Arizona, 2020

Excessive Heat in Arizona, June 3 to 5, 2020

June 3 to 5, 2020 · NWS TWC · 9 events in 9 counties and zones

Very hot temperatures were experienced in parts of southeast Arizona from June 3rd through June 5th with high temperatures exceeding established records in many locations. No heat related fatalities were reported.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 9 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
9

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS TWC wrote it up.

Very hot temperatures were experienced in parts of southeast Arizona from June 3rd through June 5th with high temperatures exceeding established records in many locations. No heat related fatalities were reported.

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 Jun 2, 2:38 PM MST, 21 hours 22 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 2, 2:38 PM MST, 21 hours 22 minutes before
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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

9 excessive heat. Local standard time, as filed.

Excessive Heat, Upper San Pedro River Valley

When
June 3, 12:00 PM MST to June 5, 8:00 PM MST
Where
Upper San Pedro River Valley forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
32.109, -110.569 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Very hot temperatures 6 to 13 degrees above normal occurred in the valleys of Graham, Cochise and southern Greenlee counties, causing the High Heat Risk category to be reached. A number of daily high temperature records were tied or broken. On June 3rd, highs included 106 degrees at both the Safford Airport and the Ag Station, 105 at Cascabel and 104 at Duncan. On June 4th, both observing locations in Safford set record highs with 108 degrees while Duncan topped out one degree shy of a record at 107. Cascabel reached 108 and San Simon hit 104. On June 5th, new record highs included 111 degrees at Safford Ag Station, 110 at Safford Airport, 108 at San Simon, 107 at Duncan and 106 at McNeal.

Excessive Heat, Eastern Cochise County Below 5000 Feet

When
June 3, 12:00 PM MST to June 5, 8:00 PM MST
Where
Eastern Cochise County Below 5000 Feet forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
31.880, -109.751 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Very hot temperatures 6 to 13 degrees above normal occurred in the valleys of Graham, Cochise and southern Greenlee counties, causing the High Heat Risk category to be reached. A number of daily high temperature records were tied or broken. On June 3rd, highs included 106 degrees at both the Safford Airport and the Ag Station, 105 at Cascabel and 104 at Duncan. On June 4th, both observing locations in Safford set record highs with 108 degrees while Duncan topped out one degree shy of a record at 107. Cascabel reached 108 and San Simon hit 104. On June 5th, new record highs included 111 degrees at Safford Ag Station, 110 at Safford Airport, 108 at San Simon, 107 at Duncan and 106 at McNeal.

Excessive Heat, Upper Gila River and Aravaipa Valleys

When
June 3, 12:00 PM MST to June 5, 8:00 PM MST
Where
Upper Gila River and Aravaipa Valleys forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
33.074, -109.563 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Very hot temperatures 6 to 13 degrees above normal occurred in the valleys of Graham, Cochise and southern Greenlee counties, causing the High Heat Risk category to be reached. A number of daily high temperature records were tied or broken. On June 3rd, highs included 106 degrees at both the Safford Airport and the Ag Station, 105 at Cascabel and 104 at Duncan. On June 4th, both observing locations in Safford set record highs with 108 degrees while Duncan topped out one degree shy of a record at 107. Cascabel reached 108 and San Simon hit 104. On June 5th, new record highs included 111 degrees at Safford Ag Station, 110 at Safford Airport, 108 at San Simon, 107 at Duncan and 106 at McNeal.

Excessive Heat, Tohono O Odham Nation

When
June 3, 12:00 PM MST to June 4, 8:00 PM MST
Where
Tohono O Odham Nation forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
32.501, -111.567 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Very hot temperatures 5 to 12 degrees above normal occurred in the western deserts of Pima and southeast Pinal counties, causing the High Heat Risk category to be reached. A number of daily high temperature records were tied or broken. On June 3rd, Ajo set a new record high with 108 degrees while San Manuel topped out one degree shy of a record at 103 degrees. The Tucson International Airport was two shy with a high of 105. Meanwhile, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and Picacho both reached 107 and Sells hit 106. On June 4th, Ajo tied a record with 110 degrees as did San Manuel with 104. The Tucson International Airport reached 108 degrees and Sells climbed to 107.

