Flash Flood in Arizona
Every flash flood event the National Weather Service has filed in Arizona, year by year, with the most significant episodes. 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.
The most significant on the map
The most significant flash flood episodes in Arizona.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The record
- Events
- 3,491
- Deaths
- 115
- Injuries
- 178
- Damage
- $256 million
Every year
The most significant
Ranked by deaths, injuries, damage and size together.
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Arizona, August 3 to 31, 1997Flash flooding of state highway 99 south of Leupp. Two drainage ditches and a small stock pond filled rapidly with water which then flowed across highway 99, 2 miles south of Leupp. Arizona Dept.
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Arizona, July 15, 2017Thunderstorms caused flash flooding, hail, and wind damage across southern Yavapai and northern Gila Counties.
- Flash Flooding in Arizona, August 9, 1997Severe thunderstorms with very heavy rain began over central Mohave County around 12:30 am and ended around 2:30 am MST. Washes rapidly filled in the vicinity of Kingman and several roads were washed out.
- Flash Flooding and Flood in Arizona, August 1 to 17, 1997Heavy rain from thunderstorms sent a one foot wall of water down a dry wash at Harrison Road and Pantano in far eastern Tucson preventing traffic from crossing.
- Tornado and Flash Flooding in Arizona, September 25 to 27, 2025A slow-moving low pressure system brought several rounds of showers and thunderstorms over multiple days through much of the region. Activity on the 25th was mostly concentrated across higher terrain areas of eastern AZ, fueled by MLCAPE values approaching 2000 J/kg.
- Tornado and Flash Flooding in Arizona, July 5 to 29, 1999Three U.S. Forest Service firefighters were stunned or paralyzed for a few minutes as lightning hit the ground near them. They also suffered some burns on the feet and shoulders.
- Flash Flooding and Dust Storm in Arizona, August 13 to 14, 2021A classic bow echo developed along the Mogollon Rim in central Arizona around 1900MST on the 13th and merged with thunderstorm clusters that developed in south-central Arizona around 2030MST to form one southwestward-moving MCS that progressed all the way to the town of Yuma in…
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in Arizona, August 3, 2008Strong to severe thunderstorms with locally heavy rainfall and flash flooding developed across Southeast Arizona. These storms primarily impacted Graham, Cochise and Pima Counties.
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Arizona, August 18, 2021An upper level trough and lead-on shortwave trough moved through Arizona during the day on the 18th. Moderate to high instability and high moisture content supported scattered strong thunderstorms.
- Flash Flood in Arizona, March 28, 1998Three members of a Boy Scout troop perished after their sport utility vehicle was swept out from under them. The scouts tried to cross a running wash near Sunflower. Occasionally heavy rain showers persisted in the area throughout the afternoon and early evening.
- Flash Flood in Arizona, August 11, 2001A two year old boy and his parents were killed in a flash flood while hiking in Havasu Canyon. Two other family members had reached the the safety of Havasupai Village before the late night storm hit.
- Flash Flooding in Arizona, July 12, 2008Slow moving thunderstorms developed in a very moist environment across Southeast Arizona resulting in areas of flash flooding.
- Flash Flood in Arizona, August 9, 2005Heavy rains from widespread thunderstorms caused flash flood waters to over-flow washes from New River east to the Seven Springs area and Camp Creek. Rainfall runoff was higher than normal in the Cave Creek Complex area and contributed significantly to the rapid flooding.
- Tornado and Flash Flooding in Arizona, September 2 to 13, 1997Flash Flooding of Bright Angel Creek caused minor flooding in the Bright Angel Campground.
- Flash Flood and Damaging Wind in Arizona, June 22, 2024Thunderstorms brought heavy intense rainfall over the Tucson Metro area. Rainfall totals ranged from 1 to 2.5 inches from Pima County Alert Gauges.
- Flash Flooding and Flood in Arizona, September 8, 2014Moisture associated with Tropical Depression Norbert, once rated as strong as a Category 3 hurricane, contributed to very heavy rainfall across southeast Arizona during the morning and early afternoon hours of September 8th.
- Flash Flood in Arizona, August 22, 2020A severe warned thunderstorm pushed west from southern Gila county into eastern Maricopa county in the late evening, after sunset. The storm produced very heavy rainfall over the southern end of the 2020 Bush fire burn scar in the Four Peaks Wilderness area.
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Arizona, October 12 to 13, 2025A nearly stationary upper-level trough combined with tropical moisture remnants from Tropical Storms Priscilla and Raymond, which developed off the eastern Pacific, led to scattered to widespread thunderstorm activity across much of south-central AZ.
- Flash Flooding in Arizona, July 24 to 25, 2007A push of monsoon moisture brought thunderstorms with flash flooding and severe weather to the Mojave Desert and Southern Great Basin from July 24th through the 30th.
- Flash Flooding in Arizona, July 25, 2021Deep monsoon moisture remained over northern Arizona with strong thunderstorms across the area. An area of low pressure moving over the area from the east help form thunderstorm complexes that brought widespread moderate to heavy rain to northern Arizona.
- Flash Flood and Hail in Arizona, May 18 to 20, 1997A tin roof was blown off a shed.
- Flash Flooding in Arizona, August 4, 2007Strong thunderstorms produced heavy rainfall over the higher terrain of the Catalina Mountains. This heavy rainfall produced a flash flood which moved downstream into Bear Canyon and the popular Seven Falls area causing two fatalities.
- Flash Flood in Arizona, August 7, 2001Two people died while hiking in a slot canyon when a flash flood washed them down stream. The two were long overdue from a hiking trip when searchers began looking for them.
- Flash Flood in Arizona, September 9, 2006A Gilbert man and his 9-year-old son drowned Saturday crossing a wash flooded with up to 6 feet of water. A Pinal county Sherif's Office spokesman said they were on an unmaintained road when they reached the wash about 2:30 pm and entered it. The current rolled the SUV.
- Flash Flood in Arizona, August 7, 2006Heavy rainfall near the Town of Cascabel and along Cascabel Road caused several locations of the road to be flooded and impassable.
More
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.