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Pima County, Arizona severe weather history spans 1,714 recorded events between 1954 and 2026. The dominant hazard is thunderstorm wind, accounting for 46.6% of all recorded events. It ranks #23 nationally and #2 in Arizona.
1,714
Recorded events
26
Direct deaths
111
Direct injuries
$235.1M
Property damage
The record
What the Pima County, Arizona severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Pima County, Arizona severe weather history averages 23.8 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2010s, with 527 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 150 events fall before 1990 and 1,564 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The deadliest hazard in the Pima County, Arizona record is flash flood, responsible for 19 direct deaths. The costliest is wildfire, with $132.2M in reported property damage. In total, 11 distinct hazard types appear in this county archive, each listed with its own dated record below.
By hazard type
Every hazard type recorded in Pima County
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 798 | 0 | $61.3M | 90 | 1955–2025 |
| Flash Flood | 521 | 19 | $25.9M | 0 | 1996–2025 |
| Hail | 189 | 0 | $2.3M | 3 | 1957–2025 |
| Lightning | 78 | 3 | $1.2M | 0 | 1996–2025 |
| Flood | 43 | 1 | $7.1M | 0 | 1996–2025 |
| Tornado | 30 | 3 | $4.2M | F2 | 1954–2026 |
| Heavy Rain | 19 | 0 | $772K | 0 | 2008–2021 |
| Funnel Cloud | 14 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 1998–2025 |
| Dust Devil | 10 | 0 | $48K | 0 | 2011–2026 |
| Debris Flow | 8 | 0 | $42K | 0 | 2020–2022 |
| Wildfire | 4 | 0 | $132.2M | 0 | 2002–2003 |
Decade by decade
Pima County, Arizona severe weather history by decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
29 mapped tornado paths intersect this county: 29 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964-08-27 | EF2 | 2 | 9 | 0.1 mi | Touched down here |
| 1994-07-28 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1974-06-23 | EF1 | 1 | 40 | 1.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 2024-07-02 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 3.3 mi | Touched down here |
| 1992-07-06 | EF1 | 0 | 1 | 2.8 mi | Touched down here |
| 1991-08-24 | EF1 | 0 | 2 | 1.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1984-07-16 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 mi | Touched down here |
| 1984-07-16 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 mi | Touched down here |
| 1975-12-23 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1971-09-01 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 mi | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest events on record in Pima County
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 4, 2008 | Flash Flood | WICKCHOUPAI | 3 | 0 | $0 |
| Aug 27, 1964 | Tornado | 2 | 9 | $25K | |
| Jun 22, 2024 | Flash Flood | (DMA)DAVIS MONTHAN A | 2 | 0 | $10K |
| Aug 4, 2007 | Flash Flood | TUCSON | 2 | 0 | $0 |
| Jun 23, 1974 | Tornado | 1 | 40 | $250K | |
| Sep 7, 2012 | Flood | OLD TUSCON | 1 | 1 | $20K |
| Jul 10, 2010 | Lightning | (DMA)DAVIS MONTHAN A | 1 | 1 | $0 |
| Aug 8, 2024 | Flash Flood | EMERY PARK | 1 | 0 | $1K |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Thunderstorms brought heavy intense rainfall over the Tucson Metro area. Rainfall totals ranged from 1 to 2.5 inches from Pima County Alert Gauges. ||Tucson Fire Department responded to over 25 calls with 15 of those calls relating to stranded drivers or stuck in swift moving water. Two adults were found dead in a wash after a swift water rescue attempt.
Extremely heavy rainfall across southern Tucson resulted in significant wash and stream flooding downstream from Tucson. Overflowing washes toppled a wall in the Rancho Sahuarita subdivision in Sahuarita resulting in damage to 15 homes and a muddy mess. Water up to one foot was observed in some of the homes. The raging Santa Cruz River also claimed the life of a homeless man that was living under the Grant Road Bridge. Rescuers spotted the man holding onto the bridge pillar, but before they were able to reach him he lost his grip and was swept down the river. His body was found the next day near the Ina Road bridge.
Extremely heavy rainfall across the Tucson Metro Area on the morning on September 7th prompted widespread flash flooding. Numerous roads across the Tucson Metro Area were impassable and closed due to flooding. Additionally, at least ten vehicles became stuck in different low water crossings throughout the city. Numerous swift water rescues were performed. One man was killed when he was swept downstream by flood waters. The man was first spotted in the Rodeo Wash at the intersection of South Fletcher Avenue and East Irvington Road. His body was later discovered 15 miles downstream. Rainfall amounts throughout the Tucson Metro Area ranged from three quarters of an inch to almost two inches. The Tucson International Airport recorded 1.14 inches of rain.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Relatively High
FEMA NRI risk rating
1,060,490
Population (ACS)
$320K
Median home value
15
Federal declarations
| Declared | Incident | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 11, 2020 | Fire | BIG HORN FIRE | FM |
| Apr 4, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 | EM |
| Sep 7, 2006 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR |
| Sep 12, 2005 | Hurricane | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM |
| Jul 14, 2003 | Fire | ASPEN FIRE | DR |
Within the county
Most affected places
- Tucson 480
- Sabino 230
- Oro Vly 131
- Tuscon Marana Nw Airport 102
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Pima County, Arizona?
1,714 events are on record between 1954 and 2026, causing 26 direct deaths and $235.1M in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Pima County?
Thunderstorm Wind, with 798 recorded events — 46.6% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many tornadoes have crossed Pima County?
29 mapped tornado paths intersect the county boundary; 29 of them touched down inside it. This is derived from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Pima County?
15 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Pima County, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Pima County compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Pima County as relatively high risk, placing it in the 99 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Pima 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
- Navajo County 340
- Pinal County 740
- Mohave County 1,138
- Santa Cruz County 219
- Maricopa County 2,748
- Yavapai County 933
Cite this page
“Pima County, Arizona.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/arizona/pima-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.