A weak steering flow within a very moist and unstable air mass resulted in a slow moving thunderstorms in southern New Mexico which dumped very heavy rain.
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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 EPZ wrote it up.
A weak steering flow within a very moist and unstable air mass resulted in a slow moving thunderstorms in southern New Mexico which dumped very heavy rain.
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 El Paso, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 8, 1:09 PM MST, 5 hours 6 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EL PASO TX/SANTA TERESA NM 209 PM MDT TUE JUL 8 2008 .SYNOPSIS... VERY MOIST ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS WILL RESULT IN SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FOR THROUGH FRIDAY. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN FALL IS POSSIBLE FROM THESE STORMS. DAY TIME TEMPERATURES WILL BE SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW NORMAL THE NEXT FEW DAYS. SOMEWHAT DRIER CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE BY THE WEEKEND WITH AT LEAST A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUING. && .DISCUSSION... SATELLITE IMAGERY INDICATES A DEEP PLUME OF MOISTURE FROM THE SOUTH CONTINUES TO STREAM OVER THE REGION. HIGH PRESSURE EAST OF THE AREA HAS SET UP A DEEP AND MOIST SOUTHERLY FLOW ALOFT THAT CONTINUES TO FUNNEL MOISTURE INTO THE REGION. FORECAST MODELS PROJECT PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES BETWEEN 1.4 AND 1.7 INCHES THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY WHICH IS BETWEEN 130 AND 180 PERCENT OF NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. THIS MOIST AIR MASS WILL FUEL SCATTERED RAIN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THAT COULD PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL. FLASH FLOODING MAY BECOME AN ISSUE FOR AREAS THAT SEE REPEATED HEAVY RAIN EVENTS AS THE GROUND BECOMES SATURATED. POORLY DRAINED AREAS WILL BEGIN TO SEE PONDING OF WATER AND FULL DRAINAGES OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. THE MOIST ATMOSPHERE WILL ALSO ALLOW RAIN TO CONTINUE THROUGH NIGHT. WILL KEEP THE MENTION OF RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS PRIMARILY AT THE HIGH END OF SCATTERED NEAR A 50 PERCENT CHANCE AS SOME LOCATIONS WILL NOT SEE MEASURABLE ON ONE DAY BUT COULD THE NEXT. SOMEWHAT DRIER CONDITIONS MAY OCCUR LATE FRIDAY AND THE WEEKEND AS HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT RE-STRENGTHENS SLIGHTLY AND THE PLUME SHIFTS MORE TO THE WEST. THAT SAID...THE ATMOSPHERE WILL REMAIN WET ENOUGH FOR AT LEAST ISOLATED AFTERNOON AND NIGHT TIME THUNDERSTORMS. PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES WILL DROP TO BETWEEN 1.1 AND 1.3 INCHES DURING THAT PERIOD WITH MODERATE RAIN AMOUNTS STILL POSSIBLE. REDUCED MOISTURE WILL LEAD TO A SLIGHT INCREASE IN DAY TIME TEMPERATURES FOR THE WEEKEND...BACK TO NEAR NORMALS. THE BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK STILL LOOKS ACTIVE WITH THE LOCATION OF THE MOISTURE PLUME A FACTOR IN WHERE THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL WILL OCCUR. && .AVIATION...VALID 09/00Z-10/00Z... VFR THROUGH THE PERIOD. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE LOCAL MVFR TO IFR CONDITIONS. ERRATIC WINDS NEAR STORMS SHOULD BE EXPECTED. && .FIRE WEATHER... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE AS THE ATMOSPHERE REMAINS MOIST. WINDS WILL BE ERRATIC AND GUSTY NEAR STORMS...OTHERWISE EXPECT LIGHT WINDS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... EL PASO 69 86 68 87 70 / 40 50 50 50 40 SIERRA BLANCA TX 63 81 62 82 64 / 40 50 50 50 40 LAS CRUCES 66 86 65 87 67 / 40 50 50 50 40 ALAMOGORDO 63 84 62 85 64 / 50 50 50 50 40 CLOUDCROFT 45 61 45 62 49 / 50 60 50 50 40 TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES 63 84 62 85 64 / 40 50 50 50 40 SILVER CITY 56 76 56 77 59 / 40 50 50 50 40 DEMING 64 86 63 87 65 / 40 50 50 50 40 LORDSBURG 65 85 64 86 66 / 40 50 50 50 40 && .EPZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NM...NONE. TX...NONE. && 04/23
