Heavy rains expected to bring flooding risk to already saturated parts of the U.S. Southwest

Key Points:

• Heavy rains beginning Saturday evening are expected to bring up to 4 inches of rain to the U.S. Southwest, threatening flash flooding in already saturated areas through Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
• Flood watches have been issued for nearly all of Arizona, parts of southern Utah, southwestern Colorado, western New Mexico, southern Nevada, and the Four Corners region, which has been particularly affected by recent rains.
• Emergency crews in the Phoenix area have already rescued multiple people from vehicles stranded in flooded streets, with water levels reaching 3 to 4 feet, posing significant danger to motorists.
• Meteorologists warn that even small amounts of additional rainfall could cause impactful flash flooding and small-stream river flooding due to the saturated ground conditions.
• In Bullhead City, Arizona, heavy rains caused debris and water accumulation on streets, leading to park closures and disruptions in the area near the California border.