255
Recorded events
14
Counties affected
24
Direct deaths
$8.2M
Property damage
Arizona lightning history: 255 recorded events across 14 counties between 1996 and 2025.
Decade by decade
Arizona lightning history by decade
The 2010s are the busiest decade on record with 100 reported lightning events across Arizona. Earlier decades are thinner because systematic reporting for this hazard expanded over time, not because the weather was calmer.
County ranking
Counties with the most lightning events in Arizona
| Rank | County | Events | Deaths | Damage | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Pima County | 78 | 3 | $1.2M | 1996–2025 |
| #2 | Maricopa County | 62 | 2 | $3.2M | 1996–2025 |
| #3 | Mohave County | 29 | 0 | $717K | 1998–2024 |
| #4 | Coconino County | 19 | 7 | $600K | 1997–2025 |
| #5 | Cochise County | 15 | 3 | $249K | 1996–2023 |
| #6 | Yavapai County | 14 | 0 | $330K | 1996–2018 |
| #7 | Pinal County | 9 | 1 | $1.6M | 1999–2022 |
| #8 | Gila County | 9 | 1 | $127K | 1997–2009 |
| #9 | Apache County | 5 | 4 | $8K | 2006–2013 |
| #10 | Navajo County | 5 | 2 | $60K | 2004–2013 |
| #11 | Santa Cruz County | 4 | 1 | $5K | 1996–2025 |
| #12 | Yuma County | 2 | 0 | $20K | 2000–2009 |
| #13 | Graham County | 2 | 0 | $100K | 2019–2021 |
| #14 | La Paz County | 2 | 0 | $12K | 2005–2009 |
Significant events
Deadliest lightning events in Arizona
| Date | County | Scale | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 23, 2013 | Coconino County | — | 2 | 1 |
| May 21, 1997 | Cochise County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Aug 12, 2000 | Gila County | — | 1 | 2 |
| Oct 22, 2000 | Pinal County | — | 1 | 1 |
| Jun 30, 2015 | Cochise County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Dec 15, 1998 | Maricopa County | — | 1 | 3 |
| Jul 30, 2014 | Santa Cruz County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 30, 2006 | Coconino County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 28, 1999 | Maricopa County | — | 1 | 1 |
| Aug 20, 2006 | Apache County | — | 1 | 1 |