Many people were expected to travel for the Fourth of July holiday as wildfires burned across the state and monsoon activity heated up.
Chances of monsoon storms increased for the weekend throughout southern and central Arizona, peaking on Saturday.
No weekend or maintenance closures were scheduled from Friday afternoon through late Monday night in order to limit impacts on highway travel, Arizona Department of Transportation officials said.
Some Arizona destinations were limited as forest closures remained in place due to fire danger. U.S. Forest Service officials announced the closures in June of the Coconino, Kaibab, Apache-Sitgreaves, Tonto and Prescott national forests. Forest officials cited the ongoing wildfires, dry conditions and lack of manpower as reasons for the closures.
And despite a tradition of setting off fireworks around the holiday, fire officials were appealing to the public not to use them. With an intense wildfire season in full swing and the risk of burn injuries, they say it’s best to leave fireworks to the experts.
Follow coverage of the Fourth of July in Arizona here.
4:45 p.m. Sunday: Flash flood warnings in Gila, Pima and Navajo counties
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning on Sunday afternoon for portions of Gila, Pima and Navajo counties due to heavy rain.
Just after 4 p.m., doppler readings showed thunderstorms ushering heavy rain through eastern and southern portions of the state, with up to three inches reported in some areas.
Flash flood warnings were issued for Gila County at the Mescal Fire burn scar, specifically between mileposts 259 and 268 along U.S. 70. The warning is in effect until 7:15 p.m.
Similar flood warnings are expected at the burn scars from the Griffin and Copper Canyon Fires, also in Gila County. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin on U.S. 60 between mile posts 256 and 265 until 8:15 pm.
Small stream flooding is expected to occur in Sahuarita, Green Valley and East Sahuarita in central Pima County until 7:30 p.m.
Streams and drainages on the Fort Apache Reservation in Navajo County are expected to experience flooding through 6:30 p.m. This includes Salt Creek, Carrizo Creek, Canyon Creek, Oak Creek, Jumpoff Canyon, Day School Wash, Mud Creek, Cibecue Creek and Spring Creek.
— Monica D. Spencer
12:30 p.m. Sunday: Flash flood warnings in southeastern Arizona
As southeastern Arizona continued to see heavy rainfall Sunday afternoon, the National Weather Service issued flash flood advisories and warnings through 3:15 p.m.
Doppler readings around 12 p.m. showed heavy rain from thunderstorms moving through Cochise County, producing 1 to 1.5 inches of rain.
Flash flooding and urban flooding were ongoing or expected to begin soon in southwestern and central Cochise County.
Cities and towns that could see flooding include Sierra Vista, Whetstone, Huachuca City, Fort Huachuca and Hereford. Flooding could also impact regional parks, including Parker Canyon Lake, Ramsey Canyon Preserve, Coronado National Memorial and Chiricahua National Monument.
Flash floods can be life-threatening. Weather officials advise visitors and residents to remain alert for flooding, including in areas where rain is not actively falling.
— Monica D. Spencer
10:30 a.m. Sunday: Phoenix sets new daily rainfall record
Phoenix saw 0.26 inch of rainfall on Saturday, breaking its previous daily record of 0.22 inch of rainfall set in 1927, according to the National Weather Service in Phoenix.
The daily record fell short, however, of breaking this year’s highest rainfall total of 0.29 inch on Jan. 25, according to the weather service, meteorologist Isaac Smith.
Areas across north-central Phoenix saw between 0.50 to 0.75 inch of rainfall on Saturday, Smith said. Other areas across northwest Phoenix metro saw more than an inch of rainfall, including near Sun City West measuring 1.42 inches of rain, Smith said.
Flooding occurred in some areas with wildfire burn scars, such as Globe, according to Smith.
“We’ve not been made aware of any significant damage,” Smith said. “It was just a nice rain here for the Phoenix metro, a well-needed rain.”
There was a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms in metro Phoenix on Sunday with increased chances in higher terrain areas to the east, Smith said.
Drier conditions were expected heading into the new week with temperatures around 110 degrees on Tuesday, according to Smith. Chances of rain throughout the week were low but could possibly increase by the weekend, Smith said.
“It’s been a relatively cool week this week … but now as we head into this week we’ll see those temperatures climb back up again around 110 degrees so people need to remember to stay cool and stay hydrated,” Smith said.
— Chelsea Curtis
Multiple power outages occurred across the state on Saturday, at one point impacting more than an estimated 6,000 customers between Arizona Public Service and Salt River Project as of 7:50 p.m.
