Excessive Heat — Upper Santa Cruz River And Altar Valleys, Arizona
August 27, 2023 · NOAA Storm Events record
Event narrative (NOAA)
Very hot temperatures of 7 to 14 degrees above normal caused the Major Heat Risk category to be reached across southeast Pima County, south central Pinal County and the lower elevations of Santa Cruz County August 27-29. Record highs included 111 degrees at Picacho Peak; 108 at Sasabe; and 104 at the Nogales Airport, all on August 29. While not a record, Picacho Peak reached 112 degrees on the 28th. The Pima County Medical Examiner determined that heat was the primary cause of death for two individuals found in the desert of southeast Pima County (one on the 28th about 8 miles southwest of Three Points and one on the 29th just east of the Baboquivari Mountains at 3800 ft near Elkhorn Ranch).
Other notable excessive heat events in Arizona
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database. Deaths and injuries are those NOAA classifies as direct. Damage is the reporting office's estimate at the time and is not inflation-adjusted. This is a catalogue record, not a forecast.