Hail, Torrance
- When
- July 30, 3:15 PM MST to 3:35 PM MST
- Where
- Torrance County, Clines Corners
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- GENERAL PUBLIC
- Coordinates
- 35.000, -105.580
Flash Flooding and Hail in New Mexico, July 30, 1998
Two separate lines of thunderstorms formed over eastern New Mexico and then merged into a complex that produced very heavy rain, brief hail and strong wet microbursts over Quay County. One line of storms began at mid-afternoon from Raton to Las Vegas.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 1
- Property damage
- $63,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 5
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 ABQ wrote it up.
Two separate lines of thunderstorms formed over eastern New Mexico and then merged into a complex that produced very heavy rain, brief hail and strong wet microbursts over Quay County. One line of storms began at mid-afternoon from Raton to Las Vegas. This line moved southeastward and merged with a northward moving line which began south of Portales to north of Roswell. Torrential rains of 2 to 4 inches caused extensive road flooding as the line of storm merged over southern Quay County from San Jon and Wheatland west to Ragland. Storms bowed northward over the Logan and Ute Lake area of northern Quay County. A large microburst overturned several recreational vehicles and destroyed a number of boat sheds west of Logan. Damage to lighter storage buildings and utilities extended along a path of about 1 mile. One minor injury was reported.
The radar
The Albuquerque radar (KABX), 114 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:13 UTC.
Event by event
2 hail, 2 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Flash Flood, San Miguel
- When
- July 30, 3:25 PM MST to 4:30 PM MST
- Where
- San Miguel County, Las Vegas
- Property damage
- $2,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 35.480, -104.816 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy thunderstorms produced small hail and brief flash flooding from near Gallinas southeast into Las Vegas. Damage was limited to rural road washouts.
Flash Flood, Quay
- When
- July 30, 6:20 PM MST to 8:00 PM MST
- Where
- Quay County, San Jon
- Property damage
- $1,000
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 35.104, -103.550 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Hail, Quay
- When
- July 30, 6:34 PM MST
- Where
- Quay County, Logan
- Measured
- 0.88 in hail
- Reported by
- GENERAL PUBLIC
- Coordinates
- 35.370, -103.420
Thunderstorm Wind, Quay
- When
- July 30, 7:00 PM MST to 7:30 PM MST
- Where
- Quay County, Logan
- Injuries
- 1 direct, 0 indirect
- Property damage
- $60,000
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 35.370, -103.420
What these are
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
- 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.
- Thunderstorm Wind
- Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Heat in Oklahoma, July 30, 1998
- Tornado and Hail in West Virginia, July 30, 1998
- Damaging Winds in Idaho, July 30, 1998
- Flash Flooding in Kentucky, July 30, 1998
- Damaging Winds in Tennessee, July 30, 1998
- Flood in Florida, July 30, 1998
- Tornado and Flood in Maryland, July 30, 1998
- Flash Flooding and Flood in Tennessee, July 30, 1998
- Flash Flooding in Missouri, July 30, 1998
- Damaging Wind in Missouri, July 30, 1998
- Lightning Strike in Kentucky, July 30, 1998
- Tornado and Lightning Strike in Virginia, July 30, 1998
More
Every storm in New Mexico in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, July 1998
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: 5661977, 5661976, 5661978, 5661979, 5661980.