Arizona, 2021Heat in Arizona, May 13, 2021
May 13, 2021 · NWS TWC · 1 event in 1 county or zone
Hot temperatures were experienced on May 13 with high temperatures in the upper 90s on the Tohono O'odham Nation. The Pima County Medical Examiner confirmed that heat was the primary cause of death for one male found in the desert west 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.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
Open the live radar over this ground
- 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 were experienced on May 13 with high temperatures in the upper 90s on the Tohono O'odham Nation. The Pima County Medical Examiner confirmed that heat was the primary cause of death for one male found in the desert west 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 13, 3:16 AM MST, 8 hours 44 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 13, 3:16 AM MST, 8 hours 44 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
316 AM MST Thu May 13 2021
.SYNOPSIS...Above normal high temperatures today and Friday, with a
slight chance of mostly dry thunderstorms near the New Mexico border
mainly Friday afternoon. Late in the weekend into early next week a
storm system looks like it may impact the region with wind followed
by cooler temperatures.
&&
.DISCUSSION...Warmer temperatures today and Friday, with Tucson
making another run at the first occurrence of 100 degrees this year.
Models continued to show some moisture increasing along the New
Mexico state line later today and more so on Friday. This moisture
in combination with daytime heating could trigger a few showers and
thunderstorms, mainly Friday in the White Mountains. Otherwise, dry
conditions will prevail elsewhere. The high pressure aloft
responsible for the above normal daytime temperatures will shift
east of the area as a weather system tracks south along the
California coast late Friday and over the weekend. Latest ensemble
solutions depicted a rather slow track for the weather system which
will enter AZ around Sunday night and exit by Tuesday afternoon.
This system will bring strong and gusty winds to the area this
weekend as it approaches the state. Shower and thunderstorm chances
will also return to the White Mountains each afternoon from Monday
to Wednesday. Otherwise, the weather system will bring gusty winds
followed by cooler temperatures this weekend into next week.
&&
.AVIATION...Valid through 14/12Z. SKC through 13/18Z, then FEW-SCT
14k-18k MSL this afternoon mainly east of KTUS. SFC winds SELY less
than 10 kts this morning becoming SW to NW 8-12 kts with gusts to 20
kts this afternoon and early evening. Winds then become southeast
again overnight. Aviation discussion not updated for TAF amendments.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...Expect hot temps through Friday then a cool down
over the weekend into early next week. Today there is a slight
chance the White Mountains see a thunderstorms or two. Friday storm
chances expand to include areas east of Highway 191 with the best
chances in the White Mountains. Thunderstorm chances then return to
the White Mountains each afternoon next week Monday-Wednesday. These
storms likely won't produce much rainfall with the main threat being
lightning and gusty outflow winds.
This weekend winds will increase as a storm system begins to move
through. Expect breezy winds out of the southwest 12-20 mph area
wide Saturday and Sunday. Monday and Tuesday breezy winds will be
confined mainly from Tucson eastward. Min RH values will be in the
single digits to low teens over the next week.
&&
.TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...None.
&&
Visit us on Facebook...Twitter...YouTube...and at weather.gov/Tucson
Heat, Tohono O Odham Nation
- When
- May 13, 12:00 PM MST to 5:00 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)
Temperatures around 10 degrees above normal, 95 to 100, occurred on the Tohono O'odham Nation causing the Moderate Heat Risk category to be reached on May 13. The Pima County Medical Examiner confirmed that heat was the primary cause of death for one male near west of Sells.
- 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.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Nebraska, May 13 to 15, 20212 in hail · 13 events
- Tornado and Hail in Kansas, May 13, 20212 in hail · 13 events
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Nebraska, May 13, 20211.5 in hail · 3 events
- Frost and Freeze in Maryland, May 13, 20211 event
- Hail in Colorado, May 13, 20210.88 in hail · 1 event
- Hail in Florida, May 13, 20211 in hail · 1 event
- Hail in South Dakota, May 13, 20210.75 in hail · 1 event
- Hail in Kansas, May 13, 20210.88 in hail · 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: 963053.