Alert archive / New Mexico / Flash Flood Warnings in 2026

Flash Flood Warning 111, NWS Albuquerque, NM

August 19, 2026Torrance County, Valencia County, New Mexico

NWS Albuquerque, NM issued this flash flood warning at Aug 19, 2026, 7:16 PM MDT for Torrance County, Valencia County, New Mexico. It was in force for 91 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 19, 2026, 7:16 PM MDT (01:16 UTC)
Expired
Aug 19, 2026, 8:47 PM MDT
In force
91 min
Issued by
NWS Albuquerque, NM
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Torrance County, NM, Valencia County, NM

The radar

The Albuquerque radar (KABX), 69 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:19 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Albuquerq/Krtlnd, NM (KABQ), launched 00:00Z, 1.3 hours before the alert went out and 48 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Albuquerq/Krtlnd, NM at 00:00Z on 2026-08-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 361 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Albuquerq/Krtlnd, NM at 00:00Z on 2026-08-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 27 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
361 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-1 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
3508 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
6 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
27 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
25 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Albuquerque, NM wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Aug 19, 5:40 PM MDT, 1 hour 36 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Updated at 532 PM MDT Wed Aug 19 2026
  • Some storms may turn severe over northeast and east central New Mexico this afternoon with large hail and damaging winds being the main threats.
  • Smoke from the Frijoles Fire will continue to impact air quality in the vicinity of the fire this week.
  • Moderate-to-major heat risk will impact portions of the region on most days through early next week with record-to-near-record high temperatures in some areas.
Area forecast discussion, Aug 19, 5:40 PM MDT, 1 hour 36 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED
National Weather Service Albuquerque NM
540 PM MDT Wed Aug 19 2026

...New AVIATION...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 532 PM MDT Wed Aug 19 2026

- Some storms may turn severe over northeast and east central New
  Mexico this afternoon with large hail and damaging winds being
  the main threats.

- Smoke from the Frijoles Fire will continue to impact air quality
  in the vicinity of the fire this week.

- Moderate-to-major heat risk will impact portions of the region
  on most days through early next week with record-to-near-record
  high temperatures in some areas.

&&

.SHORT TERM...
(This evening through Thursday night)
Issued at 149 PM MDT Wed Aug 19 2026

Storm coverage is expected to peak today and Thursday in the wake of
a "moist" backdoor "cold" front that entered eastern NM this morning.
Unfortunately, this "uptick" will be brief as yet another dry, hot,
and stable airmass returns by the weekend and thru most of next
week. The 18Z KABQ sounding showed a PWAT of 1.03" but a pesky
subsidence inversion is present near 500mb with heights at 598dm.
Surface dewpoints have risen into the upper 50s over northeast NM
but remain in the 30s and 40s over central and western NM. 12Z
CAMs and probabilistic QPF still shows the next 48-hrs as the
more favorable period for locally heavy rainfall over parts of
the area, except the southeast plains and the Four Corners area.
The focus for strong storms today will be over northeast NM where
the richer moisture and instability is present beneath northwest
flow aloft. Elsewhere, any storms today will be capable of strong
downburst wind gusts with small footprints of heavy rainfall. This
rainfall will act like a top-down moistening effect for the higher
QPF potential Thursday.

&&

.LONG TERM...
(Friday through Tuesday)
Issued at 149 PM MDT Wed Aug 19 2026

Friday thru Monday has trended even drier with the main storm focus
over far northern and western NM while a 598dm H5 high centers over
eastern NM. Drier upper level air will slide northwest beneath the
upper high which helps to stabilize the airmass even moreso. PWATs
are also shown falling below 0.75" in many areas. Temps continue to
rise over the weekend and early next week with readings well above
normal for most of next week. This pattern will continue to prove
challenging for firefighting efforts on any fires over the area.
This pattern will also place the 2026 monsoon season in even more
solid territory as one of the driest and hottest ever recorded for
many areas to date.

