Arizona tornadoes
Every recorded tornado since 1950 · 14 counties with a record
Arizona has recorded 303 tornadoes from 1950 through 2025, about 5.3 a year since 2000, with 4 rated F3/EF3 or stronger (NOAA Storm Prediction Center). The deadliest was the August 27, 1964 South Tucson tornado (2 deaths in Arizona). Arizona ranks 34th of 52 states and territories by count and 46th of 51 per square mile.
Tornadoes in Arizona, 1950 to 2025
Tornadoes per year (SPC; a tornado that crossed a state line counts in each state it touched).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $1 million
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- $1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1996: tornado reports rose with NEXRAD Doppler radar, mid-1990s (SPC)
- Tornadoes
- 3031950 to 2025
- A year since 2000
- 5.3average
- Deaths
- 3152 injuries
- F3/EF3 or stronger
- 41% of tornadoes
- Busiest year
- 197217 tornadoes
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025 (state segments). SPC severe weather database.
Are tornadoes common in Arizona?
Arizona averages about 5.3 tornadoes a year since 2000, 34th of 52 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 1972 (17). Per 10,000 square miles of land, Arizona records 27 tornadoes since 1950, 46th of 51 states and territories by that measure.
Source: NOAA SPC, tornadoes 1950-2025, per 10,000 square miles of land area (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer; places under 1,000 square miles not ranked). Damage colours: Storm Events damage, 2025 dollars.
Which counties in Arizona have the most tornadoes?
Per square mile, Maricopa County leads Arizona: 61 days with a tornado record since 1950, 6.6 per 1,000 square miles of land. By raw count, Maricopa County has the most tornado records (73 since 1950); large counties collect more records simply by covering more ground, so the ranking counts days with a record per unit of area (a storm filed for several forecast zones adds several records but one day).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, days with a record in the county since 1950 per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer); in brackets, the count of records.
When is tornado season in Arizona?
Arizona's tornadoes by month. The busiest month is July (58 tornadoes).
The values, month by month
Jan 6 · Feb 10 · Mar 12 · Apr 8 · May 20 · Jun 23 · Jul 58 · Aug 57 · Sep 49 · Oct 41 · Nov 16 · Dec 3 (records).
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, state segments by the month they began, 1950-2025.
What were the deadliest tornadoes in Arizona?
| Date | Counties | Rating | Path in state | Killed | Injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964-08-27 | South Tucson · Pima | F2 | 0.1 mi | 2 | 9 |
| 1974-06-23 | Pima | F1 | 1 mi | 1 | 40 |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (state segments: deaths and path inside Arizona), 1950-2025; counties are the first four the SPC lists for the segment. SPC severe weather database.
Where have the strongest tornadoes tracked in Arizona?
- F2/EF2
- F3/EF3
- F4/EF4
- F5/EF5
- no end point filed
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, start and end points of each track; county lines: Census Bureau cartographic boundaries (2017), via us-atlas. SPC severe weather database. Census cartographic boundary files.
The strongest tornadoes in Arizona
| Date | Counties | Rating | Path in state | Width | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-10-06 | Parks · Coconino | EF3 | 30.06 mi | 800 yd | 0 |
| 1957-08-04 | Maricopa | F3 | 12 mi | 10 yd | 0 |
| 2010-10-06 | Coconino | EF3 | 4 mi | 1,100 yd | 0 |
| 1972-08-10 | Chino Valley · Yavapai | F3 | 0.1 mi | 10 yd | 0 |
| 1964-08-27 | South Tucson · Pima | F2 | 0.1 mi | 10 yd | 2 |
| 2010-10-06 | Fort Valley · Coconino | EF2 | 26 mi | 500 yd | 0 |
| 2010-10-06 | Parks · Coconino | EF2 | 18.6 mi | 600 yd | 0 |
| 2010-10-06 | Coconino | EF2 | 14.8 mi | 400 yd | 0 |
| 1972-06-21 | Phoenix to Scottsdale · Maricopa | F2 | 13.5 mi | 10 yd | 0 |
| 1992-10-24 | Coconino | F2 | 5.5 mi | 200 yd | 0 |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database; F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after.
