New Mexico, 1996

Flash Flooding in New Mexico, September 11 to 12, 1996

September 11 to 12, 1996 · NWS MAF · 3 events in 1 county or zone

Pacific Hurricane Fausto was at least partly to blame for the rains of September 11-14. Fausto was off the Mexican coast with a subtropical plume carrying upper level moisture into southwest Texas.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS MAF wrote it up.

Pacific Hurricane Fausto was at least partly to blame for the rains of September 11-14. Fausto was off the Mexican coast with a subtropical plume carrying upper level moisture into southwest Texas. Fausto moved ashore near Los Mochis and continued to the northeast finally dissipating on the afternoon of the 14th about 185 miles southwest of Presidio, Texas in Central Chihuahua. As the remnants of Fausto passed to the south of the region widespread rains occurred. By the 15th Fausto was far enough east that the precipitation event ended.

The radar

The Holloman AFB radar (KHDX), 183 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:28 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Eddy

When
September 11, 5:30 PM MST to 7:30 PM MST
Where
Eddy County, Carlsbad
Coordinates
32.472, -104.304 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Eddy

When
September 11, 5:40 PM MST to 7:00 PM MST
Where
Eddy County, Black River
Coordinates
32.472, -104.304 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Eddy

When
September 12, 6:00 AM MST to 11:00 AM MST
Where
Eddy County, Carlsbad
Coordinates
32.472, -104.304 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Widespread flash flooding occurred over the southern half of Eddy County. In Carlsbad many streets were flooded, and in Black River Village there were two feet of water in some parts of town.

What these are

Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in New Mexico in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, September 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5577179, 5577178, 5577177.