5,320 flood insurance claims·$62.6M paid·21,864 policies in force
4 flood alerts from the National Weather Service, checked just now. Whole U.S. →
WHAT. Flooding caused by upstream dam releases continues.
WHERE. Maricopa County in south central Arizona...
WHEN. Until 200 AM MST Monday.
IMPACTS. Flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations is occurring. Low-water crossings are inundated with water and may not be passable.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS. - At 721 AM MST, upstream floodgate release from Tempe Town Lake and continued releases from Granite Reef Dam farther upstream has lead to flooding in the warned area. A US Army Corps of Engineers streamflow gauge on the Gila River showed the flow near Old US 80 was around 1900 cfs. Another automated gauge reported that the current pool elevation of Painted Rock Lake was around 571 feet. - Flooding is occurring along the Gila River. - Some locations that will experience flooding include... Goodyear, Painted Rock Dam, Liberty, Phoenix International Raceway and Arlington. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood
What to do.
Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles.
Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.
WHAT. Flooding caused by upstream dam releases continues.
WHERE. Maricopa County in south central Arizona...
WHEN. Until 1100 PM MST Sunday.
IMPACTS. Flooding of the Salt River below Granite Reef Dam is occurring. Flooding of low water crossings across the Salt River upstream of Tempe Town Lake, including McKellips Road, is occurring.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS. - At 717 AM MST, dam operators reported around 1400 cfs was being released from Granite Reef Dam. Additionally, a streamflow gauge downstream of Granite Reef Dam measured a flow around 2000 cfs. Flooding due to a dam floodgate release will continue. - Some locations that will experience flooding include... Salt River between Granite Reef Dam and Tempe Town Lake. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood
What to do.
Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles.
Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.
Flooding is occurring. It is important to know where you are relative to streams, rivers, or creeks. Campers and hikers should avoid streams or creeks.
WHAT. Flooding caused by upstream dam release continues.
WHERE. Maricopa County in south central Arizona...
WHEN. Until 1100 AM MST Saturday.
IMPACTS. Flooding of the Salt River is occurring. Recreation on or near the Salt River will be unsafe.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS. - At 920 PM MST, an upstream floodgate release at Bartlett Dam is causing flooding in the warned area. A streamflow gauge on the Verde River near the Salt River confluence measured a flow around 2130 cfs. - Flooding is occurring along the Salt River. - Some locations that will experience flooding include... Mainly recreational areas along the river around and downstream of the Verde and Salt River confluence. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood
What to do.
Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles.
Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.
Flooding is occurring. It is important to know where you are relative to streams, rivers, or creeks. Campers and hikers should avoid streams or creeks.
WHAT. Flooding caused by upstream dam release continues.
WHERE. Maricopa County in south central Arizona...
WHEN. Until 1100 AM MST Saturday.
IMPACTS. Flooding of the Verde River between Fort McDowell and the Salt River is occurring. Recreation on or near the Verde River will be unsafe.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS. - At 919 PM MST, a streamflow gauge on the Verde River near the Salt River confluence measured a flow around 2130 cfs. - Some locations that will experience flooding include... Fort McDowell. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood
What to do.
Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles.
Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.
Flooding is occurring. It is important to know where you are relative to streams, rivers, or creeks. Campers and hikers should avoid streams or creeks.
| River gauge | Now | Forecast |
|---|---|---|
| Hassayampa River near Morristown | Major flooding (23.4 ft) | — |
| Moenkopi Wash near Tuba city | Minor flooding (28.0 ft) | Near flood stage |
| Gila River at Painted Rock Lake | Near flood stage (571.3 ft) | — |
Is your address in the flood zone? Search it above for FEMA’s zone and base flood elevation. A new flood insurance policy usually takes 30 days to start (NFIP rule; exceptions include a policy bought when closing a mortgage), so one bought during a flood generally won’t cover it. Homeowners policies don’t cover flood.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around Arizona. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
Arizona experiences a dominant flood risk characterized by frequent flash floods, which account for the vast majority of the state's recorded flood events and fatalities over the last 30 years compared to standard riverine floods.
Federal disaster declarations confirm recurring vulnerability to severe storms and flooding, including events in July 2021, July and October 2022, January 2023, and August 2024. These repeated incidents underscore the persistent threat that severe weather systems pose to communities across the state.
The distribution of National Flood Insurance Program claims indicates that residents in FEMA Zone A face the highest frequency of need, accumulating over 2,600 claims totaling $32 million. However, significant risk extends well outside high-risk special flood hazard areas. Properties in Zone X experienced nearly 1,000 claims totaling $18 million, while unknown and shaded or unshaded X zones accounted for thousands of additional claims and millions in payouts. Even Zone D recorded the highest average claim payout at over $41,000, demonstrating that unexpected flood losses can occur in unstudied or lower-risk areas where residents might not otherwise maintain coverage.
Summary generated from FEMA disaster declarations, NOAA storm events, and NFIP claim data. Updated quarterly.
Source: OpenFEMA NFIP Claims, Policies, and Disaster Declarations data. NFIP policies in force and average premium (premium plus federal policy fee) as of August 31, 2026, from OpenFEMA.
Arizona has received 346 federal disaster declarations, including 83 flood and coastal storm declarations.
NFIP claims by county, 1978 to date. Source: OpenFEMA. Counties ranked by recorded flood events →
Properties in Arizona FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas (zones A and V) with a mortgage from a federally regulated or insured lender, or a federally backed loan, are required to carry flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
Arizona had 21,864 NFIP policies in force on August 31, 2026, and the average NFIP premium was $885 a year (premium plus the federal policy fee; the reserve fund assessment and HFIAA surcharge come on top, and nationally they make actual bills about a quarter higher). Under FEMA’s Risk Rating 2.0 each building is priced on its own flood risk, so a state average says little about what any one home will pay.
Even outside high-risk zones, flood insurance is recommended. From 2014 to 2024, nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from properties outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Arizona residents can purchase flood insurance through the NFIP or private insurers.
Visit FloodSmart.gov to find an agent and get a quote.
See the most flood-prone counties in Arizona →
Select a county to view local flood zone data and disaster history:
Select a city to check flood zone information: