58
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
0
Direct injuries
$0
Property damage
Funnel Cloud in Maricopa County, Arizona: 58 recorded events between 1996 and 2025. The strongest on record measured 0. That places the county #6 nationally and #1 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Funnel Cloud in Maricopa County, Arizona: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for funnel cloud in Maricopa County is the 1990s, when 26 of the county's 58 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Maricopa County archive, funnel cloud makes up 2.1% of all recorded severe weather across 9 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #6 for this hazard and #1 within Arizona, putting it in the 99.7 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Feb is the peak month for funnel cloud in Maricopa County with 12 recorded events, while May is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 19, 2025 | WITTMANN | 0 | $0 |
| Mar 13, 2020 | WITTMANN | 0 | $0 |
| Dec 27, 2019 | PALO VERDE | 0 | $0 |
| Dec 9, 2019 | HELENA | 0 | $0 |
| Dec 9, 2019 | PARADISE VLY | 0 | $0 |
| Nov 22, 2019 | (PHX)SKY HARBOR ARPT | 0 | $0 |
| Nov 21, 2019 | LAVEEN | 0 | $0 |
| Nov 21, 2019 | TONOPAH | 0 | $0 |
| Feb 23, 2019 | WITTMANN | 0 | $0 |
| Feb 22, 2019 | GLENDALE MUNI ARPT | 0 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Maricopa County
- Thunderstorm Wind 1,519
- Flash Flood 580
- Hail 226
- Heavy Rain 144
- Flood 81
- Tornado 73
- Lightning 62
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Scattered thunderstorms developed across south central Arizona, including the greater Phoenix area, during the morning hours on October 20th. Due in part to elevated levels of wind shear and cold temperatures aloft, some of the thunderstorms actually produced funnel clouds. According to a report from the public, a cold air funnel cloud was seen near the intersection of Interstate 17 and Greenway Road. The funnel cloud was not long lasting and never reached the ground.
Scattered thunderstorms developed across the greater Phoenix metropolitan area during the morning hours on October 20th. Due in part to the presence of a cold upper level low pressure system with elevated upper level winds, isolated stronger storms produced funnel clouds. One such funnel was reported near the town of Morristown. According to a public report, a cold air funnel was spotted near the intersection of Highway 60 and Highway 74, about 1 mile northwest of Morristown. The funnel cloud did not last for long and never touched the ground.
A large area of low pressure moving through Arizona resulted in a moist and unstable atmosphere; conditions were favorable for the formation of funnel clouds. According to a trained spotter 5 miles northeast of Paradise Valley, a cold air funnel cloud was observed over the Talking Stick resort in north Scottsdale. The funnel did not touch down and no damage was reported.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many funnel cloud events are on record in Maricopa County, Arizona?
58 funnel cloud events are recorded in Maricopa County between 1996 and 2025, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest funnel cloud recorded in Maricopa County?
The strongest funnel cloud on record in Maricopa County measured 0.
Where does the funnel cloud data for Maricopa County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Funnel Cloud in Maricopa County, Arizona.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/arizona/maricopa-county/funnel-cloud/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.