Arizona, 2020Heat in Arizona, May 26, 2020
May 26, 2020 · NWS TWC · 1 event in 1 county or zone
Hot temperatures occurred on May 26th across the Tohono O'odham Nation. One heat-related fatality occurred east of Sells.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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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- Deaths
- 1
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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.
Hot temperatures occurred on May 26th across the Tohono O'odham Nation. One heat-related fatality occurred east of Sells.
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 May 26, 2:17 AM MST, 9 hours 43 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 26, 2:17 AM MST, 9 hours 43 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
217 AM MST Tue May 26 2020
.SYNOPSIS...Temperatures will increase through Friday across much of
the area with the potential for much warmer than normal conditions
lingering through next weekend. A slight increase in moisture from
the east late in the week may allow for the possibility of isolated
thunderstorms developing Friday into Sunday east of Tucson.
&&
.DISCUSSION...The main weather story will continue to be the heat as
a strong ridge of high pressure aloft builds over the region this
week. That said, an Excessive Heat Warning remains in effect for the
lower deserts on Thursday into Saturday as high temperatures peak
during this time period. The ridge of high pressure will shift
eastward as a storm system enters the West Coast this weekend.
Models still showed some hint of moisture increasing across the
eastern one-third of Arizona around Friday into the weekend. As a
result, will continue to maintain some chances of showers and
thunderstorms east of Tucson Friday into the weekend, especially in
the White Mountains.
&&
.AVIATION...Valid through 27/12Z.
Expect clear skies through the forecast period. Light and variable
surface winds settle more NWLY this afternoon, but generally remain
less than 10 kts. Aviation discussion not updated for TAF amendments.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...High temperatures are expected to trend upward
over the next few days, with dry conditions that persist until the
weekend. A modest increase in moisture then pushes into the eastern
portion of the state producing isolated thunderstorms Saturday and
Sunday mainly from Tucson eastward to the NM border. The best
chances will be over the White Mountains region.
Minimum humidities stay in the single digits across the lower
elevations until inching up a few percent over the weekend. 20-foot
winds will generally remain less than 15 mph this week with some
afternoon gustiness due to daytime heating. However, northwesterly
winds do become a bit stronger Wednesday afternoon across the Upper
Gila River Valley.
&&
.TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Excessive Heat Warning from noon Thursday to 8 PM MST Saturday
for AZZ501>507-509.
&&
Visit us on Facebook...Twitter...YouTube...and at weather.gov/TucsonHeat, Tohono O Odham Nation
- When
- May 26, 12:00 PM MST to 7:00 PM MST
- Where
- Tohono O Odham Nation forecast zone
- Deaths
- 1 direct, 0 indirect
- Reported by
- County Official
- Coordinates
- 32.501, -111.567 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Above normal temperatures occurred in southeast Arizona on May 26th. High temperatures included 100 degrees at Sells, and 98 at Sasabe, Anvil Ranch and the Tucson International Airport. The Pima County Medical Examiner confirmed that heat was the primary cause of death for one adult male 2 miles east of Sells, about 2 miles south of Tohono O'odham Community College.
- Heat
- Heat below excessive heat criteria that still caused deaths, injuries or significant impacts.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Tornadoes and Damaging Wind in Iowa, May 26, 2020$101,000 · EF1 · 9 events
- Damaging Winds in Michigan, May 26, 2020$65,000 · 52 kt wind · 4 events
- Flooding in Florida, May 26 to 28, 2020$60,000 · 4 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, May 26, 2020$49,000 · 50 kt wind · 6 events
- Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, May 26, 2020$40,000 · 61 kt wind · 3 events
- Damaging Winds in Iowa, May 26, 2020$31,000 · 55 kt wind · 2 events
- Damaging Winds in Minnesota, May 26, 2020$19,000 · 3 events
- Excessive Heat in California, May 26 to 28, 202014 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Louisiana, May 26 to 28, 2020$7,000 · 1.75 in hail · 13 events
- Hail in Texas, May 26, 20202 in hail · 12 events
- Damaging Winds in Illinois, May 26, 202078 kt wind · 8 events
- Tornadoes and Damaging Wind in Minnesota, May 26, 2020EF0 · 7 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: 895889.