(January 21, 2010 – 7:10 p.m.)  Heavy rainfall across Arizona this week has caused the following road closures due to significant runoff and flood conditions in many creeks and rivers of Gila County.

In Globe: Six Shooter Canyon Road; the bridge just past Pueblo Heights Trailer Park; Silver Hills; Orient Street: Hoopes Drive & Adobe Road.

In Roosevelt, Campaign Wash is closed.

In Payson all crossings along Houston Mesa Road are closed.

In Star Valley: the corner of Moonlight & Rainbow;

In Pine: Pine Creek @ South Road and Pine Creek @ Bradshaw;

In Middle Round Valley: Gibson Ranch Road

Hwy 260 east of Star Valley and Hwy 87 north of Pine are open to 4 wheel drive or chains only.

An evacuation order is in effect for low lying areas along Tonto Creek in Tonto Basin.  A Red Cross shelter is now open for evacuees at the Tonto Basin School at 445 S. Old Highway 188, Punkin Center.

All crossings along Tonto Creek in Tonto Basin are barricaded closed.  Do not attempt to cross barricaded or flooded roads.  Flood waters running over normally dry creek beds are extremely treacherous.  Just 1 foot of water can sweep vehicles off the road.

Continuing rain will likely increased flooding due to ground saturation.  Residents in communities along rivers, creeks and washes should closely monitor weather radio.

The Gila County Emergency Management HOTLINE will post information as events occur. Call:  1-928-402-8888 or 1-800-304-4452 extension 8888.

An eyewitness is reporting to NAZ Today that some power lines are down on the east side of Flagstaff near Country Club Estates and are still live.  If you encounter downed power lines, APS advises that you call 9-1-1 and stay as far away from the lines as possible.  If power lines fall on your vehicle, do not attempt to exit the vehicle until firefighters instruct you to do so.

As of 9 PM Monday, the National Weather Service is reporting that Flagstaff has received 15-21 inches of snow.  An additional 6-12 inches of snow is possible overnight, along with winds gusting to 70 miles per hour in Flagstaff, with locally higher gusts east of the San Francisco Peaks. South of Flagstaff, parts of this storm have prompted five Severe Thunderstorm Warnings across the Metro Phoenix area, moving into central and southern Gila Counties at around 50 miles per hour. A Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Payson has just expired, and another Warning is in effect for Roosevelt Lake.  An eyewitness in Payson reported extremely heavy rainfall, lighting, and gusty winds at 12:15 am. These storms are moving east at 45 mph.

National Weather Service Short Term Forecast for the Flagstaff area:

SHORT TERM FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLAGSTAFF AZ
1158 PM MST MON DEC 7 2009

AZZ015-016-080800-
WESTERN MOGOLLON RIM-EASTERN MOGOLLON RIM-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...FLAGSTAFF...WILLIAMS...MUNDS PARK...
HEBER...HAPPY JACK...FOREST LAKES
1158 PM MST MON DEC 7 2009

.NOW...
VERY STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS ARE MOVING UP ON TO THE MOGOLLON RIM
SUSTAINED WINDS FROM 30 TO 50 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 70 MPH CAN
BE EXPECTED. THE STRONG WINDS HAVE MADE IT INTO WEST FLAGSTAFF AND
SHOULD OVER SPREAD THE CITY BY 1230 AM MST. THE WINDS COMBINED
WITH THE HEAVY SNOW WILL CAUSE ZERO VISIBILITY AND CONSIDERABLE
DRIFTING OF SNOW MAKING ROADS IMPASSIBLE THROUGH 200 TO 400 AM
MST.

Stay with NAZToday.com as we continue to track this winter storm event.