Highlights
- The National Weather Service issued a Flood Warning for Maricopa County effective 8:36 p.m. MST September 16, expiring at 11 p.m.
- Between 2 and 4 inches of rain have fallen; Apache Wash, Cave Creek, Agua Fria River, and other drainages remain above alarm stage.
- Scottsdale, Phoenix, Glendale, Peoria, Deer Valley Airport, and Desert Ridge Marketplace are among the locations expected to experience flooding.
- NWS warns drivers not to attempt 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 8:36 p.m. MST Tuesday, September 16, with the warning in effect until 11 p.m. MST.
Gauge reports at 8:36 p.m. showed several washes still above alarm stage following heavy rain from thunderstorms earlier in the evening. Between 2 and 4 inches of rain have fallen across the warned area, with up to an additional 0.5 inches possible before the warning expires.
The following streams and drainages are affected: Apache Wash, New River, Cave Creek, Skunk Creek, Agua Fria River, North Canyon Creek, Beardsley Canal, and Deadman Wash. Flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations is described as imminent or ongoing.
Locations expected to experience flooding include Scottsdale, Phoenix, Glendale, Peoria, Deer Valley Airport, and Desert Ridge Marketplace.
NWS urges anyone encountering a flooded road to turn around. The agency notes that most flood deaths occur in vehicles.
The MCDOT Flooded Roadway Map, maintained by the Flood Control District of Maricopa County, provides real-time road closure data. The NWS flood safety page is at weather.gov/safety/flood.
The warning expires at 11 p.m. MST; check NWS Phoenix for any extensions or new alerts.
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 17/09/2026 03:38
- Maricopa County retrieved 17/09/2026 03:38
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 03:38. Every claim traces to a source.
