A back door cold front and upper level trough combined to generate heavy rain over portions of northern and eastern New Mexico, with reports of flash flooding in Cimarron and Dora and south of Los Alamos.
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.
A back door cold front and upper level trough combined to generate heavy rain over portions of northern and eastern New Mexico, with reports of flash flooding in Cimarron and Dora and south of Los Alamos.
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 29, 2:02 PM MST, 3 hours 58 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 302 PM MDT FRI AUG 29 2008 .DISCUSSION... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE FORMED ACROSS EASTERN NEW MEXICO THIS AFTERNOON THANKS TO THE UPPER LOW AND RESIDUAL FRONTAL BOUNDARY FROM YESTERDAY. LAPS ANALYSIS SHOWING GREATER THAN 1500 J/KG OF CAPE...SO WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE A FEW STRONG STORMS THROUGH THIS EVENING. STORMS HAVE ALSO FORMED ALONG THE NORTHERN HIGH TERRAIN...AND ADDITIONAL STORMS IN COLORADO SHOULD MOVE INTO THIS AREA LATER TODAY. SATELLITE IMAGERY SUGGESTING THAT THE UPPER LOW...WHICH HAS BEEN DRIFTING NORTHWARD TODAY...IS FINALLY STARTING TO MAKE A TURN TO THE WEST. HOWEVER...THE IMPACT OF THIS FEATURE SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGH TOMORROW ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST AND SOUTHCENTRAL ZONES AS IT CONTINUES DRIFTING WEST AND SOUTHWEST. HAVE INCREASED POPS AND LOWERED TEMPS ACROSS THESE AREAS TOMORROW...AND LATER SHIFTS WILL NEED TO WATCH THE PROGRESSION OF THIS FEATURE. IN ADDITION... THE UPPER HIGH CURRENTLY STRETCHING OVER NORTHERN NM WILL SLIDE EASTWARD TOMORROW AS THE UPPER TROUGH MOVES INTO THE WESTERN CONUS. MOISTURE FROM OLD MEXICO WILL BEGIN TO SURGE NORTHWARD..AND AN UPTICK IN PRECIPITATION IS ANTICIPATED ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST PORTION OF THE CWA AS WELL. SUNDAY INTO MONDAY SHOULD BE THE MOST ACTIVE TIME PERIOD AS THE UPPER TROUGH NEARS AND PICKS UP WEAK DISTURBANCES ACROSS OLD MEXICO. HAVE INCREASED POPS INTO THE LIKELY CATEGORY FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL AND WESTERN NEW MEXICO ON SUNDAY...WITH SOME 50-60 POPS ACROSS THE NORTHERN HIGHER TERRAIN ON MONDAY. THOUGH WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION IS ANTICIPATED...STORMS SHOULD MOVE FAIRLY QUICKLY TO THE NORTH-NORTHEAST. THUS THE FLOODING THREAT WILL BE MITIGATED SOME...THOUGH...IF STORMS TRAIN OVER THE SAME AREAS...THERE MAY STILL BE SOME FLOODING CONCERNS. THE UPPER LOW LIFTS NORTHEAST LATE MONDAY INTO TUESDAY...AND THOUGH THERE MAY BE SOME LINGERING SHOWERS ACROSS THE AREA...COVERAGE SHOULD BE FAR LESS FOR TUESDAY. THIS STORM SYSTEM WILL SEND A BACK DOOR COLD FRONT INTO THE EASTERN PLAINS FOR WEDNESDAY...WHICH SHOULD INCREASE CLOUD COVER...AND POSSIBLY THE CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE NORTHEAST. 34 && .AVIATION... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ONCE AGAIN TODAY. SIMILAR AREAL COVERAGE IF NOT A BIT MORE COMPARED TO THE PAST FEW DAYS. CENTRAL AND EASTERN TERMINAL SITES ARE MOST LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED. ESPECIALLY ROW AND TCC. MVFR AND SOME LOCALIZED IFR CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP LATER TONIGHT ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS. SOME FOG DEVELOPMENT WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE VERSUS JUST THE LOW CLOUD EVENT THAT OCCURRED LAST NIGHT. LVS...TCC AND ROW WILL MOST LIKELY BE AFFECTED BY AT LEAST LOW CLOUDS. NEXT AVIATION DISCUSSION SCHEDULED FOR 09Z. && .FIRE WEATHER... HUMIDITY WILL CONTINUE TO GRADUALLY TREND UP OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. LOWEST HUMIDITY ON SATURDAY WILL BE FOUND ACROSS THE NORTHWEST QUARTER WHERE READINGS WILL DROP INTO THE LOWER 20S. OTHERWISE A SIGNIFICANT RISE IN RH EXPECTED SUNDAY INTO MONDAY AREAWIDE AHEAD OF A VIGOROUS TROUGH PASSAGE. MOISTURE AHEAD OF THE TROUGH WILL BE POURING INTO THE STATE FROM THE SOUTH. THIS WILL FUEL SIGNIFICANT COVERAGE OF WETTING SHOWERS AND STORMS. DRIER AIR IS EXPECTED TO SWEEP IN BEHIND THE UPPER TROUGH PASSAGE AND SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY. LONG RANGE MODELS HOWEVER ARE LOOKING AT DEPICTING A BACK DOOR FRONT AND SOME WETTING RAIN ACROSS THE EAST ON WEDNESDAY. CONFIDENCE IS LOW TO MODERATE THAT MOISTURE FROM THIS FRONT WILL SPILL WESTWARD AND INCREASE STORM COVERAGE ACROSS THE WEST MIDWEEK. 