Arizona, 2020Drought in Arizona, August 25 to 31, 2020
August 25 to 31, 2020 · NWS TWC · 8 events in 8 counties and zones
The extreme drought (D3) category was reached in late August across most of Graham County, northern and central Greenlee County, northwest Cochise County and eastern portions of Pima and Pinal counties, including San Carlos Apache tribal lands, the White Mountains, the Pinaleno Mountains and the Santa Catalina Mountains. Below normal precipitation occurred each month from April through August of…
Every event with a place to put it; 8 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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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 8
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 extreme drought (D3) category was reached in late August across most of Graham County, northern and central Greenlee County, northwest Cochise County and eastern portions of Pima and Pinal counties, including San Carlos Apache tribal lands, the White Mountains, the Pinaleno Mountains and the Santa Catalina Mountains. Below normal precipitation occurred each month from April through August of 2020 and the summer was the hottest on record in many locations. Several lightning caused wildfires and at least one human caused wildfire spread rapidly due to dry fuels, and continued into September. This included the Cow Canyon Fire in Greenlee County, which started on August 18th, but smoldered in heavy fuels with very little growth during August. Soil moisture readings were well below normal and ranked below the 20th percentile. Levels at San Carlos Reservoir fell from around 15 percent in July to less than 7 percent of storage capacity by the end of August.
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 25, 2:54 AM MST, 5 hours 6 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Aug 25, 2:54 AM MST, 5 hours 6 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
254 AM MST Tue Aug 25 2020
.SYNOPSIS...High pressure aloft centered along the northern Arizona
and New Mexico border will result in near record to record heat
today. High temperatures will gradually lower a couple of degrees
this week and even more over the upcoming weekend. However, readings
will remain above normal. There will be enough moisture in place
across southern Arizona for a chance of showers and thunderstorms,
but most days will be below average for late August, with day to day
variations in coverage and intensity.
&&
.DISCUSSION...Considerable debris clouds hanging on across southeast
Arizona early this morning, with a few weak echos still noted on the
KEMX radar over far eastern portions of the forecast area. Overall,
clouds and any precipitation will continue to diminish through the
early morning hours, with mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies
expected areawide by the mid morning hours.
The upper high will become centered along the northern Arizona/New
Mexico border today, with hot temperatures once again for much of
the lower elevations of Arizona. Expect near record to record heat
today across portions of southeast Arizona and an Excessive Heat
Warning remains in effect until 8 pm MST this evening (refer to
PHXNPWTWC for more information on the Excessive Heat). Otherwise,
the upper high remains in a favorable position for isolated to
scattered storm development across the forecast area this afternoon
and evening, with the highest pops in the White Mountains and from
Nogales westward into central and western Pima county. The rest of
the forecast area will have an isolated threat of thunderstorm
development. SPC has put the western two-thirds of the CWA in a
Marginal Risk, with the main threat being strong wind gusts. Have
also added patchy blowing dust to the grids/forecast for central and
western Pima county this afternoon.
In the Wednesday through Friday time frame, the upper high becomes
elongated southwest to northeast across the desert southwest into
Colorado. High temperatures are expected to lower a couple of
degrees, but will still remain well above normal. Isolated mainly
afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms will continue across
much of southeast Arizona, with the highest pops along the Mogollon
Rim/White Mountains. Overall, thunderstorm chances will be below
normal for late August during this period.
By this weekend, the models ramp back up shower/thunderstorm chances
across southeast Arizona as the upper high shifts eastward into far
eastern New Mexico. Flow around the upper high will help import
deeper moisture into southern Arizona from Mexico, combined with
moisture surging up the Gulf as a tropical disturbance moves south
of Cabo. With the increased cloud cover and higher precipitation
chances high temperatures will moderate this weekend, lowering to
just a few degrees above seasonal normals by late in the weekend.
&&
.AVIATION...Valid through 26/12Z.
Decreasing debris /mid-level/ cloud cover this morning with SFC
winds ELY/SELY winds 8-12 kts. Expect ISOLD-SCT TSRA/SHRA developing
during the afternoon and evening hours. The strongest storms will be
W-NW of KOLS, with storm outflow wind gusts to 40 kts possible.
Otherwise, SFC winds WLY/SWLY 8-12 kts. Aviation discussion not
updated for TAF amendments.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...Another hot day today, with isolated to scattered
showers and thunderstorms. Storm activity will decrease the second
half of the work week. Minimum humidities 10-20 percent across the
valleys and 20-30 percent in the mountains, with good overnight
recoveries. Moisture returns to the area this weekend from the
south, resulting in an increase in storm activity. 20-foot winds
generally remain less than 15 mph outside of any thunderstorm gusts,
which could reach 40+ mph.
