An upper low over Colorado provided necessary instability to trigger isolated severe thunderstorms in New Mexico.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS ABQ wrote it up.
An upper low over Colorado provided necessary instability to trigger isolated severe thunderstorms in New Mexico.
The local office's own words before the first event, 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 the first event at Aug 16, 1:49 PM MST, 11 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 249 PM MDT SAT AUG 16 2008 .DISCUSSION... IN THE SHORT TERM (TONIGHT-MONDAY)...MODEL CONSENSUS IS GOOD ON THE 578H5 CUTOFF LOW OVER NORTHEAST COLORADO. NAM...GFS...ECMWF ALL FORECAST THE UPPER LOW TO MOVE SLOWLY SOUTHEAST THROUGH COLORADO INTO NORTHEAST NEW MEXICO AND THE TEXAS/OKLAHOMA PANHANDLES BY MONDAY MORNING. THIS DYNAMIC COLD UPPER LOW GENERATED A DUSTING SNOWFALL AT THE I-70 EISENHOWER TUNNEL IN COLORADO THIS MORNING. AS THIS UPPER LOW WILL ONCE AGAIN PROVIDE THE GEOSTROPHIC DYNAMICS TO TRIGGER STRONG STORMS THROUGH EASTERN NEW MEXICO...WITH A FOCUS ON ON THE EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN FROM THE SANGRE DE CRISTOS TO THE SACRAMENTOS. EXPECT STORMS TO ONCE AGAIN FIRE ALONG THE EAST SLOPES THEN MOVE OUT INTO THE PLAINS. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN PLACE UNTIL LATE THIS EVENING...GIVEN THE EXPECTED HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS EASTERN PLAINS. THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS WILL ALSO SEE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS AMPLE BOUNDARY LAYER MOISTURE HAS PENETRATED TO THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE ON A MODERATE EASTERLY SURFACE FLOW. ONCE AGAIN...AN ENHANCED WESTERLY UPPER LEVEL FLOW WILL GENERATE GRAVITY WAVES IN THE LEE OF OUR NORTH-SOUTH EXTENDING CENTRAL MOUNTAINS...FURTHER ENHANCING INSTABILITY AND PROVIDING A TRIGGER MODE FOR INITIATING STRONG CONVECTION...THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS WELL AS TOMORROW. GIVEN THE CONTINUED THREAT FOR HEAVY RAIN...EXCEEDING 1 TO 2 INCHES AN HOUR...FOR THIS AFTERNOON...WE HAVE CONTINUED THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH. ABQ 12Z PWAT IS UP TO 1.03 INCHES....EPZ IS 1.36 INCHES. ABQ 12Z MEX/MET POP GUIDANCE INDICATES 75/47 POP TODAY 84/52 POP SUNDAY AND 39/27 POP MONDAY. MAY HAVE TO EXTEND THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH INTO SUNDAY. EXPECT ANOTHER AFTERNOON AND EVENING OF ACTIVE CONVECTIVE WEATHER WITH NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS..ACROSS EASTERN NEW MEXICO AND THE HIGHER TERRAIN IN THE WEST. ON SUNDAY... WITH THE UPPER LOW NEAR OK-TX PANHANDLES THE BULK OF THE CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY WILL SHIFT TO THE EAST INTO WEST TEXAS. HOWEVER...EXPECT SUFFICIENT MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY TO REMAIN FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF CONVECTION ON MONDAY...ALTHOUGH IT SHOULD NOT BE AS WIDESPREAD. SNOW FLURRIES WITH A LIGHT DUSTING OF SNOW IS POSSIBLE AROUND 12,000 FEET IN THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS EARLY MONDAY MORNING AS THE COLD UPPER LOW TRAVERSES NORTHEAST NEW MEXICO. IN THE LONG TERM (MONDAY NIGHT-SATURDAY)...THE 500 MB CUTOFF UPPER LOW CONTINUE TO DRIFT EAST TOWARDS NORTHEAST TEXAS BY WEDNESDAY AS A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE BUILDS INTO NEW MEXICO FROM THE WEST THROUGH THURSDAY. THE DRIER AIR MASS FROM THE WEST WILL BRING A RETURN TO MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES AND LIMIT CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY TO HIGHER TERRAIN. ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE PERSISTS IN PLACE OVER NEW MEXICO AND BUILDS AS A LONG WAVE TROUGH TRAVERSES FROM THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS. THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...MAX/MIN TEMPS AND POPS RETURN TO CLIMATE NORMS. BENNETT && .AVIATION... WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE THE RULE OVER CENTRAL AND EASTERN NEW MEXICO TODAY...WITH LESSER ACTIVITY WITHIN THE FOUR CORNERS REGION. MANY OF THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GUSTY WINDS...HEAVY RAINFALL AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING. STORMS WITHIN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON ARE ALREADY EXHIBITING MICROBURST CHARACTERISTICS. AS THUNDERSTORMS TRACK EAST ACROSS THE REGION...THEY COULD PRODUCE MVFR CONDITIONS. ANTICIPATE WIDESPREAD IFR/LIFR VIS/CIGS ALONG AND EAST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN