Heavy rainfall triggered flash flooding and mandatory evacuations across the Southwest on Sunday, with a tourist town in Colorado preparing for its main river to reach historic levels. Residents in the normally arid region are facing another significant drenching.
Officials in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, a town of over 2,000 residents in the Rockies, warned of potentially "catastrophic flooding" as the San Juan River was forecast to crest at more than 20 feet (6.1 meters) late Sunday night. This level is higher than the approximately 17.8 feet (5.4 meters) recorded during the devastating 1911 flood that significantly impacted the town.
By Sunday evening, the river's crest had reached about 14 feet (4.2 meters), according to Vicky Schaffer, a spokesperson for Archuleta County. Roads leading into and out of Pagosa Springs were closed, and residents not under evacuation orders were urged to remain home.
Meanwhile, communities in northern New Mexico and central Arizona also issued mandatory evacuations due to swollen rivers and creeks, forcing the closure of several highways. In Sedona, Arizona, residents near Oak Creek were ordered to evacuate immediately as floodwaters trapped people in their homes. Similar orders were issued for residents near rivers and creeks in Yavapai County and the community of Camp Verde.
Further south, in Gila County, the entire community of Gisela, which has several hundred residents along Tonto Creek, was ordered to evacuate. Tucson, Arizona, experienced flash floods and river flooding that necessitated swift boat rescues. "We are getting two or three months of rain in a span of a couple of days," said Aaron Hardin, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Tucson.
Flagstaff, Arizona, saw nearly continuous rain on Sunday, leading to flooded local roads and overwhelmed storm drains. Authorities were searching for a man who reportedly slipped and fell into fast-moving floodwaters and was not seen resurfacing.
In the Pinetop-Lakeside area of central Arizona, manhole covers were dislodged by flooding, and residents reported sewage backing up into homes. The heavy rains, fueled by a series of Pacific storm systems, began Saturday evening and were expected to continue through Monday. The weather service estimated that as much as 4 inches (10 centimeters) of rain could fall across the region.
Flood warnings and watches were issued by the weather service for nearly all of Arizona, and parts of southern Utah, southwestern Colorado, and western New Mexico, including the Four Corners region. The weather service office in Salt Lake City cautioned that previous storms had already saturated areas like Zion and Capitol Reef National Parks, increasing the risk of flooding and making backcountry roads impassable.
Officials in Pagosa Springs advised residents in low-lying areas along the San Juan, Rio Blanco, Navajo, and Piedra rivers to evacuate to a designated shelter. They urged residents not to delay their departures, as emergency crews might have limited availability during the peak of the storm. The highway into town was closed to inbound traffic, and contact with the San Juan River was discouraged due to sewage discharge.
Katie German, owner of Bruin Coffee in Pagosa Springs, reported street flooding in the evacuated downtown area and expressed concern about the town's sole bridge being washed out, potentially cutting off vital supplies.
In La Plata County, west of Pagosa Springs, all public roads were closed due to flooding. Evacuations were also ordered in Durango, Colorado, where the Animas River was rising rapidly.
In Sedona, resident Michelle Grimm described seeing floodwaters from Oak Creek rising dangerously close to a pedestrian bridge. Videos shared by the Sedona Fire Department depicted powerful floodwaters submerging vehicles and rushing past homes. By Sunday afternoon, the heavy rains had largely subsided in the Sedona area.
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs stated that state air rescue crews were assisting with rooftop evacuations, and state transportation crews were involved in clearing debris. David McAtee, a spokesperson for Yavapai County, reported that no injuries or deaths had occurred, though nearly 20 homes required residents to be relocated with emergency assistance.