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Tornado in Pima County, Arizona
30 tornadoes events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Tornado.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
NCEI records 30 tornado events in Pima County, Arizona, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 23 years.
July is the busiest month, with 9 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 10 events against 7 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 9.8% of the 306 tornado events recorded in Arizona; its 0.3 per 100 square miles compares with 0.3 statewide.
NCEI attributes 3 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 13 at (E)F0, 10 at (E)F1, 2 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 5 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Arizona
| Measure | Pima County | Arizona | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 30 | 306 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 0.3 | 0.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 0.3 | 0.4 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 3 | 3 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | July | July | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
0Mar
2Apr
0May
0Jun
3Jul
9Aug
9Sep
4Oct
1Nov
0Dec
1
Magnitude distribution
Enhanced Fujita scale wind estimates
- EF0/F0
- 65–85 mph (EF0)
- EF1/F1
- 86–110 mph (EF1)
- EF2/F2
- 111–135 mph (EF2)
- EF3/F3
- 136–165 mph (EF3)
- EF4/F4
- 166–200 mph (EF4)
- EF5/F5
- over 200 mph (EF5)
- Unrated
- no rating recorded
Tornado rating as recorded (Fujita scale before February 2007, Enhanced Fujita after).
Recorded events
All 30 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan 2026 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Sep 2025 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 2021 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Aug 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Oct 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $13K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 1996 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 1994 | Tornado | F2 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Mar 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 24 Aug 1991 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 16 Jul 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 1984 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Dec 1975 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 1974 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | 1 | 40 | County |
| 23 Jun 1974 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1974 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 1971 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 1969 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 1969 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 1964 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 1964 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | 2 | 9 | County |
| 27 Jul 1961 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 4 Mar 1954 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Pima County had?
30 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of tornadoes became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded tornado event in Pima County?
1 Jan 2026 (Tornado, EF unrated). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Pima County?
The tornado of 6 Jul 1992, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Pima County compare with Arizona for tornado?
0.3 events per 100 square miles against 0.3 statewide; the county holds 30 of the state's 306 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.