Arizona, 2022

Excessive Heat and Heat in Arizona, June 9 to 12, 2022

June 9 to 12, 2022 · NWS TWC · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

Very hot temperatures 7 to 10 degrees above normal were experienced in the lower elevations of Pima, Santa Cruz, Graham, Greenlee and southeast Pinal counties June 9-12, with high temperatures equaling or exceeding established records in several locations. Hot temperatures 4 to 7 degrees above normal were experienced in Cochise County.

Where it happened

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.

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Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
11
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.

What happened

The episode as NWS TWC wrote it up.

Very hot temperatures 7 to 10 degrees above normal were experienced in the lower elevations of Pima, Santa Cruz, Graham, Greenlee and southeast Pinal counties June 9-12, with high temperatures equaling or exceeding established records in several locations. Hot temperatures 4 to 7 degrees above normal were experienced in Cochise County. The Pima County Medical Examiner confirmed that heat was the primary cause of death for a total of 11 individuals. Six individuals found in the desert, two on the Tohono O'odham Nation, one in Santa Cruz County, two in southeast Pima County and one in Tucson Mountain Park. Four victims were found in the Tucson (2 indoors and 2 outdoors), and another individual perished in his home in Bowie.

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 9, 3:10 AM MST, 6 hours 50 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 9, 3:10 AM MST, 6 hours 50 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

7 excessive heat, 1 heat. Local standard time, as filed.

Excessive Heat, Tohono O Odham Nation

When
June 9, 10:00 AM MST to June 12, 7:00 PM MST
Where
Tohono O Odham Nation forecast zone
Deaths
2 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by
County Official
Coordinates
32.501, -111.567 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Very hot high temperatures of 106 to 110 degrees occurred with low temperatures in the upper 70s to lower 80s, and caused the High Heat Risk category to be reached. Sells set records with 110 degrees on the 10th and 11th. The Pima County Medical Examiner confirmed that heat was the primary cause of death for two individuals found in the desert; one near San Miguel on the 10th and one near Cowlic on the 12th.

Excessive Heat, Upper Santa Cruz River and Altar Valleys

When
June 9, 10:00 AM MST to June 12, 7:00 PM MST
Where
Upper Santa Cruz River and Altar Valleys forecast zone
Deaths
1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by
County Official
Coordinates
31.812, -111.318 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Very hot high temperatures of 102 to 109 degrees occurred and caused the High Heat Risk category to be reached. Nogales airport set a record with 105 degrees on the 10th and Sasabe reached 109 degrees on the 11th and 12th. The Pima County Medical Examiner confirmed that heat was the primary cause of death for one individual found in the desert near Ruby on the 10th.

Excessive Heat, Tucson Metro Area

When
June 9, 10:00 AM MST to June 12, 7:00 PM MST
Where
Tucson Metro Area forecast zone
Deaths
7 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by
County Official
Coordinates
32.097, -111.790 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Very hot high temperatures of 104 to 109 degrees occurred with low temperatures in the upper 70s to lower 80s, and caused the High Heat Risk category to be reached. Tucson airport tied set records with 109 degrees on the 10th and 11th and Green Valley topped out at 107 degrees. The Pima County Medical Examiner confirmed that heat was the primary cause of death for seven individuals. On the 10th, two were found in the desert near Amado and two in Tucson (1 indoors and 1 outdoors). On the 11th, another was found outdoors in Tucson. On the 12th, one was found in Tucson Mountain Park west of Tucson and another indoors within the City of Tucson.

Excessive Heat, Western Pima County

When
June 9, 10:00 AM MST to June 12, 7:00 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 high temperatures of 107 to 112 degrees occurred with low temperatures in the upper 70s to lower 80s, and caused the High Heat Risk category to be reached. Ajo set records with 111 degrees on the 10th and 112 on the 11th. Organ Pipe National Monument topped out at 109 on the 11th and 12th.

Excessive Heat, South Central Pinal County

When
June 9, 10:00 AM MST to June 12, 7:00 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 high temperatures of 104 to 110 degrees occurred with low temperatures in the upper 70s to lower 80s, and caused the High Heat Risk category to be reached. Picacho set a record with 110 degrees on the 11th. San Manuel set records with 104 on the 10th and 105 on the 11th, and tied a record with 106 on the 12th.

Excessive Heat, Southeast Pinal County

When
June 9, 10:00 AM MST to June 12, 7:00 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 high temperatures of 104 to 110 degrees occurred with low temperatures in the upper 70s to lower 80s, and caused the High Heat Risk category to be reached. Picacho set a record with 110 degrees on the 11th. San Manuel set records with 104 on the 10th and 105 on the 11th, and tied a record with 106 on the 12th.

Excessive Heat, Upper Gila River and Aravaipa Valleys

When
June 9, 10:00 AM MST to June 12, 7:00 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 high temperatures of 100 to 108 degrees occurred and caused the High Heat Risk category to be reached. Safford airport tied a record with 108 degrees on the 10th and Duncan reached 106, which set a record on the 10th and tied a record on the 11th.

Heat, Eastern Cochise County Below 5000 Feet

When
June 12, 11:00 AM MST to 7:00 PM MST
Where
Eastern Cochise County Below 5000 Feet forecast zone
Deaths
1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by
County Official
Coordinates
31.880, -109.751 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hot high temperatures of 100 to 104 degrees occurred and caused the Moderate Heat Risk category to be reached. The Pima County Medical Examiner determined that heat was the primary cause of death for one individual found in his home in Bowie.

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

EventDateAgeSexWhereKind
Excessive Heat, Tohono O Odham Nation2022-06-1030MaleOutside/Open AreasDirect
Excessive Heat, Tohono O Odham Nation2022-06-1249MaleOutside/Open AreasDirect
Excessive Heat, Upper Santa Cruz River and Altar Valleys2022-06-10MaleOutside/Open AreasDirect
Excessive Heat, Tucson Metro Area2022-06-1083FemaleMobile/Trailer HomeDirect
Excessive Heat, Tucson Metro Area2022-06-1266MaleMobile/Trailer HomeDirect
Excessive Heat, Tucson Metro Area2022-06-1025FemaleOutside/Open AreasDirect
Excessive Heat, Tucson Metro Area2022-06-1035MaleOutside/Open AreasDirect
Excessive Heat, Tucson Metro Area2022-06-1221FemaleOutside/Open AreasDirect
Excessive Heat, Tucson Metro Area2022-06-1054MaleOutside/Open AreasDirect
Excessive Heat, Tucson Metro Area2022-06-1153MaleOutside/Open AreasDirect
Heat, Eastern Cochise County Below 5000 Feet2022-06-1277MalePermanent HomeDirect

What these are

Excessive Heat
Heat at or above the local excessive heat warning criteria, or heat that caused deaths.
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.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Arizona in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, June 2022

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: 1040200, 1040201, 1040202, 1040204, 1040205, 1040206, 1040207, 1131613.