Arizona, 2024

Flash Flood in Arizona, July 16 to 17, 2024

July 16 to 17, 2024 · NWS PSR · 1 event in 1 county or zone

The typical afternoon thunderstorm activity developed across the higher terrain areas of northern and eastern AZ. Most the activity remain anchored over the high terrain with barely any activity observed across the lower elevations given the strong convective inhibition in place.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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
1

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 PSR wrote it up.

The typical afternoon thunderstorm activity developed across the higher terrain areas of northern and eastern AZ. Most the activity remain anchored over the high terrain with barely any activity observed across the lower elevations given the strong convective inhibition in place. However, with MLCAPE values of around 1000 J/KG, the environment was still favorable for any thunderstorm that developed to become strong. A strong, nearly stationary thunderstorm developed during the evening hours over the Wildcat Burn Scar in northern Maricopa County, dumping rainfall amounts in excess of 1.5 in less than a hour. This was enough rainfall in a short time period to result in flood issues in the burn scar area.

The radar

The Phoenix radar (KIWA), 64 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 04:59 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Maricopa

When
July 16, 10:00 PM MST to July 17, 12:00 AM MST
Where
Maricopa County, 8.37 mi ESE of Carefree to 9.04 mi ESE of Carefree
Cause
Heavy Rain / Burn Area
Reported by
County Official
Coordinates
33.856, -111.794

Water over Bartlett Dam Road at Camp Creek. Heavy rain fell on the Wildcat Fire Burn Scar with 1.65 inches of rain recorded in less than one hour at the Camp Creek at Bartlett Dam Road rain gage operated by Maricopa County Flood Control. The County Flood Control notified Maricopa County Department of Transportation to barricade road. No damages nor injuries were reported.

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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Arizona in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Arizona, July 2024

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: 1202210.