Excessive Heat, Upper Santa Cruz River and Altar Valleys

When
June 3, 12:00 PM MST to June 4, 8:00 PM MST
Where
Upper Santa Cruz River and Altar Valleys forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
31.812, -111.318 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Very hot temperatures 5 to 12 degrees above normal occurred in the western deserts of Pima and southeast Pinal counties, causing the High Heat Risk category to be reached. A number of daily high temperature records were tied or broken. On June 3rd, Ajo set a new record high with 108 degrees while San Manuel topped out one degree shy of a record at 103 degrees. The Tucson International Airport was two shy with a high of 105. Meanwhile, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and Picacho both reached 107 and Sells hit 106. On June 4th, Ajo tied a record with 110 degrees as did San Manuel with 104. The Tucson International Airport reached 108 degrees and Sells climbed to 107.

Excessive Heat, Tucson Metro Area

When
June 3, 12:00 PM MST to June 4, 8:00 PM MST
Where
Tucson Metro Area forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
32.097, -111.790 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Very hot temperatures 5 to 12 degrees above normal occurred in the western deserts of Pima and southeast Pinal counties, causing the High Heat Risk category to be reached. A number of daily high temperature records were tied or broken. On June 3rd, Ajo set a new record high with 108 degrees while San Manuel topped out one degree shy of a record at 103 degrees. The Tucson International Airport was two shy with a high of 105. Meanwhile, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and Picacho both reached 107 and Sells hit 106. On June 4th, Ajo tied a record with 110 degrees as did San Manuel with 104. The Tucson International Airport reached 108 degrees and Sells climbed to 107.

Excessive Heat, South Central Pinal County

When
June 3, 12:00 PM MST to June 4, 8:00 PM MST
Where
South Central Pinal County forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
32.904, -111.345 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Very hot temperatures 5 to 12 degrees above normal occurred in the western deserts of Pima and southeast Pinal counties, causing the High Heat Risk category to be reached. A number of daily high temperature records were tied or broken. On June 3rd, Ajo set a new record high with 108 degrees while San Manuel topped out one degree shy of a record at 103 degrees. The Tucson International Airport was two shy with a high of 105. Meanwhile, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and Picacho both reached 107 and Sells hit 106. On June 4th, Ajo tied a record with 110 degrees as did San Manuel with 104. The Tucson International Airport reached 108 degrees and Sells climbed to 107.

Excessive Heat, Southeast Pinal County

When
June 3, 12:00 PM MST to June 4, 8:00 PM MST
Where
Southeast Pinal County forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
32.904, -111.345 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Very hot temperatures 5 to 12 degrees above normal occurred in the western deserts of Pima and southeast Pinal counties, causing the High Heat Risk category to be reached. A number of daily high temperature records were tied or broken. On June 3rd, Ajo set a new record high with 108 degrees while San Manuel topped out one degree shy of a record at 103 degrees. The Tucson International Airport was two shy with a high of 105. Meanwhile, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and Picacho both reached 107 and Sells hit 106. On June 4th, Ajo tied a record with 110 degrees as did San Manuel with 104. The Tucson International Airport reached 108 degrees and Sells climbed to 107.

Excessive Heat, Western Pima County

When
June 3, 12:00 PM MST to June 4, 8:00 PM MST
Where
Western Pima County forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
32.097, -111.790 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Very hot temperatures 5 to 12 degrees above normal occurred in the western deserts of Pima and southeast Pinal counties, causing the High Heat Risk category to be reached. A number of daily high temperature records were tied or broken. On June 3rd, Ajo set a new record high with 108 degrees while San Manuel topped out one degree shy of a record at 103 degrees. The Tucson International Airport was two shy with a high of 105. Meanwhile, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and Picacho both reached 107 and Sells hit 106. On June 4th, Ajo tied a record with 110 degrees as did San Manuel with 104. The Tucson International Airport reached 108 degrees and Sells climbed to 107.

What these are

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.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Arizona in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, June 2020

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 905645, 905646, 905647, 905648, 905649, 905650, 905651, 905652, 905653.