Arizona sees a moderate amount of severe weather each year, with 296 confirmed tornadoes, 1,262 hailstorm events and 3,967 damaging-wind events recorded by the National Weather Service since 1950., and averages 3.9 tornadoes per year over the 75-year record. Most of Arizona’s severe weather comes from short-lived high-elevation thunderstorms producing hail and damaging wind rather than long-track tornadoes. The interactive map below plots every significant severe-weather event in Arizona from the official NOAA Storm Events Database (1950 through September 2025).
Use the map to find your county, click any marker for the date, magnitude, and casualty details of that event, and switch between tornadoes, hail and wind using the chips. For the national view across all 50 states, see our NOAA Storm Reports interactive map. For tornado tracks specifically, see the US Tornado Tracks map; for hail size and frequency, the US Hailstorms map.
Arizona Severe Weather by the Numbers (1950–2025)
- 296 tornadoes recorded between 1950 and 2025
- 19 violent tornadoes rated F2/EF2 or stronger
- 3 direct tornado deaths and 152 direct injuries
- 1,262 hailstorm events recorded by the NWS
- 3,967 damaging-wind events on record
- 3.9 tornadoes per year on average across the 75-year record
- August is the peak severe-weather month, accounting for roughly 19.3% of Arizona tornadoes
- 2,012 total direct deaths from all severe-weather event types tracked by the NWS
When Arizona Severe Weather Happens
Arizona tornado activity is most concentrated in August, which accounts for about 19.3% of all recorded events. The state’s overall severe-weather season is more spread out across the year than in the central United States.
- August: 57 tornadoes (19.3%) — peak month
- July: 57 tornadoes (19.3%)
- September: 46 tornadoes (15.5%)
- October: 42 tornadoes (14.2%)
- June: 22 tornadoes (7.4%)
- May: 19 tornadoes (6.4%)
Top 10 Arizona Counties by Tornado Frequency
Tornado activity in Arizona is geographically broad, but a handful of counties have logged many times the state average. The combination of population density (more spotters and damage reports), county land area and local climatology drives the rankings below.
| County | Tornadoes since 1950 |
|---|---|
| Maricopa | 70 |
| Coconino | 48 |
| Pinal | 30 |
| Yavapai | 28 |
| Pima | 27 |
| Navajo | 22 |
| Cochise | 18 |
| Mohave | 18 |
| Apache | 16 |
| Yuma | 12 |
Arizona Tornado Strength Distribution
Most Arizona tornadoes are weak: roughly 93% are rated F0/EF0 or F1/EF1. Violent tornadoes (F2+/EF2+) account for around 7.3% of rated tornadoes in the state.
- F0/EF0 (weak): 170 tornadoes — 65.6% of rated events
- F1/EF1: 70 tornadoes — 27% of rated events
- F2/EF2 (strong): 15 tornadoes — 5.8% of rated events
- F3/EF3: 4 tornadoes — 1.5% of rated events
Record-Setting Severe Weather in Arizona
Largest hailstone: 4.50 inches in diameter, observed in Yavapai County near Mayer on September 28, 1995. The three largest hailstones on record in Arizona measured 4.50″, 4.00″, 3.00″.
Highest measured wind gust: 93 knots (107 mph) recorded in Apache County near Adamana on August 23, 2010. Most damaging-wind events in Arizona are estimated rather than measured because anemometers are sparse across the rural areas where supercells most often produce destructive thunderstorm winds.
How Arizona Compares Nationally
Arizona ranks among the lowest in the country for tornado frequency, with severe-weather activity well below the central-US average.
- Tornadoes (top 5): Texas (9,908), Kansas (4,890), Oklahoma (4,856), Florida (3,779), Iowa (3,417).
- Arizona tornado total: 296 — ranked 34th nationally.
- Arizona hail total: 1,262 hail events on record since 1950.
- Arizona wind total: 3,967 damaging-wind events on record since 1950.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tornadoes does Arizona have on average per year?
Arizona averages 3.9 tornadoes per year over the 1950–2025 period. Counts vary widely year to year, but the long-term mean over 75 years of NWS records is a reliable benchmark for typical activity.
Where in Arizona are tornadoes most common?
The single county with the most tornadoes on record is Maricopa County with 70 events. The three most active counties overall are Maricopa, Coconino, Pinal.
How does Arizona compare to its neighbors?
Arizona shares a severe-weather climate with California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, Colorado. Severe storms regularly cross state lines, so the same supercells, hail cores and wind events often appear in Arizona’s neighbors’ records on the same date.
How recent is the data on this map?
The map and statistics on this page are pulled from NOAA’s official Storm Events Database, which currently runs from January 1950 through September 2025. New records typically appear in the database within 30–90 days of the event date, once damage surveys and ratings are complete.
Compare Arizona to Neighboring States
Severe weather doesn’t stop at state lines. The same supercell systems that produce Arizona tornadoes regularly cross into neighboring states. Compare Arizona’s storm history to its land neighbors:
- California severe storm history — ranked 31st nationally, Pacific-coast climate, infrequent tornadoes
- Nevada severe storm history — ranked 45th nationally, mountain-west severe weather, mostly hail and high wind
- Utah severe storm history — ranked 39th nationally, mountain-west severe weather, mostly hail and high wind
- New Mexico severe storm history — ranked 29th nationally, core Tornado Alley state
- Colorado severe storm history — ranked 13th nationally, core Tornado Alley state
Explore the national NOAA Storm Reports map · US Tornado Tracks map · US Hailstorms map
