Heavy Rain Threatens Flooding in Saturated Parts of the US Southwest

Heavy rain was forecast to begin Saturday evening, raising the risk of flash flooding across already saturated parts of the U.S. Southwest through Monday, the National Weather Service said.

Some areas could receive up to 4 inches (10 centimeters) of rain after a series of weather systems produced a deadly season of intense rainfall across the region. In the Phoenix area Friday evening, emergency crews rescued people from multiple vehicles stranded on flooded roads.

“It’s not going to take much rainfall to be impactful at all in some of these locations just because of how saturated they are,” said Allison Santorelli, a meteorologist with the Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland.

Flood watches were issued for nearly all of Arizona, along with parts of southern Utah, southwestern Colorado, western New Mexico and southern Nevada. The alerts cover the Four Corners region, the sparsely populated area where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah meet, which has been particularly affected by recent rainfall.

Santorelli said the weekend storm could produce both flash flooding and flooding along small streams and rivers.

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The Phoenix Fire Department said on X that crews rescued people from four vehicles on flooded streets Friday night. In nearby Scottsdale, fire Capt. Dave Folio said on Facebook that firefighters were assisting someone trapped in a vehicle when another vehicle carrying two people entered the same floodwaters and also required rescue.

In a video posted on Facebook, Folio warned that just 2 inches (5 centimeters) of water can “sweep your vehicle off its wheels.” He said the vehicles involved were surrounded by 3 to 4 feet (0.9 to 1.2 meters) of water.

In Bullhead City, Arizona, along the state’s border with California, Friday’s heavy rain washed water, rocks and debris onto streets throughout the city, officials said in Facebook posts. Parks were also closed.