Flash floods are exactly what the name suggests: floods that happen in a flash.
And with plenty of washes surrounded by high ground, Fountain Hills is susceptible to flood danger.
Flash floods generally develop within a few hours of a storm and can occur miles from where the heaviest rain falls. Urbanized areas are especially prone to flash floods. The large amounts of concrete and asphalt surfaces make it difficult for water to penetrate the soil, or in areas like Fountain Hills an abundance of washes are natural drainage areas that the town has grown around.