50 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... FARMINGTON...................... 63 89 63 80 / 20 20 30 50 GALLUP.......................... 56 82 57 75 / 10 20 30 60 GRANTS.......................... 57 81 56 75 / 20 20 30 60 GLENWOOD........................ 59 85 58 82 / 30 50 40 60 CHAMA........................... 45 78 46 72 / 50 30 30 50 LOS ALAMOS...................... 52 78 51 73 / 30 20 30 50 RED RIVER....................... 41 70 42 67 / 40 40 30 40 TAOS............................ 51 80 52 74 / 40 20 20 40 SANTA FE........................ 55 78 55 72 / 20 30 30 50 SANTA FE AIRPORT................ 56 80 55 74 / 20 20 30 50 ESPANOLA........................ 54 84 54 78 / 20 20 20 50 ALBUQUERQUE HEIGHTS............. 65 82 62 78 / 20 20 30 50 ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY.............. 62 84 61 79 / 20 20 30 50 ALBUQUERQUE FOOTHILLS........... 60 80 57 77 / 20 20 30 60 ALBUQUERQUE WEST MESA........... 62 83 61 78 / 20 20 30 50 SOCORRO......................... 61 82 60 79 / 20 40 30 50 SANDIA PARK/CEDAR CREST......... 51 73 49 72 / 20 20 30 60 MORIARTY/ESTANCIA............... 52 78 51 74 / 20 20 30 50 CARRIZOZO....................... 57 78 55 77 / 30 40 30 50 RUIDOSO......................... 53 67 50 68 / 40 50 40 50 RATON........................... 53 81 53 78 / 30 20 20 30 LAS VEGAS....................... 52 75 51 72 / 30 20 30 40 ROY............................. 57 78 57 75 / 30 20 10 30 CLAYTON......................... 60 83 60 82 / 30 20 10 20 SANTA ROSA...................... 58 84 58 81 / 30 20 30 40 TUCUMCARI....................... 62 83 63 84 / 30 30 20 30 FORT SUMNER..................... 62 81 61 81 / 30 30 30 30 CLOVIS.......................... 62 78 60 83 / 30 50 20 30 PORTALES........................ 62 79 61 83 / 30 50 30 30 ROSWELL......................... 64 78 63 81 / 40 60 40 40 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && 34/50
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 552 AM MDT FRI AUG 29 2008 NMZ001>021-026-301200- NORTHWEST PLATEAU-NORTHWEST MOUNTAINS INCLUDING JEMEZ- UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY-SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS- NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS-HARDING COUNTY-FAR NORTHEAST PLAINS- WEST CENTRAL MOUNTAINS- MIDDLE RIO GRANDE VALLEY/ALBUQUERQUE METRO AREA- SANDIA/MANZANO MOUNTAINS-CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS/ESTANCIA VALLEY- CONCHAS LAKE/GUADALUPE COUNTY-QUAY COUNTY- SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS/UPPER GILA REGION-LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY- LINCOLN COUNTY HIGH PLAINS/HONDO VALLEY- CAPITAN/NORTHERN SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS-DE BACA COUNTY- CHAVES COUNTY PLAINS-ROOSEVELT COUNTY-CURRY COUNTY- GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS OF CHAVES COUNTY- 552 AM MDT FRI AUG 29 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. HOWEVER... A FEW STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE FROM THE SOUTHWESTERN MOUNTAINS EASTWARD TO THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN...AND INTO THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS AND NORTHEASTERN PLAINS. SMALL HAIL...GUSTY WINDS...AND HEAVY RAINFALL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. HOWEVER... THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE OVER PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND WESTERN NEW MEXICO ON SATURDAY AND BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD OVER THE STATE BY SUNDAY AND INTO MONDAY. SMALL HAIL...GUSTY WINDS...AND HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY LIKELY THROUGH THE LATTER PART OF THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. WEATHER CAN CHANGE VERY RAPIDLY. ALWAYS USE THE LATEST FORECASTS... WATCHES AND WARNINGS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT RAINFALL AMOUNTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AT 1.888.386.7637 OR ON THE ALBUQUERQUE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE. 52
