Highlights
- The National Weather Service issued a Flood Advisory for Maricopa and Gila counties from 7:01 p.m. to 10 p.m. MST on July 16.
- Up to 0.75 inches of rain had already fallen by 7:01 p.m., with an additional 0.5 to 1.5 inches expected.
- Affected recreation areas include Canyon Lake, Saguaro Lake, Roosevelt Dam, and the Salt River Tubing Recreation Area.
- NWS urges drivers to turn around on flooded roads; most flood deaths occur in vehicles.
FLOOD ADVISORY: The National Weather Service in Phoenix issued a Flood Advisory for Maricopa County and Gila County on July 16 at 7:01 p.m. MST, effective until 10 p.m. MST, citing excessive rainfall from active thunderstorms.
Doppler radar and automated rain gauges confirmed up to 0.75 inches of rain had fallen across the advisory area by the time of issuance. NWS expects an additional 0.5 to 1.5 inches, which will result in minor flooding in low-lying areas and poor drainage zones, as well as rises in small streams and normally dry arroyos.
The advisory covers a broad list of named drainages, including Camp Creek, Tonto Creek, Bulldog Wash, Ironwood Wash, the Salt River, and Buckhorn Creek, among others. Locations expected to experience flooding include Canyon Lake, Saguaro Lake, Apache Lake, Roosevelt Dam, the Salt River Tubing Recreation Area, Tortilla Flat, Sunflower, Tonto Basin, and Punkin Center.
NWS advises campers and hikers to avoid streams and creeks immediately. Drivers encountering water on roadways should turn around. The agency notes that most flood deaths occur in vehicles on flooded roads. Anyone observing flooding is asked to report it to local emergency services or law enforcement and request that information be relayed to NWS.
The advisory expires at 10 p.m. MST July 16. Residents in affected areas should monitor weather.gov/safety/flood for updates.
Sources
Every factual claim in this article traces to one of the sources below. See how we work for the editorial process.
- api.weather.gov retrieved 17/07/2026 02:04
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 17/07/2026 02:04. Every claim traces to a source.
