Arizona, 2022Drought in Arizona, May 17 to 31, 2022
May 17 to 31, 2022 · NWS TWC · 5 events in 5 counties and zones
The extreme drought (D3) category was reached by mid May across Santa Cruz and southern Cochise Zones including the Huachuca, Mule, Dragoon and Chiricahua Mountains. Below normal precipitation occurred during the period of October 2021 through May 2022.
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.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 5
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 extreme drought (D3) category was reached by mid May across Santa Cruz and southern Cochise Zones including the Huachuca, Mule, Dragoon and Chiricahua Mountains. Below normal precipitation occurred during the period of October 2021 through May 2022. Sierra Vista registered their 8th driest water year in over 120 years of record keeping with only 2.3 of rainfall through that period. Several human caused wildfires ignited in May and two grew rapidly due to dry fuels, including the Elgin Bridge and San Rafael fires. Soil moisture readings were below normal, ranking below the 30th percentile.
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 17, 2:35 AM MST, 9 hours 25 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 17, 2:35 AM MST, 9 hours 25 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
235 AM MST Tue May 17 2022
.SYNOPSIS...Hot and dry to start the week. Temperatures will fall
back a few degrees this week, but still remain above average.
Breezy at times, especially later in the week.
&&
.DISCUSSION...The pattern across CONUS is breaking down into a
broad zonal flow as we head toward a more amplified flow later
this week. Heights and thicknesses are still supporting
temperatures well above average, just not quite as hot as recent
days. Continued dry.
An unseasonably deep trough is expected to bring gusty winds
Friday afternoon with temperatures closer to climo before broad
ridging again next weekend pushes temperatures back up.
Ensembles and theta-e trends suggest another active period
spreading across eastern and central Mexico early next week, with
thunderstorms again making an early season appearance building up
the eastern slopes of the Sierra Madres. Keep an eye out for dry
lighting potential for SE AZ early next week.
&&
.AVIATION...Valid through 18/12z.
Mostly clear. Typical diurnal wind trends with some gustiness in
the afternoon out of the west to northwest. Aviation discussion
not updated for TAF amendments.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...No rain in sight as a hot and dry weather pattern
continues. Minimum relative humidity values will be in the low
single digits to lower teens with poor overnight recoveries.
Typical diurnal wind trends with afternoon gustiness. Some
elevated fire weather concerns late in the week with stronger
winds possible as a system passes north of the area.
&&
.TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.
&&
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Drought, Upper Santa Cruz River and Altar Valleys
- When
- May 17, 12:00 PM MST to May 31, 11:59 PM MST
- Where
- Upper Santa Cruz River and Altar Valleys forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 31.812, -111.318 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The extreme drought (D3) category was reached by mid May across Santa Cruz and southern Cochise Zones including the Huachuca, Mule, Dragoon and Chiricahua Mountains. Below normal precipitation occurred during the period of October 2021 through May 2022. Sierra Vista registered their 8th driest water year in over 120 years of record keeping with only 2.3 of rainfall through that period. Several human caused wildfires ignited in May and two grew rapidly due to dry fuels, including the Elgin Bridge and San Rafael fires. Soil moisture readings were below normal, ranking below the 30th percentile.
Drought, Upper San Pedro River Valley
- When
- May 17, 12:00 PM MST to May 31, 11:59 PM MST
- Where
- Upper San Pedro River Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 32.109, -110.569 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The extreme drought (D3) category was reached by mid May across Santa Cruz and southern Cochise Zones including the Huachuca, Mule, Dragoon and Chiricahua Mountains. Below normal precipitation occurred during the period of October 2021 through May 2022. Sierra Vista registered their 8th driest water year in over 120 years of record keeping with only 2.3 of rainfall through that period. Several human caused wildfires ignited in May and two grew rapidly due to dry fuels, including the Elgin Bridge and San Rafael fires. Soil moisture readings were below normal, ranking below the 30th percentile.
Drought, Eastern Cochise County Below 5000 Feet
- When
- May 17, 12:00 PM MST to May 31, 11:59 PM MST
- Where
- Eastern Cochise County Below 5000 Feet forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 31.880, -109.751 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The extreme drought (D3) category was reached by mid May across Santa Cruz and southern Cochise Zones including the Huachuca, Mule, Dragoon and Chiricahua Mountains. Below normal precipitation occurred during the period of October 2021 through May 2022. Sierra Vista registered their 8th driest water year in over 120 years of record keeping with only 2.3 of rainfall through that period. Several human caused wildfires ignited in May and two grew rapidly due to dry fuels, including the Elgin Bridge and San Rafael fires. Soil moisture readings were below normal, ranking below the 30th percentile.
Drought, Chiricahua Mountains
- When
- May 17, 12:00 PM MST to May 31, 11:59 PM MST
- Where
- Chiricahua Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 31.880, -109.751 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The extreme drought (D3) category was reached by mid May across Santa Cruz and southern Cochise Zones including the Huachuca, Mule, Dragoon and Chiricahua Mountains. Below normal precipitation occurred during the period of October 2021 through May 2022. Sierra Vista registered their 8th driest water year in over 120 years of record keeping with only 2.3 of rainfall through that period. Several human caused wildfires ignited in May and two grew rapidly due to dry fuels, including the Elgin Bridge and San Rafael fires. Soil moisture readings were below normal, ranking below the 30th percentile.
Drought, Dragoon/Mule/Huachuca and Santa Rita Mountains
- When
- May 17, 12:00 PM MST to May 31, 11:59 PM MST
- Where
- Dragoon/Mule/Huachuca and Santa Rita Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 31.834, -110.796 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The extreme drought (D3) category was reached by mid May across Santa Cruz and southern Cochise Zones including the Huachuca, Mule, Dragoon and Chiricahua Mountains. Below normal precipitation occurred during the period of October 2021 through May 2022. Sierra Vista registered their 8th driest water year in over 120 years of record keeping with only 2.3 of rainfall through that period. Several human caused wildfires ignited in May and two grew rapidly due to dry fuels, including the Elgin Bridge and San Rafael fires. Soil moisture readings were below normal, ranking below the 30th percentile.
- Drought
- A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Tornadoes and Hail in Nebraska, May 17, 2022$1.9 million · 3 in hail · 10 events
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Kansas, May 17 to 18, 20222 in hail · 29 events
- Damaging Winds in Kansas, May 17, 2022$25,000 · 65 kt wind · 2 events
- Damaging Winds in Kansas, May 17 to 18, 202265 kt wind · 16 events
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Nebraska, May 17, 20221.5 in hail · 10 events
- Tornadoes and Hail in Kansas, May 17, 20221 in hail · 8 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Missouri, May 17, 2022$10,000 · 1 in hail · 7 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Kansas, May 17, 20221.75 in hail · 6 events
- Damaging Wind and High Wind in Texas, May 17, 202269 kt wind · 6 events
- Hail in Iowa, May 17 to 18, 20221.25 in hail · 6 events
- Tornado and Hail in North Dakota, May 17, 20221 in hail · 5 events
- Hail in Nebraska, May 17, 20221.5 in hail · 4 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: 1032332, 1032333, 1032334, 1032335, 1032336.