Arizona, 2019Excessive Heat in Arizona, August 20 to 21, 2019
August 20 to 21, 2019 · NWS TWC · 7 events in 7 counties and zones
Very hot temperatures were recorded in southeast Arizona from Safford and the Tucson Metro westward on August 20th and 21st. Several new high temperature records were established.
Every event with a place to put it; 7 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
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- Deaths
- 2
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 7
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.
Very hot temperatures were recorded in southeast Arizona from Safford and the Tucson Metro westward on August 20th and 21st. Several new high temperature records were established. Two heat-related fatalities occurred in southern Pima County.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Tucson, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 20, 9:00 AM MST, 2 hours earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Aug 20, 9:00 AM MST, 2 hours before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
900 AM MST Tue Aug 20 2019
.SYNOPSIS...Hot, near or above record temperatures are expected
today and Wednesday with dry conditions through early Wednesday.
Increasing moisture late Wednesday onward will bring scattered
thunderstorms to the area with cooler, near normal temperatures this
weekend.
&&
.DISCUSSION...Very hot for August with record to near record high
temperatures on tap for today and tomorrow. Excessive Heat Warning
goes into effect at 11 am for the lower elevations of Pima, Pinal
and Graham counties and continues through 8 pm Wednesday. Moisture
limited across the area today with values mostly less than 1". The
exception is right along the AZ/NM border where values are slightly
above 1". This is where a few storms may develop this afternoon
and also along the Intl border east of Nogales.
Moisture values creep up Wednesday into the 1" to 1.30" range.
This will result in a slight uptick in thunderstorms, but mainly
over the higher terrain south and east of Tucson.
Still looking at an upswing in thunderstorm activity later in the
week. More on this in the afternoon discussion.
&&
.AVIATION...Valid through 21/12Z.
FEW-SCT clouds at 12k-16k ft MSL thru the forecast period. A slight
chance of -TSRA/-SHRA along the International border mainly near
KDUG from about 20/21Z through 21/02Z. SFC wind less than 12 knots
and favoring a NWLY direction in the afternoon/early evening with a
few afternoon gusts to around 15-20 kts. Aviation discussion not
updated for TAF amendments.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...Limited moisture today will result in any
shower/thunderstorm development remaining confined to areas along
the International Border from Nogales eastward and in the White
Mountains. Near record high temperatures are expected through
Wednesday. A return to more typical monsoonal moisture is expected
to arrive in the area starting Wednesday afternoon and continuing
into the weekend. Thunderstorm coverage initially will be east of
Tucson, then increasing and shifting westward later in the week.
Thunderstorms that do develop may produce gusty and erratic outflow
winds. Otherwise, 20-ft winds will generally follow normal diurnal
trends at less than 15 mph.
&&
.CLIMATE...Record to near record highs today and tomorrow across
southeast Arizona. Below are the forecast highs for today and
Wednesday versus the daily record highs for selection locations
across southeast Arizona.
DATE Aug 20 Aug 21
FCST RCD/YR FCST RCD/YR
Tucson Intl Airport 109 110/1915 109 108/1930
Bisbee-Douglas Airport 101 102/2009 98 98/2011
Ajo 111 113/1915 111 115/1915
Kitt Peak 90 85/2010 91 86/2010
Organ Pipe Cactus N.M. 112 109/2010 111 112/1969
Picacho Peak 108 107/2007 109 108/1999
Safford Ag Station 107 104/1973 105 105/1986
Sierra Vista 99 98/1911 97 97/2013
Tombstone 100 103/1917 98 101/1938
Willcox 102 103/1915 100 105/2009
&&
.TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Excessive Heat Warning until 8 PM MST Wednesday for AZZ501-502-
504>506-509.