THIS EVENING/OVERNIGHT...WITH SOME OF THIS ACTIVITY TRYING TO MOVE INTO THE UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY. EAST CANYON WINDS WILL DEVELOP AGAIN... WITH SPEEDS RANGING FROM 15 TO 25 KNOTS WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 KNOTS. DO NOT ANTICIPATE AN AWW ISSUANCE TONIGHT...BUT EVENING SHIFT WILL NEED TO MONITOR SITUATION CLOSELY. RESTRICTING CONDITIONS SHOULD BE SLOW TO ERODE TOMORROW MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON. NEXT AVIATION DISCUSSION SCHEDULED FOR 09Z. DPORTER && .FIRE WEATHER... COOLER READINGS AND HIGHER HUMIDITIES ARE PROGGED ALONG AND EAST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS AS AN UPPER LEVEL LOW SLOWLY TRACKS FROM SOUTHWEST CO TOWARD WEST CENTRAL TX. WIDESPREAD WETTING RAINS ARE ANTICIPATED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA...THOUGH LESSER ACTIVITY WITHIN THE NW ZONES. FOR SUNDAY/MONDAY...THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE FOCUSED OVER EASTERN NM AS DRIER AIR FILTERS INTO THE WEST... ULTIMATELY REDUCING THE CHANCES FOR SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION WEST OF THE CENTRAL MTN CHAIN. SOME UNCERTAINTY STILL EXISTS ON WHEN THE UPPER LOW WILL DEPART TX...ALTHOUGH IT DOES APPEAR THAT THE THREAT FOR WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION IN ERN NM SHOULD GRADUALLY DIMINISH BY MID-WEEK. DPORTER DPORTER && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... FARMINGTON...................... 57 87 54 91 / 30 10 5 5 GALLUP.......................... 53 85 48 86 / 30 10 5 5 GRANTS.......................... 53 85 48 86 / 40 10 10 10 GLENWOOD........................ 60 89 57 91 / 40 20 20 20 CHAMA........................... 40 72 38 78 / 40 20 20 10 LOS ALAMOS...................... 47 75 46 79 / 50 30 20 20 RED RIVER....................... 38 63 34 68 / 60 50 40 30 TAOS............................ 46 74 44 80 / 50 50 30 20 SANTA FE........................ 52 77 50 80 / 60 50 30 30 SANTA FE AIRPORT................ 53 79 51 82 / 50 40 30 20 ESPANOLA........................ 50 82 50 83 / 50 30 30 20 ALBUQUERQUE HEIGHTS............. 63 84 61 87 / 50 30 30 20 ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY.............. 61 86 57 88 / 50 30 20 20 ALBUQUERQUE FOOTHILLS........... 59 83 55 85 / 50 30 30 20 ALBUQUERQUE WEST MESA........... 61 85 58 87 / 50 30 20 10 SOCORRO......................... 60 87 57 88 / 50 20 30 20 SANDIA PARK/CEDAR CREST......... 48 76 43 78 / 50 30 30 20 MORIARTY/ESTANCIA............... 52 80 49 82 / 60 40 30 30 CARRIZOZO....................... 56 82 53 83 / 50 30 40 30 RUIDOSO......................... 51 73 47 74 / 50 40 40 30 RATON........................... 49 69 46 76 / 60 60 40 30 LAS VEGAS....................... 47 71 46 76 / 60 60 40 30 ROY............................. 54 70 52 75 / 70 60 50 30 CLAYTON......................... 53 69 52 75 / 70 60 60 30 SANTA ROSA...................... 55 78 53 83 / 70 50 50 30 TUCUMCARI....................... 57 76 55 80 / 70 60 60 40 FORT SUMNER..................... 58 79 59 82 / 70 50 60 30 CLOVIS.......................... 59 76 57 80 / 70 50 60 40 PORTALES........................ 58 77 58 81 / 70 50 60 40 ROSWELL......................... 64 82 62 84 / 70 40 50 30 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES... NMZ004>007-010>013-016>021-026. && 01/46
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 600 AM MDT SAT AUG 16 2008 NMZ001>021-026-171200- CAPITAN/NORTHERN SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS- CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS/ESTANCIA VALLEY-CHAVES COUNTY PLAINS- CONCHAS LAKE/GUADALUPE COUNTY-CURRY COUNTY-DE BACA COUNTY- FAR NORTHEAST PLAINS-GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS OF CHAVES COUNTY- HARDING COUNTY-LINCOLN COUNTY HIGH PLAINS/HONDO VALLEY- LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY- MIDDLE RIO GRANDE VALLEY/ALBUQUERQUE METRO AREA-NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS- NORTHWEST MOUNTAINS INCLUDING JEMEZ-NORTHWEST PLATEAU-QUAY COUNTY- ROOSEVELT COUNTY-SANDIA/MANZANO MOUNTAINS-SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS- SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS/UPPER GILA REGION-UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY- WEST CENTRAL MOUNTAINS- 600 AM MDT SAT AUG 16 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS...HOWEVER...AN ISOLATED SEVERE STORM CAN NOT BE RULED OUT. IN ADDITION...