“Dust Devil” is the common name for the tornado like plumes of dust you often see spinning in the Arizona deserts on hot days.  Typically the wind speed in these little twisters is only about 25 mph. The worst damage they do is to spread dust and trash along their path.  Occasionally they can pack quite a wallop. The wind speed in some dust devils has been measure at 100mph and they have been reported to have torn the roofs off of buildings.

Florida calls itself the Sunshine State, but that honor really belongs to Arizona.  Of the US cities with the most sunny days, Yuma and Phoenix, Arizona are numbers 1 and 2.  On the average, Yuma enjoys 242 sunny days each and Phoenix has 211. Tucson, Arizona is number 7 with 193 sunny days in a typical year. Even Flagstaff, Arizona, located in the cool mountain pines is in the top 30. The first time a Florida city makes the list is Apachicola, which ranks 52nd.

According to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names there are 65 places in Arizona with the word “Hell” in the name.  Among them are: Hell’s half Acre, Hell Hole Valley, Big Hell’s Gate, Little Hell’s Gate and Hell’s Hip Pocket.

During the tens years between 1992 to 2002, 570 people died in Arizona as a result of exposure to Arizona’ hot weather. Of these, about 55% of the deaths were of Arizona residents.  The remainder of the deaths were of visitors or illegal immigrants. Not surprisingly the most common month for heat related deaths is July.  Most deaths occurred in Pima and Maricopa counties. On average, about 30 Arizona residents die annually from heatstroke or sunstroke.

Source: Arizona Department of Health Services.

In 1956 it was a very dry year at Davis Dam, Arizona. Total rainfall for the year was 0.07 inches. That’s less than one tenth of an inch of rainfall during the entire year.

1978 was Arizona’s wettest year, at least at Hawley Lake. Almost fifty-nine inches of rain fell that year.

Sunrise Mountain set a record for the most snowfall during one season in Arizona. Almost 401 inches of it covered the peak.

(Davis Dam photo courtesy of Bureau of Reclamation

  During the winter of 1967 a series of back-to-back snowstorms smothered Flagstaff with 150 inches of snow. Almost 70 inches fell within just a few days. The deluge of snow collapsed roofs and stranded many residents.

Arizona experienced its deadliest storm in September 1970. Twenty-three people were killed when the remains of tropical storm Norma passed through through the state.

Fourteen of the deaths occurred in Tonto Creek near Kohl’s Ranch. Sycamore Creek, near Sunflower  rose to a depth of 36 feet.