&&
Visit us on Facebook...Twitter...YouTube...and at weather.gov/TucsonExcessive Heat, Western Pima County
- When
- August 20, 11:00 AM MST to August 21, 8:00 PM MST
- Where
- Western Pima County forecast zone
- Reported by
- County Official
- Coordinates
- 32.097, -111.790 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Very hot temperatures occurred on August 20th and 21st, with respective high temperatures of 111 and 113 degrees at Ajo, 109 and 111 degrees (both records) at Picacho, 111 degrees on both days at Sells, 113 degrees on both days (both were records) at Organ Pipe National Monument, 109 and 110 degrees (both records) at Tucson International Airport, 105 and 107 degrees (both records) at Sasabe, 104 and 103 degrees (both records) at Nogales International Airport, 107 degrees on both days (both were records) at Safford airport, and 109 and 108 degrees in the Gila River Valley on the San Carlos Apache Tribe reservation. The Pima County Medical Examiner confirmed that heat was the primary cause of death for one adult male north of Arivaca on the 21st.
Excessive Heat, Tohono O Odham Nation
- When
- August 20, 11:00 AM MST to August 21, 8:00 PM MST
- Where
- Tohono O Odham Nation forecast zone
- Reported by
- County Official
- Coordinates
- 32.501, -111.567 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Very hot temperatures occurred on August 20th and 21st, with respective high temperatures of 111 and 113 degrees at Ajo, 109 and 111 degrees (both records) at Picacho, 111 degrees on both days at Sells, 113 degrees on both days (both were records) at Organ Pipe National Monument, 109 and 110 degrees (both records) at Tucson International Airport, 105 and 107 degrees (both records) at Sasabe, 104 and 103 degrees (both records) at Nogales International Airport, 107 degrees on both days (both were records) at Safford airport, and 109 and 108 degrees in the Gila River Valley on the San Carlos Apache Tribe reservation. The Pima County Medical Examiner confirmed that heat was the primary cause of death for one adult male north of Arivaca on the 21st.
Excessive Heat, Upper Santa Cruz River and Altar Valleys
- When
- August 20, 11:00 AM MST to August 21, 8:00 PM MST
- Where
- Upper Santa Cruz River and Altar Valleys forecast zone
- Deaths
- 2 direct, 0 indirect
- Reported by
- County Official
- Coordinates
- 31.812, -111.318 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Very hot temperatures occurred on August 20th and 21st, with respective high temperatures of 111 and 113 degrees at Ajo, 109 and 111 degrees (both records) at Picacho, 111 degrees on both days at Sells, 113 degrees on both days (both were records) at Organ Pipe National Monument, 109 and 110 degrees (both records) at Tucson International Airport, 105 and 107 degrees (both records) at Sasabe, 104 and 103 degrees (both records) at Nogales International Airport, 107 degrees on both days (both were records) at Safford airport, and 109 and 108 degrees in the Gila River Valley on the San Carlos Apache Tribe reservation. The Pima County Medical Examiner confirmed that heat was the primary cause of death for two persons north of Arivaca on the 21st.
Excessive Heat, Tucson Metro Area
- When
- August 20, 11:00 AM MST to August 21, 8:00 PM MST
- Where
- Tucson Metro Area forecast zone
- Reported by
- County Official
- Coordinates
- 32.097, -111.790 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Very hot temperatures occurred on August 20th and 21st, with respective high temperatures of 111 and 113 degrees at Ajo, 109 and 111 degrees (both records) at Picacho, 111 degrees on both days at Sells, 113 degrees on both days (both were records) at Organ Pipe National Monument, 109 and 110 degrees (both records) at Tucson International Airport, 105 and 107 degrees (both records) at Sasabe, 104 and 103 degrees (both records) at Nogales International Airport, 107 degrees on both days (both were records) at Safford airport, and 109 and 108 degrees in the Gila River Valley on the San Carlos Apache Tribe reservation. The Pima County Medical Examiner confirmed that heat was the primary cause of death for one adult male north of Arivaca on the 21st.
