Arizona, 2025Excessive Heat in Arizona, August 2 to 5, 2025
August 2 to 5, 2025 · NWS TWC · 5 events in 4 counties and zones
Temperatures in Southeastern Arizona were near 5 to 9 degrees above normal with Moderate to Major HeatRisk. The Pima County Medical Examiner found that the cause of death for 7 individuals.
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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- Deaths
- 7
- 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.
Temperatures in Southeastern Arizona were near 5 to 9 degrees above normal with Moderate to Major HeatRisk. The Pima County Medical Examiner found that the cause of death for 7 individuals. Five were heat contributed, two in Tucson, one in Sells, one in Safford, and one in Hereford. Two individuals deaths were heat caused, one in Tucson and one in Topawa. An Extreme Heat Warning was in effect for all the lower elevations, excluding eastern Cochise County.
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 2, 2:28 AM MST, 7 hours 32 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Aug 2, 2:28 AM MST, 7 hours 32 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tucson AZ
228 AM MST Sat Aug 2 2025
.SYNOPSIS...A drying trend with continued above normal
temperatures this weekend. Still enough moisture for isolated
showers and thunderstorms south and east of Tucson today with dry
air overtaking all of southeast Arizona Sunday. Thereafter, below
normal monsoonal activity is expected next week. Extreme heat will
continue through much of next week.
&&
.DISCUSSION...Clear skies this morning across southeast Arizona as
the mid/upper level high is located over our forecast area. This
high will continue to bring well above normal temperatures and
extreme heat for much of southeast Arizona this weekend. Still
enough residual moisture recycling under the high today for isolated
shower and thunderstorm activity south and east of Tucson. However,
with the high overhead, that will limit updraft growth, thus any
shower/thunderstorm activity will be on the weaker side with just
some brief downpours and locally gusty winds. The moisture will get
shunted to our south Sunday with dry conditions expected to prevail
across the entire forecast area with similar temperatures.
The main story for next week is going to be a continuation of the
extreme heat. The Extreme Heat Warning is in place through Tuesday
with Extreme Heat Watches Wednesday through Friday and those
continue to look good. The high will likely peak in strength around
Wednesday and Thursday with August monthly record highs in jeopardy.
See climate section below for additional information. Monsoonal
moisture will be limited next week but enough will sneak back in for
an uptick in storm activity back into a lower grade pattern,
especially along the Int'l border.
&&
.AVIATION...Valid through 03/12Z.
SKC conditions this morning, then SCT clouds 8-12k ft AGL with isold
-SHRA/-TSRA aft 02/18z, mainly S and E of KTUS thru 03/04Z before
diminishing. Skies becomes SKC again aft 02/05Z. Surface winds
generally below 12 kts away from thunderstorm activity, with
occasional afternoon gusts to 20 kts. Aviation discussion not
updated for TAF amendments.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...Drying this weekend with slight chances of showers
and thunderstorms mainly south and east of Tucson today with dry
conditions areawide Sunday. Overall winds are expected to remain
under 15 mph with occasional afternoon gustiness, however strong
erratic winds are possible with any thunderstorm. Hot temperatures
will continue next week with a low grade monsoon pattern.
&&
.CLIMATE...All-time August record highs and date.
Ajo 118 on August 28, 2023
Organ Pipe Cactus 116 on August 5, 1995
Picacho Peak 114 on August 28, 1998
Tucson Intl airport 112 on August 1, 1993
Safford (town) 110 on August 16, 2024
Willcox 108 on August 1, 2020
Nogales (town) 107 on August 5, 2023
Douglas airport 106 on August 5, 2023
Sierra Vista 105 on August 6, 2023
&&
.TWC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Extreme Heat Warning until 8 PM MST Tuesday for AZZ501>507-509-
510-515.
Extreme Heat Watch from Wednesday morning through Friday evening
for AZZ501>509-515.
&&
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Excessive Heat, Tucson Metro Area
- When
- August 2, 10:00 AM MST to 8:00 PM MST
- Where
- Tucson Metro Area forecast zone
- Deaths
- 1 direct, 1 indirect
- Reported by
- County Official
- Coordinates
- 32.097, -111.790 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High temperatures in Southeastern Arizona were 8 degrees above normal, causing Major HeatRisk. The Tucson International Airport reached a high temperature of 107 degrees Fahrenheit. The Pima County Medical Examiner found that heat was a factor in the cause of death for 2 individuals in Tucson, one was heat contributed and one was heat caused.
Excessive Heat, Tohono O Odham Nation
- When
- August 2, 10:00 AM MST to 8:00 PM MST
- Where
- Tohono O Odham Nation forecast zone
- Deaths
- 1 direct, 1 indirect
- Reported by
- County Official
- Coordinates
- 32.501, -111.567 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High temperatures in Southeastern Arizona were 8 degrees above normal, causing Major HeatRisk. The Sells RAWS reached a high temperature of 108 degrees Fahrenheit. The Pima County Medical Examiner found that heat was a factor in the cause of death for 2 individuals, one in Sells and one in Topawa. One was heat contributed and one was heat caused.
Excessive Heat, Tucson Metro Area
- When
- August 3, 10:00 AM MST to 8:00 PM MST
- Where
- Tucson Metro Area forecast zone
- Deaths
- 0 direct, 1 indirect
- Reported by
- County Official
- Coordinates
- 32.097, -111.790 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High temperatures in Southeastern Arizona were 7 degrees above normal, causing Moderate HeatRisk. The Tucson International Airport reached a high temperature of 106 degrees Fahrenheit. The Pima County Medical Examiner found that heat was a factor in the cause of death for an individual in Tucson and was heat contributed.
Excessive Heat, Upper Gila River and Aravaipa Valleys
- When
- August 3, 10:00 AM MST to 8:00 PM MST
- Where
- Upper Gila River and Aravaipa Valleys forecast zone
- Deaths
- 0 direct, 1 indirect
- Reported by
- County Official
- Coordinates
- 33.074, -109.563 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High temperatures in Southeastern Arizona were 9 degrees above normal, causing Moderate HeatRisk. The Safford COOP site reached a high temperature of 107 degrees Fahrenheit. The Pima County Medical Examiner found that heat was a factor in the cause of death for an individual in Safford and was heat contributed.
Excessive Heat, Upper San Pedro River Valley
- When
- August 5, 10:00 AM MST to 8:00 PM MST
- Where
- Upper San Pedro River Valley forecast zone
- Deaths
- 0 direct, 1 indirect
- Reported by
- County Official
- Coordinates
- 32.109, -110.569 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High temperatures in Southeastern Arizona were 6 degrees above normal, causing Major HeatRisk. The Sierra Vista CWOP reached a high temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The Pima County Medical Examiner found that heat was a factor in the cause of death for an individual in Hereford and was heat contributed.
- Excessive Heat
- Heat at or above the local excessive heat warning criteria, or heat that caused deaths.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
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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: 1290494, 1290511, 1290517, 1290519, 1290518.