4 inches of rain expected in saturated Southwest

The National Weather Service forecasts that heavy rains beginning Saturday evening could cause flash flooding in the U.S. Southwest through Monday.

Meteorologists expect up to 4 inches of rain to fall across the region, which has already absorbed substantial water from previous autumn storms. The agency issued flood watches covering nearly all of Arizona, parts of southern Utah, southwestern Colorado, and western New Mexico, along with a section of southern Nevada. These areas include the Four Corners region, where recent rains have been particularly severe.

Allison Santorelli, a meteorologist with the Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland, noted that the ground saturation levels mean even modest rainfall can have a major impact. She stated, “It’s not going to take much rainfall to be impactful at all in some of these locations just because of how saturated they are.” Santorelli indicated that the weekend system would likely produce both flash flooding and small-stream river flooding.

Rescue crews in the Phoenix area responded to multiple incidents on Friday evening. The Phoenix Fire Department reported saving people from four vehicles stuck on flooded streets. In nearby Scottsdale, Captain Dave Folio said on Facebook that crews rescued one person from a vehicle in deep water before another car with two occupants entered the same flooded area. Folio explained in a video that just 2 inches of water can sweep a vehicle off its wheels, and he observed the water depth at the scene was between 3 and 4 feet.

In Bullhead City, Arizona, which sits on the border with California, the city posted on Facebook that heavy Friday rains left water, rocks, and debris on streets throughout the area. Local parks were closed due to the conditions.

The weather system remains active as it moves through the region, with the flood watches in effect through Monday.