Flood watches blanket Arizona because of tropical moisture

By The Associated Press

Flood watches have been issued for all of Arizona, including metro Phoenix and Tucson, effective from late Tuesday morning until late Wednesday evening. The National Weather Service said increasing tropical moisture will produce showers and thunderstorms capable of producing heavy rainfall, with the threat increasing Tuesday afternoon and continuing into Wednesday. Forecasters said locally heavy rainfall of up to 2 inches per hour combined with saturated ground will likely result in flash flooding in normally dry washes, small streams and poor drainage areas. Low-water crossings are particularly vulnerable to flooding while burn scars from past wildfires are a particular concern.