Arizona, 2023Excessive Heat and Heat in Arizona, August 16, 2023
August 16, 2023 · NWS TWC · 3 events in 3 counties and zones
Very hot temperatures were observed across southeast Arizona August 16. Both high and low temperatures were 4 to 9 degrees above normal causing the Moderate to Major Heat Risk categories to be reached.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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
- 6
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 3
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.
Very hot temperatures were observed across southeast Arizona August 16. Both high and low temperatures were 4 to 9 degrees above normal causing the Moderate to Major Heat Risk categories to be reached. A total of six heat-related fatalities were reported by the Pima County Medical Examiner.
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 Aug 16, 2:47 AM MST, 6 hours 13 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Aug 16, 2:47 AM MST, 6 hours 13 minutes before
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</html>Excessive Heat, Western Pima County
- When
- August 16, 9:00 AM MST to 8:00 PM MST
- Where
- Western Pima County forecast zone
- Deaths
- 1 direct, 0 indirect
- Reported by
- County Official
- Coordinates
- 32.097, -111.790 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Very hot temperatures 4 to 6 degrees above normal caused the Major Heat Risk category to be reached across western Pima County. The low temperature at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument was 85 degrees and the high was 110. The Pima County Medical Examiner determined that heat was the primary cause of death for one individual found in the desert near Lukeville.
Excessive Heat, Tucson Metro Area
- When
- August 16, 9:00 AM MST to 8:00 PM MST
- Where
- Tucson Metro Area forecast zone
- Deaths
- 2 direct, 2 indirect
- Reported by
- County Official
- Coordinates
- 32.097, -111.790 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Very hot temperatures around 9 degrees above normal caused the Major Heat Risk category to be reached across eastern Pima County. The low temperature at the Tucson International Airport was 84 degrees and the high was 108. The Pima County Medical Examiner determined that heat was the primary cause of death for two individuals in Tucson. Heat was determined to be a contributing factor in the deaths of two others (one outdoors who had a complicating factor of drug toxicity; and an elderly individual in a vehicle who had other health issues).
Heat, Upper San Pedro River Valley
- When
- August 16, 10:00 AM MST to 8:00 PM MST
- Where
- Upper San Pedro River Valley forecast zone
- Deaths
- 1 direct, 0 indirect
- Reported by
- County Official
- Coordinates
- 32.109, -110.569 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Hot temperatures 4 to 7 degrees above normal, in the upper 90s, caused the Moderate Heat Risk category to be reached across southern Cochise County. The Pima County Medical Examiner determined that heat was the primary cause of death for one individual found in the desert near the International Border.
- 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.
- Damaging Wind and Lightning Strike in Arizona, August 16, 2023$275,000 · 61 kt wind · 3 events
- Wildfire in Colorado, August 16 to 21, 2023$150,000 · 1 event
- Flash Flood in New York, August 16, 2023$50,000 · 1 event
- Flood and Damaging Winds in South Carolina, August 16, 2023$32,000 · 8 events
- Debris Flows and Flood in Colorado, August 16, 2023$40,000 · 3 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, August 16, 2023$11,000 · 1.25 in hail · 22 events
- Excessive Heat and Heat in Texas, August 16 to 20, 202320 events
- Damaging Winds in Texas, August 16, 2023$15,000 · 50 kt wind · 2 events
- Drought in Louisiana, August 16 to 31, 20239 events
- Drought in Mississippi, August 16 to 31, 20236 events
- Excessive Heat in California, August 16 to 17, 20236 events
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds in South Atlantic Coastal Waters, August 16, 20236 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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1138782, 1138795, 1138787.