Highlights
- NWS Phoenix issued a Flood Warning for Maricopa County at 10:26 p.m. Wednesday, effective until 1 a.m. Thursday.
- Between 2 and 4 inches of rain have fallen; Apache Wash, Cave Creek, Skunk Creek and five other drainages remain above alarm stage.
- Scottsdale, Phoenix, Glendale, Peoria, Deer Valley Airport and Desert Ridge Marketplace are among locations at risk.
- NWS warns drivers not to enter flooded roads, noting most flood deaths occur in vehicles.
FLOOD WARNING: The National Weather Service in Phoenix issued a Flood Warning for Maricopa County at 10:26 p.m. Wednesday, September 16, running until 1 a.m. Thursday, September 17, after thunderstorms dropped 2 to 4 inches of rain across the region.
Gauge reports at 10:26 p.m. showed several washes still above alarm stage. Affected drainages include Apache Wash, New River, Cave Creek, Skunk Creek, Agua Fria River, North Canyon Creek, Beardsley Canal and Deadman Wash. NWS said additional rainfall of up to 0.75 inches remained possible in the warned area.
Flooding of rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying and flood-prone locations was described as imminent or occurring. NWS cautioned that it will take several hours for water from the storms to move through urban drainage systems.
NWS urged anyone encountering a flooded road to turn around, noting that most flood deaths occur in vehicles and that nighttime conditions make flood dangers harder to recognize.
The MCDOT Flooded Roadway Map, maintained by the Flood Control District of Maricopa County, provides real-time road closure data for drivers navigating the valley tonight.
The warning expires at 1 a.m. MST Thursday.
Sources
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- api.weather.gov retrieved 17/09/2026 05:28
Authored by The Scottsdale Signal. Drafted by AI from primary-source material under our beat-specific editorial guides; reviewed by humans before publish under our five-gate process. Sources retrieved at 17/09/2026 05:28. Every claim traces to a source.