&&

.AVIATION...
(00Z TAFS)
Issued at 532 PM MDT Wed Aug 19 2026

Showers and thunderstorms will continue to move erratically
southward into nearby lowlands through this evening. Strong
outflow wind gusts >40 knots are possible with any stronger cells,
along with hail and heavy rainfall. Brief MVFR VSBYs may occur
from direct hits. The focus for a few severe storms will be over
northeast New Mexico through about 9PM. Showers are expected to
persist until roughly 3AM within central New Mexico. Partial
clearing will then occur through the early morning hours before
showers and storms return to much of the region on Thursday
afternoon and evening. Shear and instability again look sufficient
for a few strong to severe storms to develop along and east of
the central mountain chain.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
Issued at 149 PM MDT Wed Aug 19 2026

The coverage of showers and storms with locally heavy rainfall will
peak today thru Friday then chances decrease for much of the region
thru the weekend. New fire starts are still possible from lightning
strikes in dry fuels. Burn scar flooding may occur in areas with
repeated rounds of heavy rainfall the next few days. Temperatures
will be hot thru all of next week with record highs possible in some
areas. Storm chances will be low in most areas for most of next week
as well. Min humidity will fall to near 15% over localized areas of
central and western NM thru the weekend before lowering further next
week over a larger area. Overnight humidity recoveries will be fair
to good with the higher values over eastern NM.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Farmington......................  65  99  65  97 /   5  10  30   0
Dulce...........................  51  94  50  93 /  10  30  20  50
Cuba............................  59  92  58  90 /  20  30  30  10
Gallup..........................  58  92  58  91 /  30  10  10  50
El Morro........................  57  88  56  86 /  30  40  30  60
Grants..........................  59  93  59  91 /  30  20  30  40
Quemado.........................  60  88  59  88 /  30  40  30  60
Magdalena.......................  64  90  64  89 /  30  20  30  30
Datil...........................  59  86  59  85 /  20  50  30  50
Reserve.........................  58  94  57  93 /  20  50  20  40
Glenwood........................  62  97  62  98 /  20  50  20  20
Chama...........................  52  86  52  86 /  30  70  20  50
Los Alamos......................  62  89  63  90 /  40  20  30  20
Pecos...........................  58  88  57  88 /  50  50  30  40
Cerro/Questa....................  57  87  57  87 /  60  30  40  50
Red River.......................  46  80  47  83 /  60  60  40  70
Angel Fire......................  41  82  41  82 /  60  70  30  70
Taos............................  55  90  55  91 /  60  30  30  40
Mora............................  54  85  54  85 /  60  60  30  50
Espanola........................  62  96  62  97 /  40  20  30  20
Santa Fe........................  63  90  63  90 /  40  30  30  30
Santa Fe Airport................  61  93  60  93 /  40  20  30  10
Albuquerque Foothills...........  69  95  68  96 /  40  30  30  10
Albuquerque Heights.............  67  96  66  97 /  40  20  30  10
Albuquerque Valley..............  66  99  65  99 /  30  10  30   5
Albuquerque West Mesa...........  69  98  68  98 /  30  10  30   5
Belen...........................  66  99  65  98 /  30  10  30   5
Bernalillo......................  67  98  67  99 /  30  10  30  10
Bosque Farms....................  64  98  63  98 /  30  20  30   5
Corrales........................  68  99  68  99 /  30  10  30   5
Los Lunas.......................  66  98  65  98 /  30  10  30   5
Placitas........................  66  93  66  94 /  40  20  30  10
Rio Rancho......................  68  97  67  98 /  30  10  30   5
Socorro.........................  70 100  69 100 /  20  10  20   5
Sandia Park/Cedar Crest.........  61  89  61  90 /  50  40  30  30
Tijeras.........................  63  92  62  93 /  50  40  30  30
Edgewood........................  59  92  58  93 /  50  50  30  30
Moriarty/Estancia...............  57  93  55  93 /  40  40  30  20
Clines Corners..................  59  88  59  88 /  40  50  30  20
Mountainair.....................  59  91  58  92 /  30  40  40  20
Gran Quivira....................  60  90  59  90 /  30  40  40  20
Carrizozo.......................  67  94  65  93 /  30  40  30  20
Ruidoso.........................  61  85  60  85 /  20  40  20  40
Capulin.........................  56  85  57  87 /  70  30  20  10
Raton...........................  55  89  56  91 /  70  40  30  10
Springer........................  56  90  55  93 /  60  30  30  10
Las Vegas.......................  56  88  56  89 /  50  50  30  20
Clayton.........................  63  91  64  96 /  30   5  10   5
Roy.............................  60  89  60  91 /  40  20  20   0
Conchas.........................  66  96  65  99 /  30  10  20   0
Santa Rosa......................  64  92  63  94 /  40  10  30   0
Tucumcari.......................  66  96  64  99 /  20   5  20   0
Clovis..........................  67  98  67  99 /  30  10  30   5
Portales........................  67  98  67  99 /  30  10  30   5
Fort Sumner.....................  67  97  66  99 /  30  10  20   0
Roswell.........................  70 101  70 102 /  10   5  10   0
Picacho.........................  66  95  65  95 /  10  10  10   5
Elk.............................  62  93  61  93 /  10  20   5   5

