A Flood Warning is in effect for the Little Colorado River in northern Arizona, with gauges at Woodruff, Holbrook and Winslow reporting significant rises early Friday, according to the National Weather Service in Flagstaff warning relayed by Flagscanner. Weather.com also listed a severe Flood Warning for Winslow from Friday 3:50 a.m. MDT until Saturday 4:00 a.m. MDT.
Source: Flagscanner / NWS Flagstaff warning
At Holbrook, the river was at 14.22 feet at 2:30 a.m. MST, with flood stage at 15.5 feet, and was forecast to crest at 16.41 feet at 1 p.m. MST on Friday — above flood stage. At that level the railroad bridge is affected and there is overflow on the south bank, the warning said.
Source: Flagscanner / NWS Flagstaff warning
Winslow, Woodruff and Joseph City forecasts
Near Woodruff the stage was 14.72 feet, below its 20.5-foot flood stage, with a crest of 15.28 feet expected early Friday. At Joseph City the stage was 5.93 feet, with a crest of 6.5 feet expected Friday afternoon, below its 9.0-foot flood stage. At Winslow the stage was 17.04 feet, with a crest of 17.23 feet expected at 10 a.m. MST Saturday, below its 19.0-foot flood stage but high enough that the approaches to the bridge on Navajo Route 71 near Bird Springs will flood and Leupp will be within 3 feet of flooding problems, the warning said.
Source: Flagscanner / NWS Flagstaff warning
Locations expected to experience flooding include Leupp, Bird Springs, Homolovi Ruins State Park and Clear Creek Reservoir, the warning listed. The National Weather Service Flagstaff flood watch for northern and central Arizona, including the Little Colorado River Valley in Navajo County and the cities of Winslow, Holbrook and Snowflake, had warned that flash flooding from excessive rainfall was possible in creeks, normally dry washes and low-water crossings, with deadly flooding possible over low-water crossings.
Source: National Weather Service Flagstaff
The warning stresses deadly flooding over low-water crossings. Drivers in Navajo County — including on routes near Holbrook, Winslow and Joseph City — should not drive through flooded roads and should monitor weather.gov/flagstaff for updates.
The river rises follow days of heavy rain across northern Arizona from an upper-level trough bringing subtropical and tropical moisture into the region, the NWS flood watch said. No deaths or injuries were reported in the warning reporting.
What is solid
- An NWS Flood Warning covers the Little Colorado River, with gauges at Woodruff, Holbrook and Winslow showing significant rises early Friday.
- Holbrook is forecast to crest at 16.41 feet on Friday afternoon, above its 15.5-foot flood stage, affecting the railroad bridge and causing south-bank overflow.
- Winslow is forecast to crest at 17.23 feet on Saturday morning, below flood stage, but Navajo Route 71 bridge approaches near Bird Springs are expected to flood.
What is only claimed
- Crest forecasts are NWS model forecasts in the warning, not observed final crests — actual crests may differ as gauges update.