Yuma County, Arizona severe weather history spans 339 recorded events between 1957 and 2025. The dominant hazard is thunderstorm wind, accounting for 62.2% of all recorded events. It ranks #1,563 nationally and #10 in Arizona.
339
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
14
Direct injuries
$21.9M
Property damage
The record
What the Yuma County, Arizona severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Yuma County, Arizona severe weather history averages 5.0 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2020s, with 96 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 51 events fall before 1990 and 288 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The costliest is thunderstorm wind, with $21.0M 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 Yuma County
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 211 | 0 | $21.0M | 80 | 1957–2025 |
| Flash Flood | 56 | 0 | $268K | 0 | 1996–2025 |
| Hail | 22 | 0 | $62K | 1.5 | 1963–2022 |
| Flood | 16 | 0 | $61K | 0 | 1998–2025 |
| Heavy Rain | 15 | 0 | $145K | 0 | 2005–2017 |
| Tornado | 12 | 0 | $283K | F2 | 1959–2018 |
| Funnel Cloud | 3 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 1999–2006 |
| Lightning | 2 | 0 | $20K | 0 | 2000–2009 |
| Dust Devil | 2 | 0 | $55K | 0 | 2015–2022 |
Decade by decade
Yuma County, Arizona severe weather history by decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
11 mapped tornado paths intersect this county: 11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959-08-17 | EF2 | 0 | 1 | 0.1 mi | Touched down here |
| 1987-09-22 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 mi | Touched down here |
| 1966-09-13 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 mi | Touched down here |
| 1965-07-05 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 2018-10-13 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 mi | Touched down here |
| 2006-08-10 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | 10.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1987-09-22 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 mi | Touched down here |
| 1979-09-28 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 mi | Touched down here |
| 1978-02-10 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 mi | Touched down here |
| 1978-02-10 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 mi | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest events on record in Yuma County
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 15, 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | DATELAND | 0 | 8 | $0 |
| Sep 5, 1991 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 | 2 | $0 | |
| Jul 28, 1989 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 | 2 | $0 | |
| Oct 21, 2000 | Lightning | YUMA | 0 | 1 | $0 |
| Aug 17, 1959 | Tornado | 0 | 1 | $250K |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
As reported in the Yuma Sun, the Garden Landscaping Company at 830 South Orange Avenue was mostly destroyed by thunderstorm microburst winds, estimated to be near 75 knots. Damage was also reported at the O.G. RV Resort. The Yuma High School and Kofa High School sustained considerable wind and water damage.
The second severe thunderstorm to hit the Yuma area over the Labor Day weekend affected the southeast and east sections. The strong microburst winds destroyed at least three metal warehouses and blew down power lines. As many as 10 recreational vehicles were damaged at an RV resort. Damage to the warehouses was estimated to be at least $1 million.
Zero visibility reported in rain along with gusty winds estimated at up to 80 mph. Damage was reported to homes and businesses with numerous trees uprooted. A huge pine tree fell on a house at the corner of 8th Avenue and 10th Street. Entire carports were torn from their foundations. A roof on a home in the 1100 block of Appaloose Lane was completely torn off of its rafters. The ceramic tiles on the top of the entrance to El Charro Cafe, 601 West 8th Street, were severely damaged. The roof of a self-serve car wash collapsed. There were several reports of car windshields broken due to flying debris. At the old Foxworth Galbraith hardward store, entire structures collapsed and lay mangled on the ground where the outdoor lumber sdection had been.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Relatively Moderate
FEMA NRI risk rating
211,741
Population (ACS)
$218K
Median home value
6
Federal declarations
| Declared | Incident | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 4, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 | EM |
| Sep 12, 2005 | Hurricane | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM |
| Jan 19, 1993 | Flood | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES & FLOODING | DR |
| Jan 15, 1985 | Severe Storm | HEAVY RAIN & HIGH WINDS | DR |
| Jul 1, 1983 | Flood | FLOODING | DR |
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Yuma County, Arizona?
339 events are on record between 1957 and 2025, causing 0 direct deaths and $21.9M in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Yuma County?
Thunderstorm Wind, with 211 recorded events — 62.2% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many tornadoes have crossed Yuma County?
11 mapped tornado paths intersect the county boundary; 11 of them touched down inside it. This is derived from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Yuma County?
6 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Yuma County, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Yuma County compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Yuma County as relatively moderate risk, placing it in the 93 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Yuma 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
- Yavapai County 933
- Santa Cruz County 219
- Pinal County 740
- Pima County 1,714
- Navajo County 340
- Mohave County 1,138
Cite this page
“Yuma County, Arizona.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/arizona/yuma-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.