Flash Flood — Maricopa, Arizona

2012-07-14 · near Wickenburg, Maricopa, Arizona

Event narrative

Scattered thunderstorms developed across south central Arizona during the afternoon hours on Saturday July 14th, and they produced locally heavy rainfall which led to episodes of flash flooding in the Wickenburg area. A Flash Flood Warning was issued for Wickenburg at about 5 pm in the afternoon. According to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Department, a 65 year old man died as he attempted to drive across the Hassayampa wash/river near Wickenburg. As he attempted to drive through the wash, the swiftly flowing water carried his vehicle about one quarter of a mile downstream and into some brush, causing him to drown. No other details were made available. In addition to the fatality, crews were dispatched to four water rescues during the evening hours on Saturday according to Kevin Pool of the Wickenburg Fire Department. One such rescue occurred north of town along US highway 93 in a neighborhood near a wash. In that incident the person was rescued from the top of his vehicle by sheriff's helicopter and taken to a hospital for observation.

Wider weather episode

Scattered thunderstorms developed across the south central Arizona deserts during the afternoon hours on July 14th. Due to the very moist and unstable nature of the atmosphere, the storms tended to produce locally heavy rainfall with rainfall rates well in excess of one inch per hour. The heavy rain led to some flash flooding in the Wickenburg area late in the afternoon.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (33.9790, -112.7362)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 396492. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.