Updated 11:30 p.m. MST, Sept. 16, 2026: The Flood Watch for the West Valley and most of Maricopa County expired at 11 p.m. Wednesday. The National Weather Service extended the watch until 5 a.m. Thursday only for eastern areas including the Rio Verde and Salt River zone, Tonto Basin, Superior and parts of Gila County.
Surprise, Peoria, Glendale, Goodyear, Buckeye, Avondale, Sun City West, Wickenburg, Wittmann and Tonopah are no longer included in the watch. No Phoenix-area Flash Flood Warning was active late Wednesday.
Standing water, damaged pavement and flowing washes can remain hazardous after an alert expires. Drivers should continue to avoid flooded roads and barricaded crossings.
Wednesday storms prompted multiple warnings
NWS Phoenix issued a Flash Flood Warning for parts of Peoria and north Phoenix at 2:13 p.m. Wednesday after radar indicated 1 to 2 inches of rain had fallen. The warned area included portions of Phoenix, Peoria, New River and Anthem, along with the Agua Fria River, New River, Skunk Creek, Beardsley Canal and nearby washes. That warning expired at 5:15 p.m.
Several Flash Flood Warnings were active across Maricopa County during Wednesday’s storms. Arizona’s Family reported water rescues and flooded roads elsewhere in the county, including a closure on State Route 238 southwest of the Valley.
The day’s Flood Watch warned that stronger storms could produce rainfall rates above 1 to 2 inches per hour. Repeated storms over the same location can create dangerous runoff even when nearby neighborhoods receive much less rain.
Watch continues east of the Valley
In a 10:49 p.m. update, NWS Phoenix extended the watch through 5 a.m. Thursday for eastern forecast zones. Those areas include Rio Verde and the Salt River, the Tonto Basin, Superior, Globe-Miami and mountain areas east of metropolitan Phoenix. The extension does not include the West Valley.
Storm chances fall Thursday
In its Wednesday afternoon forecast discussion, NWS Phoenix said shower and thunderstorm activity would diminish overnight. Rain chances are expected to drop substantially Thursday and end Friday as drier air moves into the lower deserts.
Residents should check NWS Phoenix and local road closures before traveling through areas that received heavy rain.
Watch and warning are different
A Flood Watch means conditions could support flooding across a broad area. A Flash Flood Warning is issued for a more specific area when dangerous flooding is occurring or expected soon. Warning boundaries and expiration times can change as storms develop.
Featured image: Editorial illustration generated for West Valley Post. It does not depict a specific observed storm.
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