Phoenix Flooding breaks 75 year old Record

Phoenix Flooding breaks 75 year old record September 8, 2014

Phoenix schools aren’t  the only thing closed today due to flooding in Phoenix, Arizona. The National Weather Service issued a flash-flood warning for Maricopa  and  Pinal counties that was set to last until nearly 11 a.m. I personally witnessed the several hours of rain fall that on the one hand is needed, but at this point Monsoon has turned into a literal flooding season this year.

NWS  PHOENIX NEWS  tweeted earlier today “IT’S A RECORD!!! Phoenix Sky Harbor 2.96 in. of rain breaks the all-time calendar day record total previously 2.91/1933”. Two hours later that number increased to  3.29 inches.

Interstate 10 east of 43rd Avenue became a pond, stranding dozens of drivers.

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton and Arizona Governor Jan Brewer have  declared a state of emergency of the state, urging non-essential state employees to stay home Monday. To the southeast, one person was killed in Tucson when a vehicle was washed away by flood waters, according to KVOA.com.  The countless road closures had Arizona Cardinals fans nervous. The team is scheduled to play the San Diego Chargers Monday evening and traffic was already predicted to be heavier than normal.

Utility company SRP said  about 12,000 customers were without electricity while APS reported about 10,000 were affected.

The Weather Channel reported that  “Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport set an all-time wettest calendar-day record, picking up 3.29 inches of rain since midnight as of 8:56 a.m. MST., breaking the previous record set 75 years ago. This is more than the average rainfall in July, August, and September, combined (2.69 inches), encompassing a typical summer rainy season, there.”

Rain is  expected to continue through Monday, and the NWS has issued flash-flood watches for parts of the following  five states – California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada and Colorado. Early Monday morning, a large cluster of storms was centered over Arizona, forcing the NWS to issue flood warnings for some parts of the state.

Flash Flood Potential

Flash flooding will be a risk in the Southwest through early this week as tropical moisture from former Hurricane Norbert is drawn northward, contributing to heavy downpours there. (See more here http://www.weather.com/news/southwest-flooding-update-20140908)

Road Closures in Phoenix:

• U.S. 60 at Mill Avenue and Priest Drive

• Loop 202, in both directions, at the Interstate 10 interchange

• Loop 202 West at Price Road

• Grand Avenue at 19th Avenue

• Grand Avenue from 59th to 51st avenues

• State Route 51 at Cactus Road

• Interstate 10 at 43rd Avenue

• Greenway Road (underpass at Interstate 17)

• Interstate 17 at Indian School Road

• Priest Road at Queen Creek Road

• Happy Valley Road at 35th Avenue

• Happy Valley Road at I-17 onramps

Sources:

http://ktar.com/22/1764897/RECORD-RAIN

http://www.weather.com/news/southwest-flooding-update-20140908

PHOTO CREDITS:

1. A truck creates a wake as its driver tries to navigate a severely flooded street as heavy rains pour down Monday, Sept. 8, 2014, in Phoenix. Storms that flooded several Phoenix-area freeways and numerous local streets during the Monday morning commute set an all-time record for rainfall in Phoenix in a single day. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
2. A vehicle tries to navigate a severely flooded street as heavy rains pour down Monday, Sept. 8, 2014, in Phoenix. Storms that flooded several Phoenix-area freeways and numerous local streets during the Monday morning commute set an all-time record for rainfall in Phoenix in a single day. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
3. (KTAR listener Guillermo Gastelum)
4. A car is pushed out of a flooded highway. (KTAR Photo/Jim Cross)
5. A Tucson police officer carries a small child away from flooding. (Twitter Photo/@Tucson_Police)
6. Interstate 10 flooded near 43rd avenue. (Jim Cross/KTAR)
7. Flooding in Tolleson. (KTAR listener Terry Hamilton)
8. ADOT crews trying to clear pump drains near Interstate 10 and 43rd avenue. (Jim Cross/KTAR)
9. A truck creates a wake as its driver tries to navigate a severely flooded street as heavy rains pour down Monday, Sept. 8, 2014, in Phoenix. Storms that flooded several Phoenix-area freeways and numerous local streets during the Monday morning commute set an all-time record for rainfall in Phoenix in a single day. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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