The power outage map for APS listed nine outages in metro Phoenix in areas near Sun City West, Buckeye and Peoria and Fountain Hills.
There was also one outage in northeastern Arizona, northwestern Arizona and southeastern Arizona each on Saturday evening, according to the map.
SRP’s outage map showed customers impacted mostly in the Phoenix area and near Tonto National Forest, but most of the customers’ power had been restored by about 8 p.m.
— Audrey Jensen
7 p.m. Saturday: Flash flood warning issued for Maricopa County
A flash flood warning was issued for Maricopa County until 11:15 p.m. Saturday, weather officials said.
At 6:10 p.m., Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated thunderstorms with heavy rain across the area.
Between 0.5 and 2 inches of rain have fallen and additional rainfall amounts of 0.5 to 1.5 inches were possible in the area, according to weather officials.
Flash flooding was ongoing or was expected to start soon. Impacts of flash flooding produced by thunderstorms included life-threatening flash flooding of creeks, streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses.
Locations that could experience flash flooding included Phoenix, Glendale, Peoria, Surprise, Sun City West, Wittmann, Sun City, Circle City, Beardsley, Surprise Stadium and Vistancia.
Highways impacted included U.S. 60 between Morristown and Wittmann, State Route 303 near Sun City West, State Route 74 in the area southwest of Lake Pleasant, and Interstate 17 just south of Black Canyon City.
Weather officials said precautionary steps people can take include turning around when encountering flooded roads and reporting observed flooding to local emergency services and request that they pass the information to the National Weather Service when people can safely call.
— Audrey Jensen
6 p.m. Saturday: Dust storm warnings issued for Maricopa, Pinal counties
A dust storm warning was issued for Maricopa and Pinal counties until 6:45 p.m. Saturday, according to officials.
At about 5:41 p.m., dust was blowing near Interstate 10 and State Route 347. There was less than a quarter-mile visibility with strong wind in excess of 40 mph, officials said.
Travel could be life-threatening. Highways impacted included I-10 between near Guadalupe and Sweet Water Village.
— Audrey Jensen
5:45 p.m. Saturday: MCSO asks public to use non-emergency line for fireworks violations
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office was asking the public to use its non-emergency number to report fireworks violations instead of calling 911, the office said on Saturday.
The request from the Sheriff’s Office came after officials requested the public avoid setting off their own fireworks during Fourth of July celebrations this year due to the intense wildfire season and risk of burn injuries and damage to property.
An influx of 911 calls for fireworks can delay response for someone in an emergency, the office said. Anyone with an emergency can call 911.
To report fireworks violations, anyone can contact the non-emergency number at 602-876-1011.
— Audrey Jensen
5:30 p.m. Saturday: Significant weather advisories issued for Gila, Maricopa counties
Significant weather advisories were issued for Gila County until 5:30 p.m. and Maricopa County until 6 p.m. on Saturday, according to weather officials.
At about 5:11 p.m., Doppler radar tracked a strong thunderstorm over Wickenburg, moving southwest at 15 mph. Doppler radar also tracked strong thunderstorm outflow winds along a line extending from near Sycamore Creek to Camp Creek to 6 miles west of Cave Creek to 7 miles southwest of Castle Hot Springs.
New thunderstorm development was possible with the outflow, officials said. Possible winds in excess of 40 mph and reduced visibilities below 4 miles were possible with the storms.
Locations impacted through 5:30 p.m. included Phoenix, Glendale, Scottsdale, Peoria, Surprise, Fountain Hills, Sugarloaf Mountain, New River, Sycamore Creek, Sun City West, Ballantine Trailhead, Circle City, Round Valley, Wittmann, Sunflower, Sun City, Cave Creek, Carefree, Deer Valley Airport and Arrowhead Mall.
Locations impacted until 6 p.m. included Wickenburg, Circle City and Morristown.
Highways impacted through 5:30 p.m. included Interstate 17 between northern Phoenix and Black Canyon City, State Route 51 in the Paradise Valley Village area and U.S. Highway 60 between Wittmann and Sun City West. Highways impacted until 6 p.m. included State Route 74 near Morristown and Highway 60 between Aguila and Wittmann.
— Audrey Jensen
2 p.m. Saturday: Flash flooding in southern Arizona
Monsoon weather picked up across southern Arizona on Saturday as flash flood advisories began to go into effect at around 11 a.m., and chances of storms increased in the Phoenix Metro Area.