&&
.TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Excessive Heat Warning until 8 PM MST this evening for AZZ501-502-
504>506-509.
&&
Discussion...Zell
Aviation/Fire Weather...Rasmussen
Visit us on Facebook...Twitter...YouTube...and at weather.gov/Tucson
Drought, Tucson Metro Area
- When
- August 25, 8:00 AM MST to August 31, 11:59 PM MST
- Where
- Tucson Metro Area forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 32.097, -111.790 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The extreme drought (D3) category was reached in late August across most of Graham County, northern and central Greenlee County, northwest Cochise County and eastern portions of Pima and Pinal counties, including San Carlos Apache tribal lands, the White Mountains, the Pinaleno Mountains and the Santa Catalina Mountains. Below normal precipitation occurred each month from April through August of 2020 and the summer was the hottest on record in many locations. Several lightning caused wildfires and at least one human caused wildfire spread rapidly due to dry fuels, and continued into September. This included the Cow Canyon Fire in Greenlee County, which started on August 18th, but smoldered in heavy fuels with very little growth during August. Soil moisture readings were well below normal and ranked below the 20th percentile. Levels at San Carlos Reservoir fell from around 15 percent in July to less than 7 percent of storage capacity by the end of August.
Drought, South Central Pinal County
- When
- August 25, 8:00 AM MST to August 31, 11:59 PM MST
- Where
- South Central Pinal County forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 32.904, -111.345 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The extreme drought (D3) category was reached in late August across most of Graham County, northern and central Greenlee County, northwest Cochise County and eastern portions of Pima and Pinal counties, including San Carlos Apache tribal lands, the White Mountains, the Pinaleno Mountains and the Santa Catalina Mountains. Below normal precipitation occurred each month from April through August of 2020 and the summer was the hottest on record in many locations. Several lightning caused wildfires and at least one human caused wildfire spread rapidly due to dry fuels, and continued into September. This included the Cow Canyon Fire in Greenlee County, which started on August 18th, but smoldered in heavy fuels with very little growth during August. Soil moisture readings were well below normal and ranked below the 20th percentile. Levels at San Carlos Reservoir fell from around 15 percent in July to less than 7 percent of storage capacity by the end of August.
Drought, Southeast Pinal County
- When
- August 25, 8:00 AM MST to August 31, 11:59 PM MST
- Where
- Southeast Pinal County forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 32.904, -111.345 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The extreme drought (D3) category was reached in late August across most of Graham County, northern and central Greenlee County, northwest Cochise County and eastern portions of Pima and Pinal counties, including San Carlos Apache tribal lands, the White Mountains, the Pinaleno Mountains and the Santa Catalina Mountains. Below normal precipitation occurred each month from April through August of 2020 and the summer was the hottest on record in many locations. Several lightning caused wildfires and at least one human caused wildfire spread rapidly due to dry fuels, and continued into September. This included the Cow Canyon Fire in Greenlee County, which started on August 18th, but smoldered in heavy fuels with very little growth during August. Soil moisture readings were well below normal and ranked below the 20th percentile. Levels at San Carlos Reservoir fell from around 15 percent in July to less than 7 percent of storage capacity by the end of August.
Drought, Upper San Pedro River Valley
- When
- August 25, 8:00 AM MST to August 31, 11:59 PM MST
- Where
- Upper San Pedro River Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 32.109, -110.569 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The extreme drought (D3) category was reached in late August across most of Graham County, northern and central Greenlee County, northwest Cochise County and eastern portions of Pima and Pinal counties, including San Carlos Apache tribal lands, the White Mountains, the Pinaleno Mountains and the Santa Catalina Mountains. Below normal precipitation occurred each month from April through August of 2020 and the summer was the hottest on record in many locations. Several lightning caused wildfires and at least one human caused wildfire spread rapidly due to dry fuels, and continued into September. This included the Cow Canyon Fire in Greenlee County, which started on August 18th, but smoldered in heavy fuels with very little growth during August. Soil moisture readings were well below normal and ranked below the 20th percentile. Levels at San Carlos Reservoir fell from around 15 percent in July to less than 7 percent of storage capacity by the end of August.
Drought, Upper Gila River and Aravaipa Valleys
- When
- August 25, 8:00 AM MST to August 31, 11:59 PM MST
- Where
- Upper Gila River and Aravaipa Valleys forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 33.074, -109.563 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The extreme drought (D3) category was reached in late August across most of Graham County, northern and central Greenlee County, northwest Cochise County and eastern portions of Pima and Pinal counties, including San Carlos Apache tribal lands, the White Mountains, the Pinaleno Mountains and the Santa Catalina Mountains. Below normal precipitation occurred each month from April through August of 2020 and the summer was the hottest on record in many locations. Several lightning caused wildfires and at least one human caused wildfire spread rapidly due to dry fuels, and continued into September. This included the Cow Canyon Fire in Greenlee County, which started on August 18th, but smoldered in heavy fuels with very little growth during August. Soil moisture readings were well below normal and ranked below the 20th percentile. Levels at San Carlos Reservoir fell from around 15 percent in July to less than 7 percent of storage capacity by the end of August.
