A strong ridge of high pressure over the Desert Southwest allowed high temperatures to climb upwards of 10 degrees above normal during the middle part of May. High temperatures in Phoenix topped out in the 102 to 105 degree range during this time.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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 episode as NWS PSR wrote it up.
A strong ridge of high pressure over the Desert Southwest allowed high temperatures to climb upwards of 10 degrees above normal during the middle part of May. High temperatures in Phoenix topped out in the 102 to 105 degree range during this time. According to the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, five heat-associated fatalities occurred during this event.
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 Phoenix, AZ wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 14, 4:42 PM MST, 18 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Phoenix AZ 442 PM MST Sat May 14 2022 .UPDATE... Updated Aviation section. && .SYNOPSIS...High pressure overhead will result in well-above normal high temperatures through the rest of the weekend, with the lower deserts reaching the middle 100s. High temperatures will remain around 100 through the middle of next week. The afternoon temperatures will result in a moderate heat risk for the heat sensitive group and the necessary precautions should be taken. Seasonably dry conditions will persist through the period with mostly clear skies. && .DISCUSSION... Latest objective analysis depicts a ridge of high pressure situated overhead. Latest PHX ACARS sounding shows an additional 2-5C of warming compared to 24 hours ago. As a result, temperatures across the lower deserts this afternoon should be significantly warmer compared to the highs from yesterday, topping out in the 102-105 degree range across most of the lower deserts. High temperatures on Sunday are still projected to be slightly warmer as the ensembles show the low-levels warming another degree Celsius and thus readings are likely to top out in the 103-107 range. The NBM probability of tying/breaking daily record highs on Sunday, is still low (<30%), although higher than the past couple of days. By late in the day on Sunday through Monday, a weak shortwave trough currently located more than 300 miles off the southern California Coast will approach the region. This will bring in an increase in breeziness as well as scattered to broken high-level clouds. Across portions of SE California, especially across Imperial County, downsloping westerly flow will likely result in wind gusts in excess of 20-25 mph, especially after sundown on Sunday. The aforementioned shortwave trough will result in a slight cooldown in temperatures for Monday, with highs mostly in the lower 100s. Temperatures through the middle of the week will remain mostly steady, with highs hovering or slightly surpassing 100 degrees across the lower deserts as a zonal flow pattern establishes itself over the area. Therefore, given that temperatures are likely to be in the triple digits through the middle of next week, a moderate heat risk will be in place across most of the lower deserts, including the population centers, and thus the proper heat precautions need to be taken. It is still looking likely as we head towards the end of next week that high temperatures will fall back below 100 degrees as a deeper trough digs across the western CONUS. There is still significant variance amongst the ensembles in terms of the degree of amplification and positioning of the trough, however, there is enough confidence of a cooldown in addition to bringing an increase in winds. Just the magnitude of the cooling and the winds still remains to be seen. Seasonably dry conditions will continue through the forecast period with no precipitation in sight unfortunately. && .AVIATION...Updated at 2341Z. South-Central Arizona including KPHX, KIWA, KSDL, and KDVT; and Southeast California/Southwest Arizona including KIPL and KBLH: A ridge of high pressure centered near the southern tip of Baja Mexico will keep dry and stable conditions in place through Sunday. Light winds are in place through much of the troposphere. A weak upper trough centered west-southwest of KSAN will move inland during the day Sunday. It will have little impact on the sensible weather with just some minor cirrus. But, winds above the surface will slowly strengthen overnight and during the day Sunday. At the surface, familiar warm season diurnal patterns will prevail. The most noticeable difference from today will be minor southerly breeziness at KBLH in the afternoon. && .FIRE WEATHER... High pressure over the area will result in well-above normal temperatures through the rest of the weekend with very dry air prevailing. Temperatures through most of the forecast will be 5-10 degrees above normal, surpassing 100 degrees most days at the lower elevations. Min afternoon RHs values will be less than 5% through Sunday, and only improving to 10-15% during the middle of next week. Overnight RH recovery will be poor through the rest of the weekend, only topping out in the 15-25% range. There will be a slight improvement in Max RHs next week with overnight shallow moisture fluxes from the Gulf of California. Areas near the Lower CO River Valley will see the greatest Max RH improvement, to around 40-50% by midweek, with elsewhere only to 20-30%. A slight increase in wind is expected late Sunday, when gusts could occasionally exceed 20-25 mph, mainly across SE California as a weak weather disturbance moves across the region. Otherwise, seasonal winds will prevail, with afternoon gusts commonly between 15-20 mph. Another wind increase, and potentially more significant, is expected near the end of next week as a stronger disturbance moves into the western states, which could elevate the fire danger potential. && .CLIMATE... Record highs later this week: Date Phoenix Yuma El Centro ---- ------- ---- --------- 5/14 107 in 1927 113 in 1927 110 in 1927 5/15 107 in 1937 109 in 1937 107 in 1934 5/16 106 in 1997 109 in 1956 108 in 2014 && .PSR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AZ...None. CA...None. && Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and at weather.gov/phoenix DISCUSSION...Lojero/Benedict AVIATION...AJ FIRE WEATHER...Lojero/Benedict CLIMATE...18
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 heat. Local standard time, as filed.
One indirect fatality was reported by the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, with their details, such as age, gender, circumstances, and exact location unavailable.
One direct fatality was reported by the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, with their details, such as age, gender, circumstances, and exact location unavailable.
One direct fatality was reported by the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, with their details, such as age, gender, circumstances, and exact location unavailable.
One direct fatality was reported by the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, with their details, such as age, gender, circumstances, and exact location unavailable.
One direct fatality was reported by the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, with their details, such as age, gender, circumstances, and exact location unavailable.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat, Central Phoenix | 2022-05-14 | Unknown | Indirect | ||
| Heat, Central Phoenix | 2022-05-15 | Unknown | Direct | ||
| Heat, East Valley | 2022-05-16 | Unknown | Direct | ||
| Heat, North Phoenix/Glendale | 2022-05-17 | Unknown | Direct | ||
| Heat, Buckeye/Avondale | 2022-05-18 | Unknown | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arizona in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, May 2022
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: 1140908, 1140909, 1140910, 1140911, 1140912.