Overall, 2024 was a very quiet and dry year, but we had a lot of intense and extreme heat. Check out Yuma’s annual weather summary throughout the year.
Yuma, Arizona, had an exceptionally dry year. The National Weather Service Phoenix highlighted that Yuma County saw significantly below-average rainfall from June to September in 2024.
As of January 2, 2025, Yuma experienced a long dry spell with 148 consecutive days without measurable rainfall. The last recorded rain was on August 7, 2024, when just 0.01 inches fell.
In total, Yuma accumulated only 2.21 inches of rain in 2024, which is 1.07 inches below the annual average. Comparatively, this was 2.62 inches less than what was recorded at the same time in 2023.
This lack of precipitation intensified drought conditions. At the start of 2024, there were no drought signs, but by August, most of the southwestern desert region had entered a notably dry spell. By September and October, moderate to serious drought conditions began to emerge, and extreme drought took hold by November. Those conditions persisted into December.
On the flip side, the summer of 2024 was marked by remarkable heat. The period from June to August was noted as the hottest summer for Yuma since 1878, based on average daily temperatures. In fact, it was recorded as Arizona’s hottest summer overall!
Among the highest recorded temperatures, Yuma hit a peak of 117°F on July 8, 2024.
Moreover, Yuma set a new record on September 6, 2024, with 100 consecutive days of temperatures reaching 100°F or above. This surpasses the previous record of 99 days set in 2006 and 1949. The streak eventually ended on September 16, 2024, after reaching 109 consecutive days over 100°F.
The extreme summer heat also led to numerous excessive heat warnings issued to residents. According to the National Weather Service, Yuma County saw 50 excessive heat warnings in 2024.
The intense heat resulted in tragic outcomes, with Yuma County reporting 13 deaths linked to heat in 2024. This was a decrease from 29 deaths in 2023 and a stark contrast to the 69 migrant fatalities in 2022, most attributed to heat exposure.
For further details, additional statistics can be found in the recent dashboard from Maricopa County Department of Public Health.
To read more about the 2024 climate review for Yuma and El Centro, check out the National Weather Service Phoenix website.
