SHOW LOW – The White Mountains area has been under a flash flood warning since last Thursday and that warning should be lifted by noon on Monday; However, the National Weather Service in Flagstaff says you should wait for more information. In fact, the forecast calls for “scattered showers” for Wednesday and Thursday and “numerous showers” are expected to be widespread over the area on Friday, July 30th, with increased potential for flash floods on all three days.
The series of storms that began last Thursday has certainly left its mark. “Silver Creek is Silver River now,” exclaimed Tony Tangalos from White Mountain Lake, who reported that the flood left only one way into this community on Friday.
Navajo County Emergency and Preparedness issued a “Go” message to “Everyone in the Silver Creek Drainage Basin from Shumway to Taylor.” Residents in the area were told to evacuate to higher elevations at one point during the weekend and that evacuees should expect to be evacuated from the area for between one and four hours. That warning expired later on Saturday night.
The district office wrote on its Facebook page that “the water is flowing upstream at a faster rate than Silver Creek can handle,” but that the dam is not threatened. The report also found that White Mountain Lakes, Mexican Hat Lake, and Millet Swale were full. In fact, the latest report showed that Millet Swale had busted its banks at the time of going to press. Repeated calls for information to Navajo County went unanswered, but the Facebook page said that Holbrook High School was being set up as a “human shelter” and an animal shelter was being opened at the county festival site.
In contrast, Apache County Emergency Management’s Haley Nicoll manager responded to requests for information twice within two days. “We saw quite a lot of flooding in the St. Johns, Concho, and Vernon areas. We have our emergency management teams and our technology working around the clock, ”she wrote.
On Friday, July 23, the Apache County Board of Supervisors declared a state of emergency after an emergency meeting that day. The statement said the recent rains “have left many Apache County citizens stranded in their homes, denying them access to food and medical care, putting their lives and welfare at risk, damaging their homes and property, and cattle threatens to endanger “. Under Arizona law, a county can declare a state of emergency that allows state agencies to provide assistance, including personnel, equipment, and “other available resources,” usually funding.
The National Weather Service at Flagstaff estimated that rainfall in the counties during the storms was between 5 and 15 cm -Lakeside, 2.71 “, St. Johns Airport registered 2”, but the Meteorological Service found the area south of usually gets more rain there than the airport.
The forecast for Wednesday and Thursday is for “scattered showers” and on Friday, July 30th, “numerous showers” are expected to be widespread over the area with increased potential for flash floods on all three days.
Additionally, on Monday, July 26, Navajo County reported that locations where flooding will occur are Keams Canyon, Tuba City, Tselani-Cottonwood, Hard Rock, Forest Lake Chapter House, First Mesa, Low Mountain, Whippoorwill Springs, Blue Gap Chapter House are, Pinon, Polocca, Hoteville, Second Mesa and Kykotsmovi Village.
Streams and drainages affected by flooding include Moenkopi Wash, Black Mountain Wash, Cottonwood Wash, Jeddito Wash, and Polacca Wash.
Authorities urge local residents, “Turn around, don’t drown!” When you encounter flooded streets, and be aware that most deaths are from vehicle floods. Officials also urge residents to “stay away or be swept away!” When approaching streams and watercourses, as these are unstable and unsafe during floods.
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