Pima County, Arizona
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 04019 · population 1,042,716 · 9,189 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 2,809 records for Pima County, Arizona from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 1,380 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (803 records). The deadliest day on its record was July 14, 2023: excessive heat records filed for Pima County that day count 56 deaths across 3 records. FEMA has issued 15 declarations naming the county since 1966, 13 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Big Horn Fire” on June 11, 2020.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 2,809on 1,380 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 696257 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $400Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 30strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 15latest 2020
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Pima County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 803 since 1955. 80% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1955 fell in July and August. The rank column places the county among Arizona's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 803 | 564 | 1955-2026 | 0 | 27 | $82M | 2 of 15 |
| Floods | 575 | 387 | 1996-2026 | 22 | 10 | $47M | 2 of 15 |
| Heat | 490 | 302 | 2005-2026 | 642 | 81 | – | 3 of 15 |
| Drought | 271 | 71 | 2011-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 of 15 |
| Hail | 190 | 149 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 1 | $2.9M | 3 of 15 |
| Winter storms | 118 | 76 | 1997-2024 | 3 | 11 | $335K | 11 of 15 |
| High wind and dust storms | 116 | 84 | 1997-2026 | 3 | 21 | $16M | 11 of 15 |
| Lightning | 78 | 66 | 1996-2025 | 3 | 22 | $1.6M | 1 of 15 |
| Wildfires | 67 | 49 | 2002-2025 | 0 | 10 | $234M | 6 of 15 |
| Tornadoes | 30 | 28 | 1954-2026 | 3 | 53 | $13M | 4 of 15 |
| Extreme cold | 27 | 20 | 2007-2026 | 20 | 4 | $2.3M | 3 of 15 |
| Heavy rain | 19 | 19 | 2008-2021 | 0 | 17 | $958K | 9 of 15 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 17 | 17 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 9 of 15 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 8 | 8 | 2020-2022 | 0 | 0 | $42K | 2 of 15 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Pima County had?
NOAA records 30 tornadoes in Pima County from 1954 to 2026, the strongest rated F2, with 3 deaths and 53 injuries recorded in the county. That is 4th of 15 Arizona counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 28 tornadoes whose track touched Pima County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 30: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 3 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964-08-27 12:16, as SPC files it | South Tucson | F2 | 0.1 mi | 2 |
| 1974-06-23 16:45, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F1 | 1 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Arizona.
Every tornado record filed for Pima County (30)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-01 | Tuscon Ryan Field Airport, Pima County | EFU 0.38 mi x 1 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-09-16 | Sahuarita, Pima County | EFU 0.01 mi x 1 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-09-12 | Marsh, Pima County | EFU 0.01 mi x 1 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-07-02 | Littletown, Pima County | EF1 3.25 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $47K |
| 2023-08-13 | Silver Bell, Pima County | EF0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-08-25 | Littletown, Pima County | EF0 0.05 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-07-02 | Sabino, Pima County | EFU 0.59 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-08-10 | Three Pts, Pima County | EF0 0.17 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-07-14 | Marana, Pima County | EF0 0.11 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-08-29 | Vail, Pima County | EF0 0.43 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-10-08 | Marana, Pima County | F0 0.03 mi x 12 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 2005-07-31 | Sahuarita, Pima County | F0 0.5 mi x 2 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-08-14 | Tucson, Pima County | F0 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-07-28 | To 12, Pima County | F2 2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $995K |
| 1994-03-07 | Tucson, Pima County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $100K |
| 1992-07-06 | Pima County | F1 2.8 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M step |
| 1991-08-24 | Pima County | F1 1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 2 | $250K step |
| 1984-07-16 | Pima County | F1 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1984-07-16 | Pima County | F1 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1975-12-23 | Pima County | F1 2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1974-06-23 | Pima County | F0 2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1974-06-23 | Pima County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 1 | 40 | $250K step |
| 1974-06-17 | Pima County | F0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1971-09-01 | Pima County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1969-08-16 | Pima County | F1 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1969-08-01 | Pima County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1964-09-15 | Pima County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1964-08-27 | Pima County | F2 | 2 | 9 | $25K step |
| 1961-07-27 | Pima County | F1 | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1954-03-04 | Pima County | 0 | 0 | – |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Pima County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 30, 2026 heat (2 deaths).
Temperatures in Southeastern Arizona was near normal with Minor HeatRisk. The Pima County Medical Examiner found that heat was a primary factor in the death of an individual and contributing factor in the death of an individual in Tucson. Tucson International Airport ASOS recorded a high temperature of 99 degrees Fahrenheit.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1353830)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | HeatPima County · forecast zone Tucson Metro Area | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-29 | HeatPima County · forecast zone Tucson Metro Area | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-27 | HeatPima County · forecast zone Tucson Metro Area | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-26 | Excessive HeatCochise County and 3 more · forecast zone Upper San Pedro River Valley | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-24 | Excessive HeatPima County · forecast zone Tucson Metro Area | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-24 | Excessive HeatCochise County and 3 more · forecast zone Upper San Pedro River Valley | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-23 | Excessive HeatPima County · forecast zone Tucson Metro Area | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-22 | HeatPima County · forecast zone Tucson Metro Area | 5 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-20 | HeatPima County and Pinal County · forecast zone Tohono O Odham Nation | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-20 | HeatPima County · forecast zone Tucson Metro Area | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-19 | HeatPima County · forecast zone Western Pima County | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-17 | HailDrexel Hgts, Pima County | 0.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-07-14 | Excessive HeatPima County · forecast zone Tucson Metro Area Very hot temperatures of 6 to 13 degrees above normal caused the Major Heat Risk category to be reached across eastern Pima County July 14-29. Record highs at Tucson International Airport included 112 degrees on July 20 and 25 (also reached 112 July 18-19); 111 on July 16, 17 and 21; and 110 on the 15th. A total of 40 ... | 40 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-07-08 | Excessive HeatPima County · forecast zone Tucson Metro Area Hot temperatures 8 to 11 degrees above normal were experienced in the Tucson Metro Area July 8 through July 12, causing the Major Heat Risk category to be reached. Tucson International Airport topped out each day between 109 and 112 degrees. The Pima County Medical Examiner confirmed that heat was the primary factor ... | 20 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-07-11 | HeatPima County · forecast zone Tucson Metro Area Hot temperatures up to 6 degrees above normal caused the Moderate Heat Risk category to be reached in eastern Pima County where temperatures topped out between 101 and 107 degrees. A total of 14 heat-related fatalities were reported by the Pima County Medical Examiner. Heat was determined to be the primary cause of ... | 14 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-07-14 | Excessive HeatPima County and Pinal County · forecast zone Tohono O Odham Nation Very hot temperatures of 5 to 13 degrees above normal caused the Major Heat Risk category to be reached across the Tohono O'odham Nation July 14-29. Record highs at Sells included 113 degrees on July 20; 112 on July 19; 111 on July 17, 18, 21 and 22; and 110 on July 15, 17 and 29. A total of 12 heat-related fatalities ... | 12 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-06-12 | Excessive HeatPima County and Pinal County · forecast zone Tohono O Odham Nation Very hot high temperatures of 106 to 119 degrees, or 8 to 13 degrees above normal, occurred in the lower elevations of southeast Arizona June 12-20, and caused the High Heat Risk category to be reached. New record daily high temperature records were established at numerous sites on several days during this period. For ... | 11 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-08-07 | HeatPima County · forecast zone Tucson Metro Area Hot temperatures up to 5 degrees above normal caused the Moderate Heat Risk category to be reached in Tucson where temperatures topped out between 100 and 105 degrees. The Pima County Medical Examiner determined heat to be the primary cause of death for seven individuals in the Tucson Metro area (six indoors with ... | 10 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-07-05 | Excessive HeatPima County · forecast zone Tucson Metro Area Hot temperatures about 6 to 10 degrees above normal were experienced in the Tucson area, causing the Major Heat Risk category to be reached. Tucson had a high of 109 degrees on July 6. The Pima County Medical Examiner confirmed that heat was the primary factor in the death of two individuals and a contributing factor ... | 9 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-08-01 | HeatPima County · forecast zone Tucson Metro Area Hot temperatures 2 to 6 degrees above normal caused the Moderate Heat Risk category to be reached in Tucson where temperatures topped out between 101 and 105 degrees. The Pima County Medical Examiner determined heat to be the primary cause of death for four individuals in the Tucson Metro area (two indoors with A/C ... | 9 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-07-01 | WildfireSummerhaven, Pima County | 0 | 0 | $106M | |