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 345 PM MDT FRI AUG 29 2008 NMZ004-292245- SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS- 345 PM MDT FRI AUG 29 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING OVER CENTRAL TAOS COUNTY... AT 344 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 QUESTA. MOVEMENT WAS SOUTHWEST AT 9 MPH. LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE ARROYO HONDO...CERRO... LAMA AND SAN CRISTOBAL. 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.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 437 PM MDT FRI AUG 29 2008 NMZ003-004-292330- SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS-UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY- 437 PM MDT FRI AUG 29 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING OVER FAR SOUTHEASTERN RIO ARRIBA COUNTY... AT 431 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 TRUCHAS. MOVEMENT WAS SOUTHWEST AT 5 MPH. LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE CANONCITO...CORDOVA... CUNDIYO...LA VILLITA...LYDEN AND OJO SARCO. 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.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 518 PM MDT FRI AUG 29 2008 NMZ018>020-300015- CHAVES COUNTY PLAINS-DE BACA COUNTY-ROOSEVELT COUNTY- 518 PM MDT FRI AUG 29 2008 ...LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING OVER SOUTHEAST DE BACA...NORTHEAST CHAVES AND WESTERN ROOSEVELT COUNTIES... AT 514 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WINDS UP TO 50 MPH AND HAIL UP TO ONE HALF INCH IN DIAMETER ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF PEP TO 20 MILES NORTH OF ELKINS. MOVEMENT WAS WEST AT 8 MPH. LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE DORA...ELIDA AND KENNA. THESE STORMS WERE NOT PRODUCING SEVERE WEATHER AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER...PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS ARE ADVISED TO MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 527 PM MDT FRI AUG 29 2008 NMZ005-007-300030- FAR NORTHEAST PLAINS-NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS- 527 PM MDT FRI AUG 29 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING OVER EAST CENTRAL COLFAX COUNTY... AT 523 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 13 MILES NORTH OF ABBOTT. MOVEMENT WAS SOUTH AT 5 MPH. LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE RURAL SOUTHEASTERN COLFAX COUNTY. 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.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 643 PM MDT FRI AUG 29 2008 NMZ005-300145- NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS- 643 PM MDT FRI AUG 29 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING OVER NORTHWEST COLFAX COUNTY... AT 638 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WINDS UP TO 50 MPH AND HAIL UP TO ONE HALF INCH IN DIAMETER 18 MILES NORTHWEST OF RATON CREWS AIRPORT. MOVEMENT WAS SOUTH AT 5 MPH. LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE RURAL NORTH CENTRAL COLFAX COUNTY. THESE STORMS WERE 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.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 654 PM MDT FRI AUG 29 2008 NMZ002-009-300200- MIDDLE RIO GRANDE VALLEY/ALBUQUERQUE METRO AREA-NORTHWEST MOUNTAINS INCLUDING JEMEZ- 654 PM MDT FRI AUG 29 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING OVER SOUTHERN SANDOVAL COUNTY AND NORTHWEST ALBUQUERQUE METRO AREA... AT 652 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 AND SOUTHERN RIO RANCHO. ANOTHER STORM WAS LOCATED ABOUT 10 MILES WEST OF RIO RANCHO. MOVEMENT WAS SOUTH AT 5 MPH. LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE PARADISE HILLS AND RIO RANCHO. 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 Cannon AFB radar (KFDX), 78 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:02 UTC.
3 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Highway 206 had several spots with two to three feet of standing water.
Heavy rain of 4 to 6 inches fell in and near the town of Cimarron. Flash flooding occurred with several houses along U.S. Highway 64 flooded. Water flowed one to two feet deep through town. Two vehicles were washed off State Road 21. One person was injured attempting to rescue one of the motorists who was trapped in their vehicle.
Heavy rain caused flash flooding that washed out part of a trail and access road at Kasha Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument.
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: 121977, 121978, 122161.