Drought, White Mountains of Graham and Greenlee Counties
- When
- August 25, 8:00 AM MST to August 31, 11:59 PM MST
- Where
- White Mountains of Graham and Greenlee Counties forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 33.074, -109.563 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The extreme drought (D3) category was reached in late August across most of Graham County, northern and central Greenlee County, northwest Cochise County and eastern portions of Pima and Pinal counties, including San Carlos Apache tribal lands, the White Mountains, the Pinaleno Mountains and the Santa Catalina Mountains. Below normal precipitation occurred each month from April through August of 2020 and the summer was the hottest on record in many locations. Several lightning caused wildfires and at least one human caused wildfire spread rapidly due to dry fuels, and continued into September. This included the Cow Canyon Fire in Greenlee County, which started on August 18th, but smoldered in heavy fuels with very little growth during August. Soil moisture readings were well below normal and ranked below the 20th percentile. Levels at San Carlos Reservoir fell from around 15 percent in July to less than 7 percent of storage capacity by the end of August.
Drought, Galiuro and Pinaleno Mountains
- When
- August 25, 8:00 AM MST to August 31, 11:59 PM MST
- Where
- Galiuro and Pinaleno Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 32.572, -110.328 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The extreme drought (D3) category was reached in late August across most of Graham County, northern and central Greenlee County, northwest Cochise County and eastern portions of Pima and Pinal counties, including San Carlos Apache tribal lands, the White Mountains, the Pinaleno Mountains and the Santa Catalina Mountains. Below normal precipitation occurred each month from April through August of 2020 and the summer was the hottest on record in many locations. Several lightning caused wildfires and at least one human caused wildfire spread rapidly due to dry fuels, and continued into September. This included the Cow Canyon Fire in Greenlee County, which started on August 18th, but smoldered in heavy fuels with very little growth during August. Soil moisture readings were well below normal and ranked below the 20th percentile. Levels at San Carlos Reservoir fell from around 15 percent in July to less than 7 percent of storage capacity by the end of August.
Drought, Santa Catalina and Rincon Mountains
- When
- August 25, 8:00 AM MST to August 31, 11:59 PM MST
- Where
- Santa Catalina and Rincon Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 32.501, -111.567 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The extreme drought (D3) category was reached in late August across most of Graham County, northern and central Greenlee County, northwest Cochise County and eastern portions of Pima and Pinal counties, including San Carlos Apache tribal lands, the White Mountains, the Pinaleno Mountains and the Santa Catalina Mountains. Below normal precipitation occurred each month from April through August of 2020 and the summer was the hottest on record in many locations. Several lightning caused wildfires and at least one human caused wildfire spread rapidly due to dry fuels, and continued into September. This included the Cow Canyon Fire in Greenlee County, which started on August 18th, but smoldered in heavy fuels with very little growth during August. Soil moisture readings were well below normal and ranked below the 20th percentile. Levels at San Carlos Reservoir fell from around 15 percent in July to less than 7 percent of storage capacity by the end of August.
- Drought
- A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Rip Current in Florida, August 25, 20201 death · 2 injured · 1 event
- Drought in Iowa, August 25 to 31, 2020$3.8 million · 2 events
- Flash Flooding and Hail in West Virginia, August 25, 20201 injured · $142,000 · 1.25 in hail · 36 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Pennsylvania, August 25, 2020$246,000 · 1.25 in hail · 21 events
- Drought in South Dakota, August 25 to 31, 2020$600,000 · 1 event
- Damaging Winds in Virginia, August 25, 2020$114,000 · 65 kt wind · 24 events
- Flash Flooding in Mississippi, August 25, 2020$127,000 · 11 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in West Virginia, August 25, 2020$135,000 · 1 in hail · 7 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Ohio, August 25 to 26, 2020$40,000 · 1.25 in hail · 21 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Ohio, August 25, 2020$70,000 · 1 in hail · 4 events
- Damaging Winds in Ohio, August 25 to 26, 2020$43,000 · 50 kt wind · 14 events
- Damaging Winds in New Jersey, August 25, 2020$55,000 · 61 kt wind · 8 events
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: 917528, 917557, 917558, 917559, 917560, 917561, 917562, 925374.