Phoenix residents have been treated to a rare spectacle this October as the Valley has seen record-breaking rainfall and dramatic impacts on both daily life and the region’s ongoing water challenges. According to azcentral, on Sunday, October 12, the remnants of Tropical Storm Priscilla delivered unprecedented rain, with 1.97 inches falling in Phoenix, making it the fourth-wettest October day on record. The National Weather Service has kept a flood watch active through late Monday, warning that Phoenix could see between 1 and 2 additional inches of rain, especially in the early afternoon and evening. Though storms are tapering off compared to earlier in the week, soil throughout the Valley remains saturated, and even moderate rainfall has triggered dangerous localized flooding and prompted official warnings to avoid flooded roadways and remain vigilant.

The city smashed a rainfall record at Sky Harbor Airport over the weekend, as KJZZ reports, measuring 0.7 inches of rain on October 11 and surpassing an almost century-old benchmark for that date. The storm left some isolated neighborhoods with more than an inch of rain according to the National Weather Service, and much of the city received at least a quarter to three-quarters of an inch. This wild swing from dry to wet weather has cooled the Valley significantly, with afternoon highs in recent days hovering 8 to 12 degrees below the seasonal average, according to a Phoenix weather discussion from October 16. That meant some neighborhoods dipped down into the 50s at night — a stark reversal from typical October weather patterns.

Still, relief is on the horizon as drier conditions are forecast to return, with temperatures expected to climb back toward and possibly above average headed into the coming weekend. Even so, meteorologists caution that by the middle of next week, uncertainty looms and there is a chance the unsettled weather could return — so it pays to stay alert.

Importantly, Phoenix's abundant rain arrives amid long-term water worries. The last two years have underscored the region’s fragile balance between growth and supply. High Country News details how a moratorium on new groundwater-based subdivisions in metro Phoenix persists, triggered in 2023 when state policy-makers determined that the region had at last reached its limit on groundwater resources. Nearly half a million new homes remain on hold due to the water crisis — a stark measure of how water, or its lack, is shaping the Valley's future.

While the rainfall is welcome relief for landscapes and reservoirs, drinking water supply and infrastructure remain a heavyweight issue. The water coming down from the sky is a fraction of what’s needed to change long-term trends; for example, plans for Phoenix to use Colorado River and treated wastewater for drinking supply are still years and billions of dollars away, and some recent groundwater acquisitions by surrounding suburbs have been hamstrung by contamination concerns that complicate their use for potable water.

For now, Phoenix’s water remains safe to drink and the city’s integrated supply systems — including water from the Salt, Verde, and Colorado Rivers — are functioning normally despite storm runoff and flooding. Residents in areas like Globe, east of Phoenix, did experience water service interruptions due to broken mains triggered by floodwaters earlier this week, but service has since been restored, according to KJZZ.

As the skies clear, Phoenixans can celebrate a rare, cool, and rainy October — a dramatic and much-needed pause from the relentless drought narrative, but also a stark reminder of how weather and water remain central to the Valley’s future.

Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Some great Deals Back to Episodes