Arizona, 1997

Flash Flood and Flood in Arizona, September 25 to 26, 1997

September 25 to 26, 1997 · NWS FGZ · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

1 flash flood, 1 flood, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

The radar

The Flagstaff radar (KFSX), 124 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 13:00 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 flash flood, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Yavapai

When
September 25, 6:00 AM MST to September 26, 12:00 PM MST
Where
Yavapai County, Bagdad
Coordinates
34.600, -112.554 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Widespread heavy rain from Tropical Storm Nora spread across Yavapai County on 25th through the morning of the 26th. Flooding, flash flooding, and urban flooding occurred in and around Bagdad, Prescott, Yarnell, Peeples Valley, north of Wickenburg (Maricopa County), and Aguila. Flooding and rock/mud slides closed several state and county roads, and city streets for several hours both days in and around the cities mentioned. Precipitation amounts in Yavapai County between 1200Z 09/25/97 and 1800Z 09/26/98 included: Bagdad.................... 5.75 in. Prescott (5 S)........... 5.75 in. Crown King............... 4.79 in. Prescott Airport........ 2.37 in.

Flood, Coconino

When
September 25, 12:00 PM MST to September 26, 12:00 PM MST
Where
Coconino County, Flagstaff
Coordinates
35.839, -111.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy rain spread across Coconino County associated with the Tropical Storm Nora. Urban flooding closed city streets for short periods in Flagstaff and Williams. Precipitation amounts between 12:00 MST 09/25/97 to 12:00 MST 09/26/97 included: Williams (5 S).......................... 2.91 in. Flagstaff (2 SW)....................... 2.60 in. Flagstaff Airport........................ 1.70 in. Grand Canyon (N. rim).............. 2.05 in.

What these are

Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Arizona in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, September 1997

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5623737, 5623738.