Flash Flood — Graham, Arizona

2021-08-16 · near Indian Hot Springs, Graham, Arizona

Event narrative

More than 1 inch of rain in less than an hour in the mountains north of State Rte. 266 caused flash flooding down the mountains and mud and rocks to block a portion of that route.

Wider weather episode

Multiple rounds of thunderstorms developed and moved across southeast Arizona from mid morning of August 16 through the early evening of August 17. Individual storms produced heavy rain of 1 to 2 inches per hour, but some locations where multiple thunderstorm events occurred received 3 to 4 inches of rain during the period. The result was numerous reports of flash flooding, road closures and swift water rescues, especially in Pima and Cochise counties. Longer term flooding occurred in the Brawley Wash and downstream in Greene Wash. Damage from thunderstorm winds and lightning also occurred in the Tucson Metro.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (32.5658, -109.8007)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 982426. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.