The longest tornado paths in Arizona
| Date | Tornado and counties | Rating | Path in state | Width | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971-09-01 | Pinal, Maricopa | F1 | 32.4 mi | 10 yd | 0 |
| 2010-10-06 | Parks · Coconino | EF3 | 30.06 mi | 800 yd | 0 |
| 2005-10-18 | Navajo | F0 | 30 mi | 100 yd | 0 |
| 1980-05-01 | Yavapai, Coconino | F1 | 26.5 mi | 50 yd | 0 |
| 2010-10-06 | Fort Valley · Coconino | EF2 | 26 mi | 500 yd | 0 |
| 2010-10-06 | Parks · Coconino | EF2 | 18.6 mi | 600 yd | 0 |
| 1972-06-21 | Pinal, Maricopa | F0 | 17.8 mi | 10 yd | 0 |
| 2010-10-06 | Coconino | EF2 | 14.8 mi | 400 yd | 0 |
| 1972-06-21 | Phoenix to Scottsdale · Maricopa | F2 | 13.5 mi | 10 yd | 0 |
| 1957-08-04 | Maricopa | F3 | 12 mi | 10 yd | 0 |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, state segments: path length and width inside the state. SPC severe weather database.
Tornadoes in every Arizona county
All 14 counties: tornadoes whose track touched each, and the strongest
| County | Tornadoes | Strongest |
|---|---|---|
| Maricopa County | 75 | F/EF3 |
| Coconino County | 49 | F/EF3 |
| Pinal County | 30 | F/EF1 |
| Yavapai County | 29 | F/EF3 |
| Pima County | 28 | F/EF2 |
| Navajo County | 23 | F/EF1 |
| Cochise County | 18 | F/EF1 |
| Mohave County | 18 | F/EF1 |
| Apache County | 17 | F/EF0 |
| Yuma County | 12 | F/EF2 |
| Gila County | 4 | F/EF1 |
| Graham County | 1 | F/EF0 |
| La Paz County | 1 | F/EF0 |
| Santa Cruz County | 1 | F/EF0 |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database: whole tornadoes whose track touched the county (any state segment listing it). SPC severe weather database.
The costliest tornadoes in Arizona
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993-01-17 | TornadoPhoenix To, Maricopa County Eighteen homes sustained damage, 4 with major damage, many trees and signs blown over by tornado. Most damage occurred when the tornado moved east from 59th and Clinton to 72nd and Cholla. Controllers from the nearby Scottsdale Airport watched this tornado move through this ,north Scottsdale residential area. | F2 2.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $10M |
| 2010-10-06 | TornadoBellemont, Coconino County Considerable structural damage in and around the community of Bellemont; significant forest damage and treefall in forest north and south of Bellemont. This tornado was from the same storm that produced Tornado #2. Aerial and ground surveys verified a semi-continuous tornado path from 8 miles south of Bellemont, ... | EF2 26 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 7 | $1.4M |
| 1994-07-28 | TornadoTo 12, Pima County A tornado touched down on the Hill Top area of northwest Tucson. The tornado travelled in a west-northwest direction, and its width varied from about a yard to 50 yards. The 7700 blocks of Soledad and Redwing Circle were particularly hit hard. A back porch and much of the roof of one home was destroyed, an entire roof ... | F2 2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $995K |
| 2014-09-27 | TornadoGroom Creek, Yavapai County Path length over 2 miles with a with of 0.4 miles. EF0-EF1 damage. The tornado occurred between 155 PM and 205 PM MST. Three homes were significantly damaged with light damage to other homes. Numerous pine trees were snapped off and uprooted. | EF0 2.1 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 0 | $623K |
| 2010-10-06 | TornadoKachina Village, Coconino County This tornado caused extensive forest damage (primarily south of Bellemont), along a discontinuous track which extended from 15 miles south of Bellemont, eventually crossing Hwy 180 northwest of Flagstaff. The path of this tornado was parallel to, and approximately 1 mile west of Tornado #2. Very wide, severe and ... | EF3 30.06 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | $541K |
| 1996-09-13 | TornadoChino Vly, Yavapai County A tornado moved through the east end of Chino Valley. Two mobile homes were moved 7 feet off their foundations and received moderate exterior and interior damage. Several power poles were snapped off at 3 feet above the ground. One wood frame home received extensive roof damage where 95% of the roof surface was ... | F1 4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $527K |
