of Nazlini was watching a rain swollen waterfall from a metal bridge. He was struck by a lightning bolt while standing on the bridge. He was transported to a Phoenix hospital where he later died. Other individuals in the vicinity of the strike were knocked over by the shock wave but were not seriously injured.
Heavy rain over Escudilla Peak area caused flash flooding and mud slides over sections of Highway 180/191 north and southeast of Alpine. Mud, trees, and rocks temporarily blocked the highway between Alpine and Nutrioso. The Alpine Ranger District Office experienced minor flooding in front of the office. Flooding and erosion on private property was also reported. Rainfall amounts of around an inch to one and a half inches was reported.
Arizona Department of Transportation reported flooding on Highway 180 from mile post 419 to 425. A motorcycle was swept away. The driver was able to escape. Water was flowing over subdivision streets on the north side of Alpine.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Relatively Low
FEMA NRI risk rating
65,341
Population (ACS)
$64K
Median home value
16
Federal declarations
| Declared | Incident | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 14, 2025 | Fire | GREER FIRE | FM |
| Sep 13, 2021 | Flood | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR |
| Apr 4, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 | EM |
| Jun 2, 2011 | Fire | WALLOW FIRE | FM |
| Mar 18, 2010 | Severe Storm | SEVERE WINTER STORMS AND FLOODING | DR |
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Apache County, Arizona?
234 events are on record between 1957 and 2025, causing 4 direct deaths and $273K in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Apache County?
Flash Flood, with 98 recorded events — 41.9% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many tornadoes have crossed Apache County?
17 mapped tornado paths intersect the county boundary; 17 of them touched down inside it. This is derived from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Apache County?
16 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Apache County, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Apache County compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Apache County as relatively low risk, placing it in the 79 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Apache County, Arizona severe weather history data come from?
Every figure is drawn from United States federal public-domain records: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events for the event archive, NOAA SPC SVRGIS for mapped tornado paths, FEMA for disaster declarations and risk ratings, and the U.S. Census for population context. Dates are shown in UTC and recent entries may still be revised by NOAA.
Nearby
Neighbouring counties
- Cochise County 612
- Coconino County 781
- Gila County 535
- Graham County 180
- Greenlee County 55
- La Paz County 252
Cite this page
“Apache County, Arizona.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/arizona/apache-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.