Rains flooded the washes, and drivers risked crossing them

For people driving through Tucson and nearby communities, the rain from the remnants of Hurricane Polo turned normally dry washes and low water crossings into immediate hazards. In Marana, drivers encountered flowing water at Yuma Mine Wash and Hartman Lane, while flooding near Red Rock and Pinal Air Park caused a rescue call and road closures. The incidents underscored a familiar desert danger: Water does not have to be deep, or falling directly overhead, to sweep a vehicle off the road.

At Yuma Mine Wash, some drivers turned around or waited, while others attempted to cross. Pima County sheriff’s deputies eventually arrived, blocked the road and made clear that vehicles should not enter the flowing water. A package delivery driver, Claudia Conde, said she would not take the risk, particularly because water can strengthen suddenly and behave unpredictably. She urged drivers to turn around rather than assume a crossing is safe because it appears shallow.

Hartman Lane in Marana presented a different scene. The water there was not as deep, but a roadside sign warned drivers not to enter while the road was flooded. Despite the warning, motorists continued through, including drivers who approached a Department of Public Safety trooper stationed in view of the crossing. About 10 people received tickets. David Moore, one of the drivers, argued that the water was too shallow for citations and said he intended to challenge his ticket in court. He also questioned whether the warning sign should have been removed earlier and whether drivers who turned around were treated consistently.

Residents who live near flood prone roads described a problem that goes beyond a single storm. Yvonne Toussaint, who has lived in her neighborhood for 34 years, said signs regularly warn of road closures and flowing water, but she still wants the county to address how residents are supposed to leave when flooding blocks neighborhood routes. That tension is common in desert communities, where a road closure may protect drivers while also cutting off the only practical way in or out. Safety officials nevertheless cautioned that even a few inches of moving water can push a vehicle, and the people inside it, into danger. Depth is especially difficult to judge at night or where the road surface is hidden.

In Red Rock, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office received a swift water rescue call around 9 a.m. after a car became trapped in a rapidly flooded wash near the Interstate 10 Frontage Road. The driver escaped the vehicle and reached safety before first responders arrived. Stormtracker 4 estimated that parts of Pinal County received 1.5 to 2 inches of rain Tuesday. Nearby, heavy bursts of rain produced flooding and road closures around Pinal Air Park. Red Rock residents Erika Farrias and John Little said flooding can develop quickly when intense rain falls over a short period and collects in the area’s basin. Farrias said the weather makes her anxious enough to stay home unless travel is essential.

The rain was connected to moisture from Hurricane Polo, which had been a Category 5 storm off Mexico before its remnants moved north. Polo was expected to make landfall along the Baja California coast, while its moisture combined with a Pacific storm system over Arizona. Moisture from the remnants of another system, Odalys, was also contributing to the broader storm pattern. Forecasters said the most active period was expected overnight into Tuesday morning, creating a risk that rain would continue into the morning commute in Tucson and other Southern Arizona communities.

A flood watch for southeast Arizona, including metro Tucson, was scheduled to run from 11 a.m. Monday through 11 p.m. Tuesday. Forecasters put the Tucson area’s rain chances at 80 percent Monday night and again Tuesday, with temperatures falling into the low 80s by midweek. The National Weather Service said abundant moisture and storms that linger or repeatedly pass over the same areas could increase flooding from Tuesday morning into the evening. Rainfall predictions varied, from a few hundredths of an inch to around half an inch in many places, with locally higher amounts in elevated terrain. The estimates were not measurements, and small shifts in storm location could determine whether a neighborhood received modest rain or saw streets and washes fill.

The greatest concern was not limited to places receiving rain at that moment. Storms upstream can send water into washes, drainage channels, low water crossings and highway underpasses with little warning, while hard desert ground absorbs water slowly. Burn scar areas also face elevated risk because wildfire stripped vegetation can allow water and debris to move quickly. The guidance for motorists remained direct: turn around and do not drown. Residents were advised to avoid flooded roads, check routes before leaving, keep children away from washes and retention basins, and move to higher ground if a flash flood warning was issued. Floodwater may contain sewage, hazardous waste and debris, and people with open wounds were advised to avoid contact or protect them with waterproof bandages. Clearer, drier weather was expected Wednesday as high pressure moved in, but until then, Tucson area drivers were urged to treat every flooded crossing as impassable.