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EL PASO TX/SANTA TERESA NM 1211 PM MDT TUE JUL 8 2008 NMZ022>025-030>032-TXZ055-056-091815- SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS/LOWER GILA REGION-SIERRA COUNTY LAKES REGION- TULAROSA BASIN/SOUTHERN DESERT-SOUTHERN SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS- SOUTHWEST DESERT/BOOTHEEL-SOUTHWEST DESERT/MIMBRES BASIN- SOUTHERN DESERT-EL PASO-HUDSPETH- 1211 PM MDT TUE JUL 8 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL NEW MEXICO...SOUTHWEST NEW MEXICO AND SOUTHWEST TEXAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT. VERY MOIST ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS WILL RESULT IN LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL FROM SOME OF THE STORMS. MINOR LOCALIZED FLOODING MAY OCCUR NEAR SOME OF THE HEAVIER RAIN FALL. SMALL HAIL AND STRONG WIND GUSTS WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE FROM THUNDERSTORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY A VERY MOIST AND ACTIVE PATTERN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH FRIDAY. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH SOME MINOR FLOODING POSSIBLE. POORLY DRAINED AREAS MAY SEE INCREASED INCIDENCES OF PONDING AND FULL DRAINAGES AS RAINFALL OCCURS OVER THE SAME AREA MULTIPLE DAYS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS SHOULD REPORT ANY OBSERVED HAZARDOUS WEATHER TO THIS OFFICE OR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EL PASO TX 200 PM MDT TUE JUL 8 2008 NMZ022>025-030>032-TXZ055-056-082300- SIERRA COUNTY LAKES REGION NM-SOUTHERN DESERT NM- SOUTHWEST DESERT/MIMBRES BASIN NM-SOUTHERN SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS NM- HUDSPETH TX-EL PASO TX-SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS/LOWER GILA REGION NM- TULAROSA BASIN/SOUTHERN DESERT NM-SOUTHWEST DESERT/BOOTHEEL NM- 200 PM MDT TUE JUL 8 2008 ...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN EXPECTED AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING... A VERY MOIST MONSOONAL PATTERN CONTINUES OVER THE BORDERLAND THIS AFTERNOON. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING...SOME PRODUCING RAINFALL AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF TWO INCHES...WIND GUSTS TO 55 MPH AND SMALL HAIL. LOCAL FLOODING IS POSSIBLE ON AREA ROADS AND ARROYOS. NEVER DRIVE INTO FLOODED ROADS...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN. MACBLAIN
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EL PASO TX 500 PM MDT TUE JUL 8 2008 NMZ022>025-030>032-TXZ055-056-090300- SIERRA COUNTY LAKES REGION NM-SOUTHERN DESERT NM- SOUTHWEST DESERT/MIMBRES BASIN NM-SOUTHERN SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS NM- HUDSPETH TX-EL PASO TX-SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS/LOWER GILA REGION NM- TULAROSA BASIN/SOUTHERN DESERT NM-SOUTHWEST DESERT/BOOTHEEL NM- 500 PM MDT TUE JUL 8 2008 ...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN TO CONTINUE THIS EVENING... SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ASSOCIATED WITH A VERY MOIST MONSOONAL PATTERN CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OVER THE REGION THIS EVENING. THUNDERSTORMS ARE DEVELOPING MAINLY OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND ALONG OUTFLOWS FROM PREVIOUS THUNDERSTORMS. WEAK UPPER LEVEL STEERING CURRENTS ARE RESULTING IN ONLY SLOW AND ERRATIC MOTION OF THESE STORMS. LOCAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF TWO INCHES...WIND GUSTS TO 55 MPH AND SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH ANY STORMS THROUGH MID-EVENING. LOCAL FLOODING IS POSSIBLE ON AREA ROADS AND ARROYOS. NEVER DRIVE INTO FLOODED ROADS...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN. MACBLAIN
The El Paso radar (KEPZ), 29 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:14 UTC.
5 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
A Skywarn Spotter reported 3 inches of rain within an hour in Chaparral, and the surrounding neighborhood was flooded.
Upslope conditions within a tropical air mass resulted in 6 to 10 inches of rainfall within 6 hours. The area is remote, so the only effects were a ranch under water (according to the rancher) and a couple of highways flooded. Dark Ridge Observatory near Weed reported more than 6 inches of rain from the event.
Two thunderstorms with very heavy rain passed over Truth or Consequences and Elephant Butte. Highways 51 and 195 were closed, and many other streets were impassable. Water entered businesses along Broadway Street downtown. A 7 foot deep wall of water in Ash Canyon (east of Truth or Consequences) washed out Highway 51 and triggered mudslides.
Highway 9 was flooded east of Columbus.
A large cluster of thunderstorms moved over an area already saturated from heavy rain the previous day. Arroyos overflowed and low water crossings were flooded. Highways that were closed included Highway 9 between Columbus and Hachita, Highway 26 between Deming and Hatch, and Highway 27 south of Hillsboro.
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, July 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: 129747, 129766, 129770, 129779, 129782.