Santa Cruz County, Arizona
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1974 and 2025, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
1
Tornado reports
40
Hail reports
86
Floods since 1996
219
All events
6
Deaths
$13.3M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Santa Cruz County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 1 in all. Zoom in and the paths widen to their surveyed width.
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Year by year
All storm eventsTornadoes
NOAA's storm database records tornadoes back to 1950 and hail and thunderstorm wind back to 1955, but floods only from 1996 on. Older floods are missing here. For those, the U.S. Geological Survey's stream gauge records and flood reports are the place to look.
Most significant events
The strongest tornadoes, deadliest events and biggest damage here, up to 50.
One inch of rain in less than 90 minutes caused rapid rises in Josephine Canyon. Two teenagers swimming near a waterfall were swept downstream by a rapid rise in the water level. One teenager drowned and another escaped the floodwaters while sustaining minor injuries and was late…
A 17-year old undocumented boy was struck and killed by lightning near Windmill Drive near Sonoita, Arizona.
Heavy rainfall on the Mexican side of the border caused flash flooding in the city of Nogales, Arizona. This was caused by a damaged portion of the underground Nogales Wash. Local emergency management reported that water burst through the underground wash onto the surface just ac…
Heavy rainfall led to a vehicle accident on Interstate 19 near Rio Rico causing a fatality (indirect).
A wall of water swept a woman and two teenage girls off their feet and washed them downstream. The two girls where rescued by local officials, however the woman could not be saved.
Portions of downtown Nogales experienced flash flooding. Extensive damage occurred to the Nogales Wash, which is a concrete wash that flows through the city of Nogales. City officials estimated damage at $10 million on the U.S. side of the border.
Hail Hail
Trained spotter estimated hail size of a nickel (0.88 inches in diameter) that damaged a skylight.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
An estimated 3 ft of water moved across low water crossing on Forest Service 143 Rd.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A personal weather station gusted to 83 mph in Patagonia, AZ.
Lightning Lightning
Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Company reported outages for roughly 1,400 people in Sonoita, Whetstone, Benson, and Wilcox due to multiple thunderstorm hazards including lightning, fallen branches, and heavy rain that arched power lines.
Funnel Cloud Funnel Cloud
A trained spotter reported a weak funnel cloud that passed overhead Nogales, Arizona.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Flooding of Nogales Wash in adjacent roadway.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Wind gust of 58 mph at the Nogales International Airport.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Hopkins Mesonet report.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Nogales International Airport measured a wind gust of 75 mph. Video from social media showed multiple large trees down in a parking lot in Nogales due to severe wind gusts.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Heavy rain due to a thunderstorm caused a car to get stuck in a neighborhood wash drainage across intersection of E Calle Sonora and N Calle Guadalupe.
Hail Hail
Three quarter of an inch hail was estimated in Nogales.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Roads in Nogales including Industrial Park Drive closed due to flash flooding.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Nogales International Airport recorded a wind gust of 58 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
CWOP weather station CW4232 recorded a wind gust of 60 mph.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
The Nogales Wash at Nogales exceeded bankfull at about 8 feet causing flooding in the Morley Road region of Nogales.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The Canelo RAWS site recorded a wind gust of 70 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The Mt. Hopkins RAWS measured a wind gust to 78 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A gust to 59 mph was recorded at the Hopkins RAWS at 1833MST.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm winds downed large tree branches at several locations in Patagonia.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Heavy rain of 1-2 inches along Sonoita and Harshaw Creeks caused flash flooding of rural roadways east of Route 82 northeast of Patagonia as well as Sonoita Ave in Patagonia.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A thunderstorm wind gust to 73 mph was recorded at CWOP site GW3161 near Patagonia at 1616MST.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm wind gusts of 58 mph and 61 mph were recorded at QHPA3 Hopkins RAWS at 2119MST, and 2125MST, respectively.
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A thunderstorm wind gust to 58 mph was measured at the KOLS ASOS at 1649MST.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The Hopkins RAWS station at an elevation over 7000 ft recorded a wind gust to 62 mph at 2018MST and 66 mph at 2020MST.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
One inch of rain in less than 1 hour caused flash flooding near State Route 83 in the Lyle and Brushy Canyon areas south of Canelo. Two occupants of a pickup truck were rescued from three feet of flowing water.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Heavy rain of 1-2' in 1 hour in Nogales, Sonora caused a rapid rise in Nogales Wash. The Doe St. bridge was overtopped and nearby roadways were flooded.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Heavy rain in Nogales, Sonora caused a rapid rise in Nogales Wash, causing it to overtop its banks and flood the Doe St. Bridge.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Heavy rain of 1 in less than 1 hour caused streets to become flooded and impassable in eastern portions of Nogales. Morley Ave. was closed at Madison St.
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm outflows from severe storms in Cochise County produced a peak wind gust of 77 mph at Canelo RAWS at 2030MST, 60 MPH at a CWOP station near Patagonia and 59 mph at KOLS Nogales Airport at 2044MST.
Hail Hail
Quarter to ping pong ball size hail fell in Rio Rico Southwest for several minutes.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm winds downed a tree and blew part of the roof off a mobile home on W. Manor Dr. in Nogales.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm winds uprooted 2 large trees near Nogales City Hall.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Several tree branches and a power line were downed by thunderstorm winds in Patagonia.
Funnel Cloud Funnel Cloud
A short-lived funnel cloud was reported and captured on video near Sonoita.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
One to two inches of rain in less than an hour in Nogales, Sonora caused a rapid rise on Nogales Wash in Arizona, causing it to overtop its banks. Two drowning victims were washed across the border from Mexico and retrieved in Arizona.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
The Hopkins RAWS measured a thunderstorm outflow gust to 68 mph.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Two inches of rain in less than an hour southwest of Rio Rico caused roads in the area to become flooded and impassable.
Hail Hail
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Two to four inches of rain in 90 minutes caused flash flooding of washes up to 3 feet deep across Arivaca Rd. prompting its closure.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
One to two inches of rain fell in less than 1 hour in Nogales and caused flash flooding of several roads and minor damage to a couple of homes near Western Ave.
Funnel Cloud Funnel Cloud
A funnel cloud was observed descending from a wall cloud near Mt. Wrightston.
Hail Hail
A slow moving thunderstorm produced several minutes of nickel to quarter size hail near Patagonia.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 | 0 |
| 2024 | 13 | 0 |
| 2023 | 8 | 0 |
| 2022 | 10 | 0 |
| 2021 | 12 | 0 |
| 2020 | 9 | 0 |
| 2019 | 4 | 0 |
| 2018 | 9 | 0 |
| 2017 | 7 | 0 |
| 2016 | 10 | 0 |
| 2015 | 4 | 0 |
| 2014 | 15 | 0 |
| 2013 | 4 | 0 |
| 2012 | 6 | 1 |
| 2011 | 7 | 0 |
| 2010 | 9 | 0 |
| 2009 | 2 | 0 |
| 2008 | 6 | 0 |
| 2007 | 7 | 0 |
| 2006 | 10 | 0 |
| 2005 | 8 | 0 |
| 2004 | 9 | 0 |
| 2003 | 11 | 0 |
| 2002 | 6 | 0 |
| 2001 | 2 | 0 |
| 2000 | 3 | 0 |
| 1998 | 3 | 0 |
| 1997 | 8 | 0 |
| 1996 | 8 | 0 |
| 1995 | 1 | 0 |
| 1988 | 2 | 0 |
| 1985 | 1 | 0 |
| 1974 | 1 | 0 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Santa Cruz County, measured to its path.
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