Excessive Heat, South Central Pinal County
- When
- August 20, 11:00 AM MST to August 21, 8:00 PM MST
- Where
- South Central Pinal County forecast zone
- Reported by
- County Official
- Coordinates
- 32.904, -111.345 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Very hot temperatures occurred on August 20th and 21st, with respective high temperatures of 111 and 113 degrees at Ajo, 109 and 111 degrees (both records) at Picacho, 111 degrees on both days at Sells, 113 degrees on both days (both were records) at Organ Pipe National Monument, 109 and 110 degrees (both records) at Tucson International Airport, 105 and 107 degrees (both records) at Sasabe, 104 and 103 degrees (both records) at Nogales International Airport, 107 degrees on both days (both were records) at Safford airport, and 109 and 108 degrees in the Gila River Valley on the San Carlos Apache Tribe reservation. The Pima County Medical Examiner confirmed that heat was the primary cause of death for one adult male north of Arivaca on the 21st.
Excessive Heat, Southeast Pinal County
- When
- August 20, 11:00 AM MST to August 21, 8:00 PM MST
- Where
- Southeast Pinal County forecast zone
- Reported by
- County Official
- Coordinates
- 32.904, -111.345 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Very hot temperatures occurred on August 20th and 21st, with respective high temperatures of 111 and 113 degrees at Ajo, 109 and 111 degrees (both records) at Picacho, 111 degrees on both days at Sells, 113 degrees on both days (both were records) at Organ Pipe National Monument, 109 and 110 degrees (both records) at Tucson International Airport, 105 and 107 degrees (both records) at Sasabe, 104 and 103 degrees (both records) at Nogales International Airport, 107 degrees on both days (both were records) at Safford airport, and 109 and 108 degrees in the Gila River Valley on the San Carlos Apache Tribe reservation. The Pima County Medical Examiner confirmed that heat was the primary cause of death for one adult male north of Arivaca on the 21st.
Excessive Heat, Upper Gila River and Aravaipa Valleys
- When
- August 20, 11:00 AM MST to August 21, 8:00 PM MST
- Where
- Upper Gila River and Aravaipa Valleys forecast zone
- Reported by
- County Official
- Coordinates
- 33.074, -109.563 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Very hot temperatures occurred on August 20th and 21st, with respective high temperatures of 111 and 113 degrees at Ajo, 109 and 111 degrees (both records) at Picacho, 111 degrees on both days at Sells, 113 degrees on both days (both were records) at Organ Pipe National Monument, 109 and 110 degrees (both records) at Tucson International Airport, 105 and 107 degrees (both records) at Sasabe, 104 and 103 degrees (both records) at Nogales International Airport, 107 degrees on both days (both were records) at Safford airport, and 109 and 108 degrees in the Gila River Valley on the San Carlos Apache Tribe reservation. The Pima County Medical Examiner confirmed that heat was the primary cause of death for one adult male north of Arivaca on the 21st.
- Excessive Heat
- Heat at or above the local excessive heat warning criteria, or heat that caused deaths.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Excessive Heat and Heat in Arizona, August 20 to 22, 201911 deaths · 33 events
- Damaging Winds in Illinois, August 20, 2019$275,000 · 52 kt wind · 37 events
- Wildfire in Texas, August 20 to 30, 2019$1.5 million · 1 event
- Hail and Heavy Rain in Nebraska, August 20 to 21, 2019$550,000 · 1.75 in hail · 2 events
- Damaging Winds in Indiana, August 20, 20191 injured · $96,000 · 63 kt wind · 30 events
- Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in Minnesota, August 20, 2019$200,000 · 50 kt wind · 3 events
- Damaging Winds in Virginia, August 20, 2019$122,000 · 50 kt wind · 9 events
- Damaging Winds in Kentucky, August 20, 2019$80,000 · 55 kt wind · 13 events
- Damaging Winds in Ohio, August 20, 2019$67,000 · 50 kt wind · 11 events
- Flood and Damaging Winds in Tennessee, August 20, 2019$51,000 · 55 kt wind · 10 events
- Damaging Winds in Ohio, August 20, 2019$26,000 · 52 kt wind · 19 events
- Damaging Wind in Oklahoma, August 20, 2019$50,000 · 70 kt wind · 1 event
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: 854719, 875342, 875343, 875344, 875345, 875346, 875347.