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL LATE TONIGHT FOR AREAS ALONG AND EAST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN. PLEASE SEE THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH PRODUCT FOR MORE DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY STRONG STORMS ARE POSSIBLE AGAIN SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS. THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS...THOUGH AN ISOLATED SEVERE STORM CAN NOT BE RULED OUT. WEATHER CAN CHANGE VERY RAPIDLY. ALWAYS USE THE LATEST FORECASTS... WATCHES AND WARNINGS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER OR FLOODING TO THEIR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OR THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AT 1.888.386.7637. 34
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 151 PM MDT SAT AUG 16 2008 NMZ009-010-162015- MIDDLE RIO GRANDE VALLEY/ALBUQUERQUE METRO AREA-SANDIA/MANZANO MOUNTAINS- 151 PM MDT SAT AUG 16 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING OVER NORTHWEST BERNALILLO AND FAR SOUTHERN SANDOVAL COUNTIES... AT 147 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WINDS UP TO 50 MPH AND HAIL UP TO ONE HALF INCH IN DIAMETER NEAR EXTREME NORTHWESTERN ALBUQUERQUE. MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 13 MPH. LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE ALAMEDA...CARNUEL... CORRALES...LOS RANCHOS DE ALBUQUERQUE...NORTH VALLEY...SOUTHERN RIO RANCHO AND PARADISE HILLS. MOTORISTS CAN EXPECT BRIEF...BUT SUDDEN CHANGES IN VISIBILITY AND PONDING OF WATER ON THE ROADWAYS AS THIS STORM MOVES THROUGH THE AREA.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 214 PM MDT SAT AUG 16 2008 NMZ009-010-162100- MIDDLE RIO GRANDE VALLEY/ALBUQUERQUE METRO AREA-SANDIA/MANZANO MOUNTAINS- 214 PM MDT SAT AUG 16 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING OVER BERNALILLO COUNTY... AT 213 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS LOCATED OVER WESTERN SECTIONS OF THE ALBUQUERQUE METRO AREA. THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...HAIL UP TO ONE HALF INCH IN DIAMETER...AND BRIEF HEAVY RAIN. MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 13 MPH. MUCH OF THE ALBUQUERQUE METRO AREA WILL BE AFFECTED BY THESE STORMS THROUGH 300 PM MDT. MOTORISTS CAN EXPECT BRIEF...BUT SUDDEN CHANGES IN VISIBILITY AND PONDING OF WATER ON THE HIGHWAYS AS THIS STORM MOVES THROUGH THE AREA.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 218 PM MDT SAT AUG 16 2008 NMZ002-008-162100- NORTHWEST MOUNTAINS INCLUDING JEMEZ-WEST CENTRAL MOUNTAINS- 218 PM MDT SAT AUG 16 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING OVER EAST CENTRAL MCKINLEY COUNTY... AT 213 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...HAIL UP TO ONE HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND BRIEF HEAVY RAIN 22 MILES SOUTHWEST OF TORREON NAVAJO MISSION. MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 13 MPH. LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE RURAL WEST CENTRAL SANDOVAL COUNTY AND RURAL EAST CENTRAL MCKINLEY COUNTY. HEAVY RAINS WILL CAUSE WATER TO POND ON ROADS AND IN LOW SPOTS. FAST RUNNING WATER WILL QUICKLY FILL ARROYOS AND DITCHES.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 242 PM MDT SAT AUG 16 2008 NMZ002-162145- NORTHWEST MOUNTAINS INCLUDING JEMEZ- 242 PM MDT SAT AUG 16 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING OVER NORTHERN RIO ARRIBA COUNTY... AT 238 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WINDS UP TO 50 MPH AND HAIL UP TO ONE HALF INCH IN DIAMETER 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF DULCE. MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 13 MPH. LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE LUMBERTON AND MONERO. THIS STORM WAS NOT PRODUCING SEVERE WEATHER AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER...PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM ARE ADVISED TO MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION.
The Albuquerque radar (KABX), 15 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:00 UTC.
2 flash flood, 2 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Runoff from heavy rain caused a retaining wall to collapse. Several homes were flooded as a result.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain which resulted in extensive street flooding in Tucumcari and Logan. Several vehicles became stuck in as much as three feet of water and at least one home was flooded.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, August 2008
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: 115080, 115073, 115127, 123865, 115071.