| 1995-02-13 | TornadoPhoenix, Maricopa County A National Weather Service Survey Team concluded a weak (F1) tornado occurred at the General Motors Desert Proving Grounds facility. Moderate damage was observed. A roof was damaged and about 20 vehicles were damaged and moved around. One vehicle was lifted, moved several feet, and set down inside a roped off area ... | F1 0.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $387K |
| 2022-10-03 | TornadoPerrin, Coconino County A tornado touched down about 8 miles west-northwest of Williams in the Junipine Estates neighborhood. Ten 10 structures were damaged and or destroyed (homes and outbuildings). One power poll was blown down and the power was out in the entire community. Camping trailers/mobile homes were turn over. Some rooves were ... | EF1 0.7 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $353K |
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 $25M, in the dollars of the day) holds: June 21, 1972 (tornado, Maricopa County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: property and crop damage as estimated by the National Weather Service, in 2025 dollars.
Are tornadoes becoming more frequent in Arizona?
Arizona's count per decade against the whole country's, and its share. The Storm Prediction Center notes that tornado reports rose especially around the installation of the NEXRAD Doppler radar network in the mid-1990s, so a rising count is partly better detection; the share of the national total is the fairer comparison across decades.
| Decade | Arizona | United States | Arizona's share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 18 | 4,837 | 0.37% |
| 1960s | 30 | 6,863 | 0.44% |
| 1970s | 52 | 8,633 | 0.60% |
| 1980s | 24 | 8,250 | 0.29% |
| 1990s | 56 | 12,205 | 0.46% |
| 2000s | 37 | 12,892 | 0.29% |
| 2010s | 49 | 12,232 | 0.40% |
| 2020-25 | 37 | 8,234 | 0.45% |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, state segments.
The most recent tornadoes in Arizona
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-25 | TornadoHunt Green Vly Airport, Apache County | EFU 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-01 | TornadoTuscon Ryan Field Airport, Pima County | EFU 0.38 mi x 1 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-11-18 | TornadoAguila, Maricopa County | EF0 1.11 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2025-09-27 | TornadoTonopah, Maricopa County | EFU 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-09-16 | TornadoSahuarita, Pima County | EFU 0.01 mi x 1 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-09-12 | TornadoMarsh, Pima County | EFU 0.01 mi x 1 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-15 | TornadoIndian Wells, Navajo County | EF0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-04 | TornadoSpringerville, Apache County | EFU 0.53 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-06 | TornadoEntro, Yavapai County | EF0 0.14 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-02 | TornadoBuckeye Municipal Airport, Maricopa County | EFU 0.45 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-10-18 | TornadoMoenave, Coconino County | EF0 1.45 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-08-21 | TornadoPomerene, Cochise County | EFU 0.25 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; the newest months are revised by NCEI as reports arrive. Search the record at NCEI.
Federal disaster declarations for tornadoes in Arizona
FEMA has declared 1 disaster in Arizona for tornadoes, counting its incident type and declarations that name tornado in the title (FEMA files most storm disasters under Severe Storm); one was a major disaster, the latest on January 19, 1993.
| Declared | Number | Title | Areas named |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993-01-19 | DR-977 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding | 13 |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), through October 2, 2026. OpenFEMA dataset page.
Next
- Maricopa County: the county's whole recordThe Arizona county with the most tornadoes per square mile
- Tornadoes across the United StatesEvery state ranked, by year and month
- Every natural hazard in ArizonaTornadoes, floods, storms, heat and the federal declarations
- Severe thunderstorm wind in Arizona4,106 records
- Floods in Arizona3,896 records
- Heat in Arizona2,676 records