| 2003-06-17 | WildfireSummerhaven, Pima County | 0 | 0 | $106M | |
| 2024-07-14 | Thunderstorm WindTucson, Pima County | 66 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $24M |
| 2011-07-01 | WildfireCochise County and 2 more · forecast zone Dragoon/Mule/Huachuca And Santa Rita Mountains | 0 | 0 | $20M | |
| 1999-07-15 | Flash FloodTucson, Pima County | 0 | 0 | $18M | |
| 2011-05-09 | Strong WindCochise County and Pima County · forecast zone Upper San Pedro River Valley | 41 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $15M |
| 1993-08-09 | Thunderstorm WindPima County | 0 | 0 | $10M | |
| 1995-08-11 | Thunderstorm WindTucson, Pima County | 0 | 0 | $9.7M |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: July 6, 1992 (tornado, Pima County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Pima County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 7 | 27 | 31 | 48 | 102 | 191 | 232 | 165 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 59 | 191 | 176 | 149 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 0 | 4 | 92 | 394 z |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 130 | 141 |
| Hail | 1 | 1 | 8 | 14 | 36 | 52 | 44 | 34 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 14 | 30 | 52 | 22 |
Heat in the 2020-26: 394 records against 92 in the decade before, 394 of them forecast-zone records. Cells marked z rose mostly through zone records. The local National Weather Service office files these once per forecast zone, so a change in how it draws its zones or splits a storm into records moves this count as much as the weather does; read it beside the Pima County days with a record above.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
80% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1955 fell in July and August. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 83 · Feb 94 · Mar 67 · Apr 69 · May 101 · Jun 329 · Jul 889 · Aug 734 · Sep 258 · Oct 96 · Nov 34 · Dec 55 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Pima County
FEMA's register lists 15 declarations that include Pima County: 11 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 2 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (8) and fire (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-06-11 | FM-5312 | Fire | Big Horn Fire |
| 2020-04-04 | DR-4524 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3442 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2006-09-07 | DR-1660 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-12 | EM-3241 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-07-14 | DR-1477 | Fire | Aspen Fire |
| 2003-06-18 | FM-2470 | Fire | Aspen Fire |
| 1993-01-19 | DR-977 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1990-12-06 | DR-884 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1983-10-05 | DR-691 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1978-12-21 | DR-570 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1978-03-04 | DR-551 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1977-11-04 | DR-540 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1972-07-03 | DR-343 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1966-04-30 | DR-217 | Flood | Flooding |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Pima County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 575 flood or flash flood records for Pima County from 1996 to 2026, on 387 days, with 22 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Pima County ranks 457th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $7.9 million on 584 claims filed in Pima County; the most in one year was 77 in 1983. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 7 · 1979: 4 · 1980: 5 · 1981: 3 · 1982: 3 · 1983: 77 · 1984: 9 · 1985: 5 · 1986: 3 · 1988: 4 · 1990: 25 · 1991: 1 · 1992: 2 · 1993: 71 · 1994: 1 · 1995: 5 · 1996: 7 · 1997: 1 · 1998: 14 · 1999: 13 · 2000: 11 · 2001: 2 · 2002: 10 · 2003: 31 · 2004: 2 · 2005: 4 · 2006: 43 · 2007: 22 · 2008: 9 · 2009: 3 · 2010: 37 · 2011: 13 · 2012: 13 · 2013: 3 · 2014: 13 · 2015: 1 · 2016: 27 · 2017: 6 · 2018: 12 · 2019: 8 · 2020: 3 · 2021: 24 · 2022: 8 · 2023: 12 · 2024: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2026: 2; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Pima County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Pima County Relatively High overall, with an expected annual loss of $531 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat Wave | Very High | $133M | 8.1 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Very High | $347M | 13 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Very High | $2.5M | 43 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively High | $38M | once in about 230 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $1.8M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $6.3M | once in about 68 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.3M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $200K | 1.8 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Pima County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in ArizonaEvery Arizona tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in ArizonaThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Arizona recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Pima CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Pima County's FEMA declarations (CSV)15 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis