Flash Floods
From roughly June through September, the monsoon brings the rain our deserts depend on — and the most underestimated hazard we respond to. A dry wash can become a wall of moving water in minutes, fed by a storm you never saw, miles away. More people die in their vehicles than anywhere else. The rule is simple: Turn Around, Don't Drown.
Know before it rises.
Why monsoon flash floods catch people — and the one rule that keeps you out of the water: Turn Around, Don’t Drown.
How flash floods catch people
Clear skies overhead
The storm that floods your wash may be over the mountains miles away, out of sight and earshot. Water funnels downstream and arrives fast in places where it isn't even raining. Never judge the danger by the sky directly above you.
Six inches will move you
Just six inches of fast-moving water can knock an adult off their feet, and a foot or two will float and sweep away most vehicles — including trucks and SUVs. Moving water also hides washed-out road beneath it; you can't see what you're driving into.
No time to outrun it
A trickle can become a torrent faster than you can cross. If you're hiking a canyon or wash and the weather turns, get to high ground early — don't wait to confirm it's flooding. Once it's moving, it's already too late to beat it.
Turn Around, Don't Drown
Most flash-flood deaths are preventable. These habits keep you out of the water in the first place — which is exactly where we want you.
- Never drive into a flooded crossing — not even a familiar one, not even if a vehicle ahead made it. Turn around and find another way. No destination is worth it.
- Obey barricades — if a wash or road is barricaded, it's closed for a reason. Driving around it is illegal in Arizona and can leave you stranded or worse.
- Get out of and away from washes when storms threaten — don't camp, park, or rest in a dry wash during monsoon season, and move to high ground at the first sign of rain upstream.
- Check the forecast and watches — know before you go. A Flash Flood Watch means conditions are right; a Warning means it's happening — act immediately.
- If your vehicle stalls in rising water — abandon it and get to high ground if you safely can. Vehicles can be replaced.
Caught out, or see someone in the water? Call 911
Do not enter floodwater to attempt a rescue yourself — it's how would-be rescuers become victims. Call 911, keep eyes on the person from a safe distance, and let our swiftwater team respond. There is never a charge for a rescue.