An extraordinary burst of rain has swept across Phoenix and much of central Arizona over the last 48 hours, making headlines for both its intensity and its impact on the region’s water picture. According to the National Weather Service in Phoenix, Friday saw the highest one-day rainfall total at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport in nearly seven years, clocking in at 1.64 inches just before 5 p.m. This turned downtown streets into rivers, overwhelmed storm drains, and contributed to what’s now ranked as the city’s fourth wettest day of the 2000s.
This isn’t just a blip—September’s total precipitation for Phoenix now stands at 2.05 inches, a whopping 360 percent of the historical average for this month, with the typical September only seeing about 0.57 inches. Weather and Climate Info reports that, compared to monthly norms, both the rainfall and the quick dips in temperature—down to 67 degrees early Saturday morning—made for a rare end-of-summer experience.
Unfortunately, this historic rain event quickly turned tragic in the wider region. CBS News details that at least four people have lost their lives in Arizona after fast-moving floods—three in Globe, a mining town east of Phoenix, and one near Scottsdale when a vehicle was swept up and submerged in eight feet of water. Floodwaters did not just threaten lives; they also scattered hundreds of residential-size propane tanks in Globe, prompting a hazardous materials response and widespread disruption. Authorities declared an emergency and have urged people to avoid flooded areas while crews—and search dogs—continue critical search and rescue operations.
In the heart of Phoenix, dramatic storms Friday night and into Saturday morning left neighborhoods awash. ABC15 has streamed live coverage showing not just rain, but thunder and lightning illuminating the Valley sky. Many local streets were closed, and fire and rescue teams worked overtime in areas hardest hit by flash flooding—especially in low-lying corridors.
What does this mean for water supplies? In the short term, rain like this is a blessing to urban surface reservoirs and outdoor watering restrictions may ease. However, as the Arizona Capitol Times points out, while surface water gets a boost, this doesn’t solve the deeper issues with aquifer recharge or long-term groundwater management. Arizona’s strategic water plan—shifting allocations from agricultural to urban uses—is a step forward, but as always, sustainability requires ongoing attention.
As of this morning, drinking water in Phoenix remains safe. Despite the heavy flows and localized flooding, authorities report that treatment plants are fully operational and there have been no advisories or boil orders issued. Rain totals in some neighborhoods reached more than an inch in just a few hours, according to Weather Spark’s data from Sky Harbor, but the stormwater and drinking water systems held steady.
To sum up, Phoenix and its neighbors have experienced a rare and dramatic turn of weather—setting records, causing heartache for some, but also, for now, delivering a much-needed shot of surface water to a usually parched desert city. With the clouds breaking and the cleanup underway, city leaders remind us that supporting each other is the true Phoenix way.
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