Heavy Rain in Arizona, January 3 to 5, 2005

Name: Heavy Rain in Arizona, January 3 to 5, 2005
Start: 2005-01-03T15:00
End: 2005-01-05T15:00
Location: Arizona

January 3 to 5, 2005 · NWS FGZ · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

A powerful winter storm moved across northern Arizona from January 3rd to January 5th. Heavy rainfall fell at elevations below 6000 feet along and south of the Mogollon Rim.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 4

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS FGZ wrote it up.

A powerful winter storm moved across northern Arizona from January 3rd to January 5th. Heavy rainfall fell at elevations below 6000 feet along and south of the Mogollon Rim. Some elevations between 5000 to 6000 feet saw heavy rainfall turn to snowfall during the event as snow levels lowered. Some rainfall amounts (in inches) include: Cornville 2.44, Jerome 3.25, Pine (5500') 3.23, McNary 2.59, Cherry 2.69, Crown King 2.99, Humbug Creek 1.71, Iron Springs 1.71, and Payson 3.24. A 12-inch water main in Prescott broke where it crossed the rain swollen Willow Creek. This affected about 1000 customers with low water pressure or no water at all. The break was isolated until the creek went down and repairs could be made. Two fatalities occurred on the Tonto as three young people attempted to cross the creek with a backhoe. The backhoe tipped over and two of the people drowned.Rising water in the Little Colorado River north of Winslow cut off 16 homes in the Birdsprings Chapter. Residents in Pumpkin Center (35 miles southeast of Payson) were cut off by high water in Tonto Creek. The Big Cino Wash stranded 35 to 40 people in Paulden.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Yavapai

When: January 3, 3:00 PM MST to January 5, 3:00 PM MST
Where: Yavapai County, Bagdad
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 34.600, -112.554 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Gila

When: January 3, 3:00 PM MST to January 5, 3:00 PM MST
Where: Gila County, Rye
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 33.800, -110.812 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Apache

When: January 3, 3:00 PM MST to January 4, 10:00 PM MST
Where: Apache County, Mc Nary
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.396, -109.489 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Navajo

When: January 3, 3:00 PM MST to January 4, 10:00 PM MST
Where: Navajo County, Carrizo
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.400, -110.321 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Arizona in 2005 Every state in 2005 This day in weather history Warnings in Arizona, January 2005

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5438698, 5438699, 5438700, 5438701.