Climate is what we expect, weather is what we get. Mark Twain
John Hunnicutt
Meteorological events beyond-the-norm that threaten people, property, landscapes and livestock are collectively referred to as 'severe weather'. Arizona’s summer monsoon brings torrential rains whose byproducts – debris flows, flash floods, and landslides (slump, rockfall and slide) threaten Arizonans, their infrastructure and property. in July 2017, a debris flow – flash flood near Payson, Arizona swept away and killed 10 members of a single family.
Since the late 1990s, Arizona has been experiencing below-normal precipitation. Drought! Drought coupled with higher-than-normal summertime temperature threatens Arizona’s water supply, forests, and environmental health. Paleoclimatic indicators provide evidence of drought in the Southwestern US of 50 years or more (Woodhouse and Overpeck, 1997).
Severe weather encountered in Arizona, includes:
- Severe cold weather
- Severe hot weather
- Torrential rains
- Ice storms at higher elevations
- Haboobs – severe sand storms
- Hurricanes
- Tornadoes
- Dust devils
- Downbursts and microbursts
Haboob in Arizona's Sonoran Desert
Lighting in the Sonoran Desert
Thunderstorm gathering strength in Yavapai County, Arizona
Hurricane Nora encroaching on Baja California, Mexico, and Southwestern U.S.
Rains from Tropical Storm Nora flooding Maricopa County
Dangerous summertime highs in Phoenix, Arizona
Blizzard and frigid conditions in Flagstaff, Arizona
Debris flow chute and deposit in the Santa Catalina Mtns., July 2006.
Flash flood in the Santa Cruz River of SE Arizona
Flash flood topples bus.
Monsoon rains drives earth fissure exposure
Paleoclimate drove larger, high volume debris flows in SE Arizona
Snow collects on the San Francisco Peaks, Flagstaff, Arizona (T. Grussing 2013)
Dust devil on valley floor
A tornado caught on camera near Desert Center, CA on Tuesday, April 22, 2015.
Record snowfall in Jan. 2017, Flagstaff, Arizona.
Willow wildfire in the Mazatzal Mountains backcountry.
Thunderstorm and downburst west of Tucson, Arizona.
Above: Photo gallery for extreme weather in Arizona
Severe weather has cascading effects, too; debris flows and flash floods, and record wildfires and an ever expanding wildfire season due to the past decade's drought.
It is beyond the scope of the Arizona Geological Survey to monitor or record individual weather events or to document meteorological trends.
For those interested in meteorology and weather-related phenomenon in Arizona, we strongly recommend you consult the National Weather Service sites for your area.
National Weather Service (NWS) – Phoenix: Central and southwestern Arizona
NWS – Flagstaff: Northern and eastern Arizona
NWS – Tucson: South-central and southeastern Arizona
NSW – Las Vegas: Western Arizona