Flood watch issued for parts of Maricopa County as storms threaten heavy rain

Parts of Maricopa County are under a flood watch from 4 p.m. Wednesday until 6 a.m. Thursday as forecasters warn that thunderstorms could bring excessive rainfall and flooding to the region.

The National Weather Service in Phoenix said the watch covers northeast Maricopa County, including Cave Creek, New River, Rio Verde, Fountain Hills, east Mesa and parts of Scottsdale, along with communities to the east such as Apache Junction and Gold Canyon.

Forecasters said parts of the county will see 2 inches of rain along with thunderstorms this afternoon.

That runoff could cause flooding in rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying areas, the flash flood watch notice said.

Outside the Valley, separate flood watches were issued Wednesday for northern and northwestern Arizona. The Flagstaff office of the weather service cautioned that “raging killer currents” are possible in narrow canyons and urged hikers and boaters to reconsider plans to visit slot canyons or washes.

These flood watches were set to expire early Thursday, with drier conditions expected to return by the end of the week.

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