By Saturday afternoon, the flash flood warnings affected areas in Sierra Vista into eastern Santa Cruz County and between Green Valley to Three Points area west to Kitt Peak, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Emily Carpenter.
Flooding from Friday night swept away two women sometime after 8 p.m. while they were at a bank near Cascabel and Leyenda Lane, according to Cochise County Sheriff’s Office.
One of the women got out of the water and went for help while the other, who was 77 years old, was last seen hanging onto a branch, the sheriff’s office explained.
At 7:40 a.m. Saturday, the Search and Rescue team found the 77-year-old alive and trapped in mud, according to the Sheriff’s office.
The weather service expected flood warnings and advisories to be in place until early Sunday evening, according to Carpenter.
Chances of rain returning in the late evening and bringing back flooding into the area were between 50% to 75%, Carpenter said.
In Phoenix, chances for rain and storms increased up to 60% by the late afternoon, according to National Weather Service Meteorologist Isaac Smith.
Flash flooding could hit the Phoenix area, especially in the east towards Globe and in the burn scars, as moisture from the storms in southern Arizona moves in, Smith explained.
On Independence Day, the highest chances of rain and storms in Phoenix would hover around 30% during the evening, Smith said.
“If you are going to go out have a plan to be able to get to shelter quickly,” Carpenter warned,” If you’re encountering flash flooding when you’re out and about, we’re saying ‘turn around don’t drown, find another way, wait it out.'”
— Miguel Torres
A three-vehicle crash at the Loop 202 and 17th Avenue sent four people to the hospital early Saturday morning.
A 25-year-old man was taken to the hospital as an immediate patient in “extremely critical” condition, while a 16-year-old boy was taken as an immediate patient in critical condition, according to Phoenix Fire Department spokesman Capt. Todd Keller.
An 18-year-old man and a 19-year-old man were both transported as delayed patients in stable condition, Keller said.
One of the patients had to be extricated from their vehicle, Keller said.
The freeway was closed Saturday morning as the investigation, led by the Arizona Department of Public Safety, continued.
— BrieAnna J. Frank
5 p.m. Friday: 5 dead, 5 injured in a 3-vehicle collision on I-10 near Tonopah
Five people died and multiple people were injured following a three-vehicle crash involving a tractor-trailer on Interstate 10 near Tonopah, according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
The crash occurred around 1:20 p.m. on Friday in the eastbound lanes of I-10 at milepost 82, DPS said.
A tractor-trailer was in the second lane when it rear-ended a Nissan Altima with five people on board. The force of the collision caused the Nissan to split in half. All five passengers were pronounced dead at the scene, according to DPS officials.
The tractor-trailer continued eastbound until it collided with an SUV containing a mother and her four children. All five passengers have been taken to several Valley hospitals with serious injuries.
The driver of the tractor-trailer was not injured.
The left eastbound lane was open, but the Arizona Department of Transportation advised drivers to expect heavy traffic.
— Michael Donohue
3:30 p.m. Friday: Wildfire closes portion of highway leading to Roosevelt Lake
A wildfire has closed a 14-mile stretch of State Route 88 west of Roosevelt Lake, severing an entry route for popular recreation areas east of metro Phoenix in south-central Arizona.
There was no projected reopening time for portions of the highway between Roosevelt Lake on the east and below Apache Lake on the west, the state Department of Transportation said Friday.
The lightning-caused fire was reported Wednesday near Horse Mesa Dam and Apache Lake and was estimated to have burned 1.4 square miles of brush and grass as of Friday.
12:30 p.m. Friday: Many Americans expected to travel for the holiday
More Americans are expected to hit the road and travel during the extended Fourth of July holiday weekend after last year’s COVID-19 shutdown, according to the American Auto Club.
More than 47 million Americans are expected to travel during the holiday, a 40% increase from the year before, the release stated.
Travel volumes are expected to nearly fully recover to pre-pandemic levels, the auto club said in a recent news release. Independence Day travel will see the second-highest volume on record, trailing only 2019 when there were 48.9 million travelers.
In Arizona, about 856,000 people are expected to travel during this year’s holiday.
- 749,621 to travel by automobile.
- 91,166 to travel by airplane.
- 15,262 to travel by another means, such as a bus or train.
“We saw strong demand for travel around Memorial Day and the kick-off of summer, and all indications now point to a busy Independence Day with travel in full swing this summer,” Aldo Vazquez, AAA Arizona spokesperson, said in the release.
— Mike Cruz
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