Image
© Michael Chow/The RepublicCars are stuck in flood waters on Interstate 10 east at 43rd Avenue after monsoon rains flooded the freeway in Phoenix Sept. 8, 2014.
Record-breaking rainfall in the Valley of the Sun played havoc with early morning commuters, closed schools and caused extensive power outages. Heavy downpours early Monday morning brought freeway traffic to a crawl, closed many surface street intersections and placed the state on a flash flood watch for the rest of the day.

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport reported 3.06 inches of rain since midnight, breaking the record for the date by nearly 2 inches, Ken Waters of the National Weather Service said. It marked the wettest day on record for Phoenix since record keeping began in 1895, Waters said.

Buckeye received nearly 5 inches, according to the Maricopa County Flood Control District. The National Weather Service extended a flash flood warning until 10:30 a.m. for Maricopa, Pinal and Yavapai counties.

Interstate 17 was closed at Indian School Road and U.S. Highway 60 (Grand Avenue) was closed between 51st and 59th avenues because of heavy flooding, the Arizona Department of Transportation said.

Traffic was brought to a crawl on Interstate 10 in the Buckeye area and water was up to the hoods of several vehicles and at least 27 vehicles were stalled in the standing water at 43rd Avenue and I-10, Bart Graves of the Arizona Department of Public Safety said.

Additional images

A Valley Metro spokeswoman said bus routes were delayed by the weather as any other vehicles, but the light rail system was operating normally.

Jim Sampson said he was waved through by law enforcement officers when a wave from a passing vehicle passed over his sedan, causing it to stall.

A master scuba diver, Sampson said he waited for the water inside his vehicle to equalize the water outside before he could open his car door to get out.

An expectant mother in a Hummer said she feared for her life after her vehicle stalled. She had to be rescued from her car by strangers, including a 13-year-old boy, CBS 5 News' Christina Estes reported.

Scottsdale police reported that Indian Bend Wash had crested at several bridges and water was flooding Hayden Road at some spots.

Motorists were asked to delay their commutes because of the dangerous road conditions, Graves said

DPS officers were diverting traffic from many Valley freeways to surface streets, Graves said.

Maryvale Municipal Golf Course measured nearly 3.5 inches of rain and South Phoenix seemed to receive the brunt of the storm with several reporting stations measuring more than 3 inches.

Read rest of the article here