Monsoon storms stir flash-flood fears

For the third straight day, Arizona’s monsoon brought rain to the Phoenix area.

Rain and dust rolled into the region about 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, and doused areas starting in the southeast Valley, eventually stretching across other areas.

The rainfall was expected to continue into the night, according to the National Weather Service, which issued a flash-flood watch for the Valley and most of southern Arizona until 2 a.m. today.

Rainfall totals generally were below 0.10 inches in most areas, but some spots, in south Phoenix, along Interstate 17 and in the East Valley recorded between 0.25 and 0.50 inches of rain before 6 p.m.

Blowing dust accompanied the storm as it rolled through, but it was not as severe as Monday’s storm, which knocked out power to thousands, downed trees and dropped more than an inch of rain in some spots. That was followed by another storm Tuesday that brought more rain, primarily to the East Valley.

The Weather Service said conditions were expected to remain in place for continued storms today.

Larry Hopper, meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said areas of the Valley and elsewhere that have received heavy rainfall in recent days are particularly susceptible.

A flash-flood watch means that flooding is possible in washes, creeks and other drainage areas within the designated area. A flash-flood warning is issued when flooding is a certainty.

Flash floods are dangerous and can be deadly. Nine members of a Valley family died when a “40foot-wide black wave” of rainwater, mud and debris tore through a narrow canyon and swept them away last year.