Flash Flood — Graham, Arizona

2021-07-22 · near Pima, Graham, Arizona

Event narrative

Heavy rain of 2 to 2.5 fell in less than 2 hours between the Pinaleno Mountains and Highway 70 west of Safford. This caused flash flooding of roads in the Pima area and significant rises in Cottonwood Wash. A large SUV which was attempting to cross the wash and carrying two adults and four children was swept away in the floodwaters. A four-year old girl drown during the rescue attempt. Her body was found four days later downstream in the Gila River near Eden.

Wider weather episode

A number of rounds of thunderstorms were triggered by a westward moving upper level weather system across southeast Arizona from the afternoon of July 22 into the early morning of July 23. Thunderstorms produced wind damage and flash flooding in Douglas, Green Valley and the Tucson Metro area. Flooding also occurred along the San Pedro River as well as the Pantano Wash and Rillito River, and eventually downstream along the Santa Cruz River. In Graham County, 1 fatality occurred in a flash flood of the Cottonwood Wash near Pima on July 22.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (32.8418, -109.8417)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 976232. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.