Funnel clouds are spotted in Tucson but very few of them become tornadoes. The dry air of Arizona does not provide enough moisture to fuel a tornado. In Arizona, we average about three actual tornadoes a year. Most of the tornadoes in Tucson are F0 or F1 tornadoes on the Fujita Scale.
Tornado fatalities in and around Tucson are:
(Note: this list is not comprehensive.)
June 23, 1974
Location--Near South Mission and West Valencia Roads. A man died when a tornado hit his mobile home.
August 27, 1964
Location--Near San Xavier Mission. On the Tohono O'odham Reservation. Winds exceeding 50 mph, 3¼ mile path of destruction. Total damage estimated at about $100,000. 2 killed, 8 Injured.
Most powerful tornado in Arizona:
June 1972
Location--Eloy. In this tornado 18 people were injured and 300 buildings were destroyed. The path of the damage was 1,000 yards wide and a mile long.
Sources:
"Tornado kills 2 and injures 8 near San Xavier." Arizona Daily Star. August 28, 1964. Page 1.
"Tornado's damage is set at 100,000." Tucson Citizen. August 28, 1964. Page 1.
"Funnel cloud seen high over West Side." Tucson Citizen. March 8, 2005. Page A3.
"Tornado's victims get to go 'home'." Arizona Daily Star. May 30, 1997, Page 6A.
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