Arizona, 2024

Drought in Arizona, January 1 to 31, 2024

January 1 to 31, 2024 · NWS TWC · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

The extreme (D3) drought category continued across far southern and eastern sections of southeast Arizona during much of January. The area near the New Mexico line encompassed southern Greenlee, southeast Graham and eastern Cochise counties, including the Chiricahua Mountains; while areas near the International Border stretched from the Huachuca Mountains westward across Santa Cruz County to the…

Where it happened

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.

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The toll

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS TWC wrote it up.

The extreme (D3) drought category continued across far southern and eastern sections of southeast Arizona during much of January. The area near the New Mexico line encompassed southern Greenlee, southeast Graham and eastern Cochise counties, including the Chiricahua Mountains; while areas near the International Border stretched from the Huachuca Mountains westward across Santa Cruz County to the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Pima County. By the end of the month, drought conditions improved to severe (D2) for most of these locales except near the New Mexico border in southern Greenlee, southeast Graham and eastern Cochise counties.

Rain occurred on numerous occasions in January, with above normal rain in Pima and Santa Cruz Counties. January monthly totals ranged from 0.5 to 3.0, with the highest amounts in the mountains and from Tucson westward. In the areas of extreme drought, along the New Mexico border, rain amounts were generally 25 to 75 percent of normal. Elsewhere, where conditions improved by the end of the month, rain amounts were 75 to 150 percent of normal. Soil moisture readings was in the 20th to 50th percentile ranking in most areas through January.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

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Event by event

5 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Upper Santa Cruz River and Altar Valleys

When
January 1, 12:00 AM MST to January 29, 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 (D3) drought category continued across far southern and eastern sections of southeast Arizona during much of January. The area near the New Mexico line encompassed southern Greenlee, southeast Graham and eastern Cochise counties, including the Chiricahua Mountains; while areas near the International Border stretched from the Huachuca Mountains westward across Santa Cruz County to the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Pima County. By the end of the month, drought conditions improved to severe (D2) for most of these locales except near the New Mexico border in southern Greenlee, southeast Graham and eastern Cochise counties.

Rain occurred on numerous occasions in January, with above normal rain in Pima and Santa Cruz Counties. January monthly totals ranged from 0.5 to 3.0, with the highest amounts in the mountains and from Tucson westward. In the areas of extreme drought, along the New Mexico border, rain amounts were generally 25 to 75 percent of normal. Elsewhere, where conditions improved by the end of the month, rain amounts were 75 to 150 percent of normal. Soil moisture readings was in the 20th to 50th percentile ranking in most areas through January.

Drought, Eastern Cochise County Below 5000 Feet

When
January 1, 12:00 AM MST to January 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 (D3) drought category continued across far southern and eastern sections of southeast Arizona during much of January. The area near the New Mexico line encompassed southern Greenlee, southeast Graham and eastern Cochise counties, including the Chiricahua Mountains; while areas near the International Border stretched from the Huachuca Mountains westward across Santa Cruz County to the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Pima County. By the end of the month, drought conditions improved to severe (D2) for most of these locales except near the New Mexico border in southern Greenlee, southeast Graham and eastern Cochise counties. Rain occurred on numerous occasions in January, with above normal rain in Pima and Santa Cruz Counties. January monthly totals ranged from 0.5 to 3.0, with the highest amounts in the mountains and from Tucson westward. In the areas of extreme drought, along the New Mexico border, rain amounts were generally 25 to 75 percent of normal. Elsewhere, where conditions improved by the end of the month, rain amounts were 75 to 150 percent of normal. Soil moisture readings was in the 20th to 50th percentile ranking in most areas through January.

Drought, Upper Gila River and Aravaipa Valleys

When
January 1, 12:00 AM MST to January 31, 11:59 PM MST
Where
Upper Gila River and Aravaipa Valleys forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
33.074, -109.563 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The extreme (D3) drought category continued across far southern and eastern sections of southeast Arizona during much of January. The area near the New Mexico line encompassed southern Greenlee, southeast Graham and eastern Cochise counties, including the Chiricahua Mountains; while areas near the International Border stretched from the Huachuca Mountains westward across Santa Cruz County to the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Pima County. By the end of the month, drought conditions improved to severe (D2) for most of these locales except near the New Mexico border in southern Greenlee, southeast Graham and eastern Cochise counties. Rain occurred on numerous occasions in January, with above normal rain in Pima and Santa Cruz Counties. January monthly totals ranged from 0.5 to 3.0, with the highest amounts in the mountains and from Tucson westward. In the areas of extreme drought, along the New Mexico border, rain amounts were generally 25 to 75 percent of normal. Elsewhere, where conditions improved by the end of the month, rain amounts were 75 to 150 percent of normal. Soil moisture readings was in the 20th to 50th percentile ranking in most areas through January.

Drought, Chiricahua Mountains

When
January 1, 12:00 AM MST to January 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 (D3) drought category continued across far southern and eastern sections of southeast Arizona during much of January. The area near the New Mexico line encompassed southern Greenlee, southeast Graham and eastern Cochise counties, including the Chiricahua Mountains; while areas near the International Border stretched from the Huachuca Mountains westward across Santa Cruz County to the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Pima County. By the end of the month, drought conditions improved to severe (D2) for most of these locales except near the New Mexico border in southern Greenlee, southeast Graham and eastern Cochise counties. Rain occurred on numerous occasions in January, with above normal rain in Pima and Santa Cruz Counties. January monthly totals ranged from 0.5 to 3.0, with the highest amounts in the mountains and from Tucson westward. In the areas of extreme drought, along the New Mexico border, rain amounts were generally 25 to 75 percent of normal. Elsewhere, where conditions improved by the end of the month, rain amounts were 75 to 150 percent of normal. Soil moisture readings was in the 20th to 50th percentile ranking in most areas through January.

Drought, Dragoon/Mule/Huachuca and Santa Rita Mountains

When
January 1, 12:00 AM MST to January 29, 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 (D3) drought category continued across far southern and eastern sections of southeast Arizona during much of January. The area near the New Mexico line encompassed southern Greenlee, southeast Graham and eastern Cochise counties, including the Chiricahua Mountains; while areas near the International Border stretched from the Huachuca Mountains westward across Santa Cruz County to the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Pima County. By the end of the month, drought conditions improved to severe (D2) for most of these locales except near the New Mexico border in southern Greenlee, southeast Graham and eastern Cochise counties. Rain occurred on numerous occasions in January, with above normal rain in Pima and Santa Cruz Counties. January monthly totals ranged from 0.5 to 3.0, with the highest amounts in the mountains and from Tucson westward. In the areas of extreme drought, along the New Mexico border, rain amounts were generally 25 to 75 percent of normal. Elsewhere, where conditions improved by the end of the month, rain amounts were 75 to 150 percent of normal. Soil moisture readings was in the 20th to 50th percentile ranking in most areas through January.

What these are

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.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Arizona in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, January 2024

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1158149, 1158157, 1158164, 1158172, 1158174.