Rain pelts Valley, more to come

PHOENIX — Get out the umbrellas — parts of the Valley are seeing heavy rainfall Friday.

Three weeks before the monsoon officially ends, Valerie Meyers with the National Weather service said there will certainly be enough rain to fill roadways.

“Most of these storms will put down at least a half inch of rain,” she said. Expect localized flooding, she added.

The 2.8 inches of rain in the East Valley has caused flash-flooding issues at Broadway and Highley roads.

Sky Harbor Airport has received one-third of an inch of rain, which caused some delays, and there was a flash-flood warning in effect for Apache Junction, east Mesa, Gold Canyon and the Bartlett Lake area.

There have been several water rescues this summer, after drivers blew past barricades and got stranded in washes or other flooded areas.

“Six inches of water is enough to move your vehicle off the roadway. The water becomes 12 inches and it will wash you and the vehicle away,” Phoenix Fire Capt. Scott Walker said.

“You’re going to be in a very dangerous situation whether the barricades are up or not, don’t enter a wash.”