Frost/Freeze — Upper Gila River and Aravaipa Valleys, Arizona

2023-04-04 to 2023-04-05 · Upper Gila River and Aravaipa Valleys, Arizona

Event narrative

In the Sulphur Springs Valley of northern Cochise and southern Graham counties, temperatures remained below 20 degrees for several hours from midnight to 7 am with a low temperature of 14 degrees. This late season hard freeze caused the total loss of the cherry and peach crops with a 90 percent loss of the apple and pear crops as the fruit was in full bloom at the time. Early crop pistachios were entirely lost.

Wider weather episode

An unseasonably deep upper low moved across the Great Basin on April 4 allowing a cold and dry airmass to settle into Arizona overnight. In the Sulphur Springs Valley of northern Cochise and southern Graham counties, temperatures remained below 20 degrees for several hours from midnight to 7 am with a low temperature of 14 degrees. This resulted in major damage to the local fruit and nut crops.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1095433. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.