Storms trigger evacuations across Southwest

A series of Pacific storm systems dumped nearly two months of rain on the Southwest in 48 hours, triggering mandatory evacuations and historic river forecasts in four states.

The weather service issued flood warnings for nearly all of Arizona, parts of southern Utah, southwestern Colorado, and western New Mexico. The heavy precipitation began Saturday evening and continued through Sunday. In Pagosa Springs, Colorado, the San Juan River was forecast to crest at 21.9 feet late Sunday night. This level exceeds the 17.8 foot peak from the 1911 flood that destroyed much of the town. Archuleta County officials declared the event potentially catastrophic. By sundown on Sunday, the river had reached 14 feet. Roads in and out of the town closed, and the highway entering the community allowed only outbound traffic for evacuees.

In Sedona, Arizona, officials ordered residents near Oak Creek to leave immediately as floodwaters rose. Multiple people were trapped in their homes, and state air rescue crews assisted with rooftop evacuations. At least 100 homes fell within the evacuation zone. In Tucson, flash floods and river flooding required swift boat rescues. Flagstaff saw nonstop rainfall that overwhelmed storm drains and forced the closure of several roads. In New Mexico, San Juan County issued evacuation alerts for anyone within a half-mile of the Animas, La Plata, and San Juan rivers on Sunday afternoon. The county office urged residents to move to higher ground as the San Juan River was expected to rise overnight.

The financial impact extends beyond immediate rescue costs. New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham stated that the presidential disaster declaration approved last week does not include funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency public assistance program. This program reimburses local and tribal governments for up to 75% of debris cleanup and emergency protection costs. State officials said that at least 10,000 homes remained underwater in San Juan County following flooding along the San Juan and Animas rivers. The governor's office noted that other federally declared disasters in the state automatically included this public assistance. Without it, counties and tribal governments must cover the costs of emergency response and cleanup.

Officials in La Plata County, Colorado, closed all public roads due to flooding. In Pagosa Springs, town officials advised residents to leave low-lying areas before emergency crews became limited. A local chef reported that downtown had been evacuated and that street flooding was present. She expressed concern that the single bridge into town might wash out, preventing trucks from delivering food and fuel. The weather service predicted the wet conditions would saturate the region through Monday. Forecasters in Maryland described the system as vigorous with significant moisture, noting that the rain would move eastward to bring precipitation to other parts of the country.