Flood Watch
SevereFlood Watch issued September 21 at 1:02AM MDT until September 23 at 6:00PM MDT by NWS Albuquerque NM
Begins Until 2 days left
Areas Northwest Highlands, NM; West Central Mountains, NM; West Central Highlands, NM; Southwest Mountains, NM; Jemez Mountains, NM; Glorieta Mesa Including Glorieta Pass, NM; Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains, NM; East Slopes Sangre de Cristo Mountains, NM; Espanola Valley, NM; Santa Fe Metro Area, NM; Middle Rio Grande Valley/Albuquerque Metro Area, NM; Lower Rio Grande Valley, NM; Sandia/Manzano Mountains Including Edgewood, NM; Estancia Valley, NM; Central Highlands, NM; South Central Highlands, NM; Upper Tularosa Valley, NM; South Central Mountains, NM; Far Northeast Highlands, NM; Northeast Highlands, NM; Harding County, NM; Eastern San Miguel County, NM; Guadalupe County, NM; De Baca County, NM; Chaves County Plains, NM; Eastern Lincoln County, NM; Southwest Chaves County, NM; San Agustin Plains and Adjacent Lowlands, NM
Full text
* WHAT...Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible. * WHERE...Portions of central, east central, north central, northeast, southeast, and west central New Mexico, including the following areas, in central New Mexico, Central Highlands, Eastern Lincoln County, Estancia Valley, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Middle Rio Grande Valley including the Albuquerque Metro Area, San Agustin Plains and Adjacent Lowlands, Sandia and Manzano Mountains including Edgewood, South Central Highlands, South Central Mountains and Upper Tularosa Valley. In east central New Mexico, De Baca County and Guadalupe County. In north central New Mexico, East Slopes Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Espanola Valley, Glorieta Mesa Including Glorieta Pass, Jemez Mountains, Northwest Highlands, Santa Fe Metro Area and Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains. In northeast New Mexico, Eastern San Miguel County, Far Northeast Highlands, Harding County and Northeast Highlands. In southeast New Mexico, Chaves County Plains and Southwest Chaves County. In west central New Mexico, Southwest Mountains, West Central Highlands and West Central Mountains. * WHEN...From Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday afternoon. * IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Creeks and streams may rise out of their banks. Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas. Low-water crossings may be flooded. Storm drains and ditches may become clogged with debris. Extensive street flooding and flooding of creeks and rivers are possible. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - A dangerous surge of monsoon moisture will arrive Tuesday and Wednesday with widespread heavy rain. Scattered occurrences of flash flooding are likely, and there will probably be some main stem river and tributary flooding, as the most likely rain amount by Wednesday afternoon exceeds 2 inches in many locations along and east of the central mountain chain, and 1 inch in many locations westward to the continental divide. Stronger storms will produce torrential rainfall at rates over 2 inches per hour, and storms will train repeatedly in succession over some locations, with locally heavier rain amounts reaching 4 to 6 inches over portions of central and eastern New Mexico. Heavy rain will likely continue Wednesday night over eastern areas, then showers and storms with locally heavy rainfall are forecast to return along and east of the continental divide again on Thursday. - Rapid runoff and flash flooding will be most likely in complex terrain, below recent burn scars, low-lying areas, urban areas, normally dry arroyos, and near rivers and streams. As the event unfolds, locations with saturated ground will also become prone to rapid runoff and flash flooding from additional rounds of storms. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood
What to do
You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should Flash Flood Warnings be issued. Never drive through flood waters. Most flash flood deaths occur in automobiles.
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