AZ Monsoon: Flash Flood Watch Issued For Phoenix; NWS

PHOENIX, AZ — The first prolonged rainfall of the monsoon is expected to reach the Valley beginning tomorrow afternoon.

That's the verdict from the National Weather Service, which has issued a flash flood warning for Phoenix, running from 2 p.m. Tuesday through 11 a.m. Wednesday.

The first round of moisture will hit the higher elevation regions north and east of Phoenix Monday, with a 40-50 percent chance of rain in Gila County, compared to a 20 percent chance in the Valley, the service said.

Tuesday's storms will begin over high terrain before pushing southwest into the Valley, bringing damaging winds, blowing dust and heavy rainfall with them.

Clusters of storms may persist in the Valley on Wednesday morning across the Phoenix metropolitan area west toward Yuma, the service said.

Rain chances for the Valley are greater than 50 percent Tuesday and Wednesday.