Yuma County, Arizona
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 04027 · population 203,299 · 5,514 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 573 records for Yuma County, Arizona from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 289 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (211 records). The deadliest single record is the July 9, 2012 excessive heat, filed for the forecast zone Yuma/Martinez Lake And Vicinity, which covers the county: 1 death and 1 injury. FEMA has issued 6 declarations naming the county since 1983, 4 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Katrina Evacuation” on September 12, 2005.
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
- 573on 289 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 115 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $41Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 12strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 6latest 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 Yuma County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 211 since 1957. 76% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1957 fell in August and September. 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 | 211 | 141 | 1957-2025 | 0 | 12 | $32M | 6 of 15 |
| Heat | 146 | 47 | 2012-2024 | 1 | 1 | – | 9 of 15 |
| High wind and dust storms | 75 | 56 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $950K | 8 of 15 |
| Floods | 72 | 42 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $378K | 14 of 15 |
| Hail | 22 | 21 | 1963-2022 | 0 | 0 | $88K | 13 of 15 |
| Heavy rain | 15 | 15 | 2005-2017 | 0 | 0 | $200K | 8 of 15 |
| Tornadoes | 12 | 10 | 1959-2018 | 0 | 1 | $2.7M | 8 of 15 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 11 | 10 | 1999-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 15 |
| Extreme cold | 4 | 3 | 2007-2013 | 0 | 0 | $4.5M | 10 of 15 |
| Winter storms | 3 | 3 | 1996-1997 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 15 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2000-2009 | 0 | 1 | $28K | 14 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 Yuma County had?
NOAA records 12 tornadoes in Yuma County from 1959 to 2018, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 1 injury recorded in the county. That is 8th 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 12 tornadoes whose track touched Yuma County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 12, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Arizona.
Every tornado record filed for Yuma County (12)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-10-13 | Dome, Yuma County | EF0 0.14 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-08-10 | Yuma Proving Ground, Yuma County | F0 10 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1987-09-22 | Yuma County | F1 0.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1987-09-22 | Yuma County | F0 0.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1983-07-31 | Yuma County | F1 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1979-09-28 | Yuma County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1978-02-10 | Yuma County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1978-02-10 | Yuma County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1972-10-04 | Yuma County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1972-09-18 | Yuma County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1966-09-13 | Yuma County | 0 | 0 | $3K step | |
| 1959-08-17 | Yuma County | F2 | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
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 Yuma County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the September 4, 2025 flash flood ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-09-27 | Flash FloodLigurta, Yuma County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-27 | Flash FloodDome, Yuma County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-18 | FloodMohawk, Yuma County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-18 | Thunderstorm WindMohawk, Yuma County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-09-04 | Flash FloodLaguna, Yuma County | 0 | 0 | $2K | |
| 2025-09-04 | Flash FloodLaguna, Yuma County | 0 | 0 | $30K | |
| 2025-09-04 | Thunderstorm WindEl Pueblecito, Yuma County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2025-09-04 | Thunderstorm WindYuma County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-09-04 | Flash FloodEl Pueblecito, Yuma County | 0 | 0 | $10K | |
| 2025-09-04 | FloodWellton, Yuma County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-04 | FloodWellton, Yuma County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-04 | FloodWellton, Yuma County | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-07-09 | Excessive HeatYuma County · forecast zone Yuma/Martinez Lake And Vicinity Strong high pressure aloft over the desert southwest led to excessive heat across the southwestern Arizona deserts on July 11th. An excessive heat warning had been in effect since 2 pm Monday, and remained in effect through 8 pm Wednesday. Although high temperatures lowered to around 110 on Wednesday, highs across the ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 1996-08-14 | Thunderstorm WindDateland, Yuma County Several downed power poles. Eight people sustained minor injuries after the strong winds damaged numerous mobile homes in Dateland. Sun Country Acres mobile home park, located two miles north of Interstate 8 on Avenue64E, reported that every mobile home in the park was damaged in some way, many having broken windows. ... | 0 | 8 | – | |
| 1991-09-04 | Thunderstorm WindYuma County | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 1989-07-27 | Thunderstorm WindYuma County | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2000-10-21 | LightningYuma County A Yuma firefighter was struck by lightning as he was fighting a lightning-caused fire in a palm tree. The tree was struck by a bolt and the current ran down the water stream and shocked him. He was thrown back about 10 feet into a wall by the bolt. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1959-08-17 | TornadoYuma County | F2 | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993-09-06 | Thunderstorm WindYuma County | 0 | 0 | $10M | |
| 2010-08-26 | Thunderstorm WindYuma County | 75 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $6.8M |
| 2010-08-26 | Thunderstorm WindCrane, Yuma County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4.1M |
| 2007-09-02 | Thunderstorm WindYuma International Airport, Yuma County | 73 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2.1M |
| 2013-01-12 | Frost/FreezeYuma County · forecast zone Yuma/Martinez Lake And Vicinity | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | |
| 2010-08-26 | Thunderstorm WindYuma County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.4M |
| 2010-08-26 | Thunderstorm WindEl Pueblecito, Yuma County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $677K |
| 2021-07-21 | Thunderstorm WindTacna, Yuma County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $545K |
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 $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: August 17, 1959 (tornado, Yuma 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 Yuma 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 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 21 | 41 | 33 | 49 | 50 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 42 | 104 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 4 | 21 | 19 | 31 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 8 | 6 | 14 | 44 |
| Hail | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 1 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 8 | 7 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
76% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1957 fell in August and September. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 12 · Feb 13 · Mar 6 · Apr 7 · May 16 · Jun 33 · Jul 103 · Aug 209 · Sep 141 · Oct 16 · Nov 6 · Dec 11 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Yuma County
FEMA's register lists 6 declarations that include Yuma County: 4 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for biological (2) and flood (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-04 | DR-4524 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3442 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005-09-12 | EM-3241 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1993-01-19 | DR-977 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1985-01-15 | DR-730 | Severe Storm | Heavy Rain & High Winds |
| 1983-07-01 | DR-686 | 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 Yuma County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 72 flood or flash flood records for Yuma County from 1996 to 2025, on 42 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Yuma County ranks 1195th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.0 million on 123 claims filed in Yuma County; the most in one year was 54 in 1993. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 7 · 1980: 2 · 1983: 6 · 1984: 1 · 1989: 21 · 1992: 1 · 1993: 54 · 1994: 1 · 1997: 1 · 1998: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2002: 7 · 2005: 3 · 2007: 4 · 2010: 3 · 2011: 1 · 2012: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2025: 4; 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 Yuma County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Yuma County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $91.5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake | Relatively High | $52M | once in about 11 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | $6.4M | 16 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $32M | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $513K | 40 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $562K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $136K | 20 a year (modeled) |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | $23 | once in about 10,000 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $58K | once in about 1,838 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Yuma 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 Yuma CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Yuma County's FEMA declarations (CSV)6 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis