Flood — Navajo, Arizona

2022-10-03 to 2022-10-09 · near Havre, Navajo, Arizona

Event narrative

The Little Colorado River began to rise in Holbrook (LHB) around 300 PM on October 3. This flow started at around 4.9 feet (34 CFS) increased, and peaked around 13.5 feet (3,700 CFS) at 900 AM on October 4. The river gauge near Winslow (LCW) started increasing at 800 AM October 3 (11.75 feet (53 CFS) and rose to 13.4 feet (700 CFS) by 900 AM. The wave from Holbrook arrived around 400 PM and rose to 17 feet/4,700 CFS by 200 AM on October 4. The river reached flood stage (19 feet/ 8,500 feet) by 100 PM. The river at Winslow crested at 19.7 feet/9,000 CFS by 700 PM. The flow crested at the confluence with the Colorado River (LCM) at 700 PM October 9 (4,400 CFS).

Wider weather episode

A large area of low pressure was stationed over eastern Montana with shortwaves rotating around it over northern Arizona. This provided dynamic support to an already moist

environment with numerous showers and thunderstorms. A stronger shortwave moved from the northwest to southcentral portions of Arizona during the afternoon to provide even more lift to an already unstable atmosphere. Some storms became severe with hail and at least one tornado.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (35.0558, -110.5276)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1057442. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.