PHOENIX – Tropical moisture surging into the Southwest late last week led to flash flooding in Arizona and New Mexico, sweeping away cars and leading to water rescues.
According to the National Weather Service office in Phoenix, powerful storms moved through the Phoenix area on Sunday, producing winds of more than 60 mph, hail and very heavy rainfall.
The Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport recorded 1.96 inches of rain Sunday, the fourth-highest, one-day rainfall total for October. Already this month, Sky Harbor has seen more than 3 inches of rain, according to the NWS.
A person is lifted out of floodwaters during dangerous flooding in Maricopa County, Arizona.
(Goodyear Fire Department / FOX Weather)
The Goodyear Fire Department responded to a water rescue Sunday, along with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, when floodwaters swept a vehicle downstream.
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The video showed a rescue crew member jumping down from the sheriff’s office helicopter to save the trapped person. As the water continued to rush by, the first responder and the driver were lifted to safety.
Fire officials said the driver was unharmed.
Drier weather is expected to return to south-central Arizona this week after days of heavy rain.
