Arizona, 1997

Flash Flood and Hail in Arizona, May 18 to 20, 1997

May 18 to 20, 1997 · NWS TWC · 6 events in 4 counties and zones

2 thunderstorm wind, 2 lightning, 1 flash flood, 1 hail, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
2
Injuries
0
Property damage
$500
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

The radar

The Tucson radar (KEMX), 50 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:31 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 thunderstorm wind, 2 lightning, 1 flash flood, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Santa Cruz

When
May 18, 2:30 PM MST to 2:33 PM MST
Where
Santa Cruz County, Tubac
Property damage
$500
Coordinates
31.620, -111.050

A tin roof was blown off a shed.

Flash Flood, Pinal

When
May 19, 2:30 PM MST to 3:00 PM MST
Where
Pinal County, Dudleyville
Coordinates
32.904, -111.345 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Road was closed due to boulder being washed onto road. Water overflowed banks of wash.

Hail, Pinal

When
May 19, 2:45 PM MST to 2:50 PM MST
Where
Pinal County, San Manuel
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
32.600, -110.630

Dime size hail was reported.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pima

When
May 20, 12:59 PM MST
Where
Pima County, Davis Monthan Afb
Measured
55 kt (63 mph)
Coordinates
32.170, -110.880

Winds gusted to 55kts.

Lightning, Cochise

When
May 20, 2:40 PM MST
Where
Cochise County, 10 mi N of Ft Huachuca
Deaths
1 direct, 0 indirect
Coordinates
31.880, -109.751 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A woman camping with her two sons in a tent was killed when lightning struck the tent. Her two sons, one inside the tent, the other outside the tent, were not injured.

Lightning, Cochise

When
May 20, 5:00 PM MST
Where
Cochise County, 30 mi W of Willcox
Deaths
1 direct, 0 indirect
Coordinates
31.880, -109.751 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A man camping in his tent was killed when lightning struck his tent.

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

EventDateAgeSexWhereKind
Lightning, Cochise1997-05-2039FemaleCampingDirect
Lightning, Cochise1997-05-2055MaleCampingDirect

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Lightning
A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Arizona in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, May 1997

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5607122, 5607123, 5607124, 5607125, 5607120, 5607121.