On 29 August 2026, at approximately 2:30 p.m. MST, a major flash flood surged through Bright Angel Creek at Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona.

As of 8/31/2026 – the flood killed at least 2 people, while about 15 were reported missing, and 62 were rescued.

Causes

The flood occurred during a convergence of various environmental conditions including the Arizona monsoon, super El Niño, a marine heatwave, Tropical Storm Iselle, and an inland heat dome pulling in storms and moisture from the Pacific Ocean, resulting in atmospheric moisture levels being 5-15% higher than average across the Western United States. Hours before the flood, two storm systems and four waves of rainfall moved into the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, with rains of up to 1 inch per hour being observed. Previously in 2025, the North Rim was consumed by the Dragon Bravo Fire, which destroyed vegetation and had dried the land into an impermeable, clay-like surface incapable of absorbing water. At the time of the flood, the downpour had intensified to two-thirds of an inch in a quarter of an hour. The heavy rainfall combined with the steep, rocky canyon terrain caused water to funnel down into the narrow Bright Angel Creek, water levels rising over 5 feet in 10 minutes.

From Wikipedia