Flash Flood — Gila, Arizona

2025-09-26 to 2025-09-27 · near Pinal, Gila, Arizona

Event narrative

Catastrophic and deadly flash flooding occurred in the Globe area following strong to severe thunderstorms that produced very high rainfall rates. Observed gauge reports and doppler radar rainfall estimates measured approximately 2 inches of rain within 30 minutes in the Globe area. A stream gauge along the typically dry Pinal Creek, just south of Downtown Globe, recorded a dramatic 6-foot rise in water in 30 minutes between 1825MST and 1855MST. This flood wave quickly moved through downtown Globe, overtopping bridges, inundating businesses, and sweeping away dozens of vehicles. Many sloped streets also became raging currents. Additionally, around 800 propane tanks were swept into the floodwaters from a distribution center along the creek. Several dozen homes and businesses were inundated with water, with some experiencing water levels of two to three feet deep. Floodwaters traveled over 15 miles north of Globe, within Pinal Creek, all the way to the Salt River and Roosevelt Lake with additional flooding impacts experienced in the Wheatfields area. A USGS gauge on Pinal Creek just south of the Salt River recorded an 8 ft water level rise and came within half a foot of reaching the gauge's historical peak. In the aftermath of the flooding, approximately 288 tons of trash and debris as well as 800 cubic yards of dirt were cleared. There were also over 60 vehicles damaged or destroyed, with some of them wedged under bridges. The flooding resulted in three fatalities, all from vehicles swept away. In response to the catastrophic flash flooding, Globe's Mayor, Al Gameros, declared a State of Emergency for Globe on the afternoon of the 27th followed shortly by an Arizona State of Emergency declaration from Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs. Preliminary damage assessments performed in the subsequent days had estimated damage costs of approximately $25 million.

Wider weather episode

A slow-moving low pressure system brought several rounds of showers and thunderstorms over multiple days through much of the region. Activity on the 25th was mostly concentrated across higher terrain areas of eastern AZ, fueled by MLCAPE values approaching 2000 J/kg. Strong to severe thunderstorms developed during the afternoon hours, producing rainfall accumulations of over 2 inches in less than one hour across the Miami area leading to significant flash flooding. Multiple streets became rushing currents of water, floodwaters escaped Bloody Tanks Wash in several locations and flooded businesses, there was a lot of muddy and rocky debris, and there were several minor landslides. Severe hail was observed with the thunderstorm activity as well.

The most impactful day of this multi-day episode occurred on the 26th when widespread thunderstorm activity developed across much of south-central AZ as strong upper-level divergence from the low pressure system moved overhead. Fueled by MLCAPE values near 2000 J/kg and near 30 kts of 0-6 km shear, scattered thunderstorms developed in the Phoenix area during the mid-morning hours with increasing coverage through the afternoon hours. Initially, most of the storm reports received were large hail, however, as activity became more widespread the hazard quickly turned to flash flooding with numerous reports of water rescues. A fatality due to drowning was reported in Indian Bend Wash in Scottsdale when the individual's vehicle became submerged by significant floodwaters. A few hours after the rainfall dissipated in the Phoenix area, a new area of strong to severe thunderstorms, with very heavy rainfall, moved eastward into southern Gila County, affecting the Globe/Miami area for a second time in just over 24 hours. Gauge reports and doppler radar estimates out of the Globe area measured approximately 2' of rain, with most of the rain occurring in less than 30 minutes. A stream gauge along Pinal Creek, just south of downtown Globe, reported a 6 foot water rise in 30 minutes. Subsequently, videos and images emerged from downtown Globe depicting catastrophic flooding as the flood wave in Pinal Creek overtopped bridges, inundated businesses, and flooded or swept away numerous vehicles. Around 800 propane tanks were also swept into the floodwaters from a nearby distribution center. Around 66 vehicles were recovered and approximately 288 tons of trash and debris, as well as 8000 cubic yards of dirt, were cleared. The flooding claimed three lives.

Additional shower and thunderstorm activity materialized on the 27th as the low pressure system was still over southern CA. The more widespread activity was concentrated across portions of southwest AZ during the morning and early afternoon hours with instances of flash flooding reported. Additional activity did develop across south-central AZ as well, including across portions of the Phoenix area, during the afternoon hours. Coverage was more isolated compared to the 26th, but the storms still produced additional flash flooding and severe winds gusts. A thunderstorm cell once again moved through the already flood ravaged area of Globe/Miami in the afternoon. Despite rainfall amounts remaining under an inch with this storm, due to quick storm motion, flash flooding occurred once again in the area, exacerbated by the very saturated soils from the rainfall the previous two days.

Following this three-day episode, local, state, and federal disaster declarations were made for the Globe area, a disaster assistance center was opened, and approximately 600 initial and preliminary damage assessments were conducted by AZ Department of Emergency and Military Affairs, finding around 200 private and public properties were destroyed, with the rest experiencing some scale of damage. Not all events are captured in detail in this episode due to the large scale and number of the impacts. Damage cost estimates were in the millions.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (33.3891, -110.7243)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1293488. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.