&&

.ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.
&&

SHORT TERM...42
LONG TERM....42
AVIATION...23

In the hours before

Local storm report, Aug 19, 3:56 PM MDT, 3 hours 20 minutes before
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Local storm report, Aug 19, 4:00 PM MDT, 3 hours 16 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Albuquerque NM
400 PM MDT Wed Aug 19 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0303 PM     Hail             Mora                    35.97N 105.33W
08/19/2026  E1.75 Inch       Mora               NM   Broadcast Media

            Social media photo of estimated golf ball
            size hail in Mora relayed by local Broadcast
            Media.

&&

RJH
Local storm report, Aug 19, 4:34 PM MDT, 2 hours 42 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Albuquerque NM
434 PM MDT Wed Aug 19 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0215 PM     Hail             1 SSW Chacon            36.13N 105.37W
08/19/2026  E1.00 Inch       Mora               NM   Trained Spotter

            Just a few hail stones and very brief light
            rainfall.

&&

BTS
Special weather statement, Aug 19, 4:46 PM MDT, 2 hours 30 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Albuquerque NM
446 PM MDT Wed Aug 19 2026

NMZ222>224-192315-
Estancia Valley NM-Central Highlands NM-South Central Highlands
NM-
446 PM MDT Wed Aug 19 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN TORRANCE AND NORTH
CENTRAL LINCOLN COUNTIES UNTIL 515 PM MDT...

At 446 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Cedarvale, or 11 miles northwest of Corona, and is stationary.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and penny size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
  Corona and Cedarvale.

This includes Highway 60 between Mile Markers 235 and 249.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Monitor the weather situation closely and be alert for threatening
weather conditions.

&&

LAT...LON 3459 10578 3469 10579 3471 10553 3424 10551
      3424 10576
TIME...MOT...LOC 2246Z 0DEG 0KT 3434 10577

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH

Shoemake
Local storm report, Aug 19, 4:52 PM MDT, 2 hours 24 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Albuquerque NM
452 PM MDT Wed Aug 19 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0451 PM     Hail             Storrie Lake State Park 35.66N 105.24W
08/19/2026  E1.00 Inch       San Miguel         NM   Park/Forest Srvc

&&

RJH
Special weather statement, Aug 19, 5:33 PM MDT, 1 hour 43 minutes before
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The office that day

Everything else NWS Albuquerque, NM issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 19, 7:54 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementABQLos Alamos36 min
Aug 19, 7:58 PM MDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatABQMora, San Miguel2 hr
Aug 19, 8:25 PM MDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatABQLos Alamos, Sandoval, Santa Fe2 hr
Aug 20, 3:10 PM MDTAreal Flood AdvisoryABQMora, San Miguel, Santa Fe2 hr
Aug 20, 3:37 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementABQSanta Fe23 min
Aug 20, 4:00 PM MDTAreal Flood AdvisoryABQSanta Fe101 min
Aug 20, 4:03 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementABQSanta Fe27 min
Aug 20, 4:41 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementABQLos Alamos34 min
Aug 20, 5:11 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementABQBernalillo34 min
Aug 20, 5:37 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementABQChaves23 min
Aug 20, 5:56 PM MDTSpecial Weather StatementABQCurry34 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in New Mexico, 2026Every flash flood warning in 2026

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.