Southwest faces additional round of severe weather, flash flooding after rare Tornado Watches

THE TAKEAWAY 

Another round of dangerous severe weather will shift eastward and develop over New Mexico Friday afternoon after storms triggered flash flooding and evacuations across parts of the Four Corners region Thursday. 

SEVERE WEATHER THREAT TARGETS FOUR CORNERS AS NEW MEXICO SEES ITS FIRST TORNADO WATCH IN 28 YEARS

The severe storms will move away from Arizona and Utah, giving both states a break as an upper-level low shifts east into New Mexico. 

A 2 out of 5 severe weather threat covers much of central New Mexico, with large, damaging hail as the primary concern. A few tornadoes are also possible.

A 2 out of 4 flash flood threat is also in place, with rainfall rates potentially exceeding 2 to 3 inches per hour, raising concerns for localized flash flooding.

Flash flooding struck parts of Utah again Thursday, including the town of Hurricane, where floodwaters inundated several areas.

Residents living near Gould Wash were ordered to evacuate immediately as floodwaters inundated the area.

WHAT IS A SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORM?

The heavy rainfall transformed the typically dry landscape, turning the streets into rushing waterways.

Severe weather began Wednesday, bringing powerful wind gusts, hail and widespread flash flooding that continued into Thursday. The storms also prompted two rare Tornado Watches across the region.

Arizona saw a Tornado Watch on Wednesday for the first time since October 2010, followed by another on Thursday. In New Mexico, a Tornado Watch was issued for the first time since 1998.

The National Weather Service crews will survey damage from a suspected tornado that struck Heber, Arizona on Wednesday, as severe storms moved through the area. Fire officials said 1 person was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The storms also produced powerful wind gusts, including a 72-mph gust recorded in Flagstaff.

Beyond the severe storms, flash flooding was reported across Arizona and southern Utah. 

HOW HIGH PRESSURE AND LOW PRESSURE DRIVE THE WEATHER

Farther south, in Northern Arizona, the Moenkopi Wash near Tuba City, reached a record-high level. The previous record stood at 29.79 feet, but by 7 p.m. ET Thursday, the water level had climbed to 32.48 feet, nearly 3 feet above the previous record.

Check back for updates on this developing story.