Cloud to ground lightning from a thunderstorm between Farmington and Bloomfield struck a 24 year old man while he was on his horse, riding along a metal fence.
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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 ABQ wrote it up.
Cloud to ground lightning from a thunderstorm between Farmington and Bloomfield struck a 24 year old man while he was on his horse, riding along a metal fence.
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 24, 2:14 PM MST, 1 hour 53 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 314 PM MDT MON AUG 24 2009 .DISCUSSION... LARGE CLOUD MASS AND THE EMBEDDED...THOUGH WANING FOR THE MOST PART...RAIN SHIELD WORKED THEIR MAGIC IN SERIOUSLY INHIBITING NEW CONVECTION THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE AFFECTED AREA. ALSO KEPT TEMPERATURES UNSEASONABLY COOL ACROSS CENTRAL AND GOOD PORTION OF W NM. SOME STORMS HAVE DEVELOPED AROUND AND BEYOND EDGE OF CLOUD SHIELD AS EXPECTED...THOUGH SO FAR AS OF THIS WRITING FEWER THAN EXPECTED ON THE W EDGE. EDGED THE MAX POPS AXIS A LITTLE FARTHER TO E TONIGHT AND TUE TO ACCOUNT FOR SHIFT OF MOIST PLUME. STILL SHOULD BE ENOUGH MOISTURE UNDER WEAK AND BAGGY UPPER TROUGH ACROSS W AND CENTRAL NM TUE THAT THERE SHOULD BE FAIRLY GOOD CHANCE FOR PERHAPS A LITTLE MORE CONVECTION THAN DEPICTED ON LATEST MODEL RUNS BETWEEN RIO GRANDE AND THE DIVIDE. BUT ACTIVITY WILL BE RATHER SPOTTY. E SHOULD HAVE A LITTLE BETTER CHANCE AS WELL. LOOKING FOR SOME ADDITIONAL DRYING WED ACROSS ROUGHLY W HALF...BUT BETWEEN WED AND THU BACK DOOR FRONT STILL SHOULD REACTIVATE THINGS ACROSS E AND PERHAPS...ESPECIALLY THU TO FRI...BETWEEN RIO GRANDE AND THE DIVIDE. WITH HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING TO W IT LOOKS LIKE A N TO S FLOW COMING UP NEAR WEEKS END AND INTO WEEKEND. 43 && .AVIATION... IFR CONDITIONS WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS FOUND ACROSS THE WESTERN THIRD AND EASTERN PLAINS THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF TODAY BUT THEY WILL BE SHORT DURATION. OTHERWISE...SOME LOCALIZED MVFR CONDITIONS MAINLY DUE TO LOW CIGS WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE RAIN BAND CURRENTLY AFFECTING CENTRAL PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA. THIS BAND WILL GRADUALLY PROGRESS NORTH AND EASTWARD THROUGH THIS EVENING. SOME RESIDUAL MVFR CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE TONIGHT AS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE GETS TRAPPED UNDERNEATH A WEAK INVERSION. CONFIDENCE IS MODERATE TO LOW WITH THIS SCENARIO AND HAVE HEDGED THE CLOUD BASE FORECAST ACCORDINGLY PER LEVELS OF CONFIDENCE. NEXT AVIATION DISCUSSION SCHEDULED FOR 09Z. && .FIRE WEATHER... CURRENT BAND OF RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK EAST AND NORTHWARD DURING THE REST OF TODAY. THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP WITHIN THE SUNNIER AREAS FOUND AHEAD AND 45 TO 1 HOUR BEHIND THIS RAIN BAND. HUMIDITY RECOVERIES TONIGHT WILL GENERALLY BE GOOD TO EXCELLENT. AN OVERALL DRIER TREND IS EXPECTED THROUGH THE REST OF THE WORK WEEK ACROSS THE WESTERN THIRD OF THE FORECAST AREA. EASTERN AREAS HOWEVER...SUCH AS THE PLAINS AND EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS...WILL SEE PERIODIC MOISTURE INTRUSIONS VIA THE BACK DOOR FRONT. THIS IS DUE TO THE SHIFTING OF THE UPPER HIGH POSITION FROM ITS CURRENT PLACEMENT EAST OF THE STATE TO MORE NORTHWEST OF THE STATE. THIS SHIFT WILL ESSENTIALLY CUT OFF THE MOIST MONSOONAL FLOW FROM MEXICO. BUT...THIS SHIFT ALSO ALLOWS PERIODIC MOISTURE INTRUSIONS FROM THE HIGH PLAINS. THERE IS A HIGH DEGREE OF CONFIDENCE THAT ONE SUCH INTRUSION WILL OCCUR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. THERE IS AT LEAST MODERATE CONFIDENCE THAT MOISTURE FROM THIS FRONTAL INTRUSION WILL BE PUSHED AS FAR WEST AS THE ARIZONA STATE LINE BY FRIDAY MORNING. THIS WOULD SET THE STAGE FOR RECYCLING OF MOISTURE IN THE FORM OF SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS FRIDAY AND INTO THE WEEKEND AHEAD OF ANOTHER POSSIBLE BACK DOOR FRONTAL SURGE SUNDAY AND MONDAY. THE UPSHOT IS THAT HUMIDITY VALUES WILL GRADUALLY LOWER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS ACROSS THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS WHILE RAISE ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS. WETTING RAIN POTENTIAL...AFTER TODAY...WILL BE MOST PROLIFIC ALONG THE CENTRAL MTS EASTWARD. 52 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... FARMINGTON...................... 56 87 55 89 / 30 20 20 0 DULCE........................... 48 79 45 82 / 30 40 40 10 CUBA............................ 46 77 48 81 / 30 30 40 20 GALLUP.......................... 51 83 47 85 / 30 20 20 5 EL MORRO........................ 49 79 46 81 / 30 30 20 10 GRANTS.......................... 49 81 46 84 / 30 30 30 5 QUEMADO......................... 50 81 45 82 / 30 30 20 5 GLENWOOD........................ 57 85 54 89 / 40 40 20 10 CHAMA........................... 44 76 42 76 / 30 40 40 20 LOS ALAMOS...................... 50 79 49 79 / 30 50 40 20 PECOS........................... 49 80 49 80 / 30 50 40 30 CERRO/QUESTA.................... 45 79 44 75 / 30 50 40 30 RED RIVER....................... 41 71 41 67 / 40 50 50 30 ANGEL FIRE...................... 42 72 42 70 / 30 50 40 30 TAOS............................ 47 79 45 78 / 30 40 40 20 ESPANOLA........................ 50 87 54 86 / 30 40 40 20 SANTA FE........................ 52 80 50 82 / 30 40 40 20 SANTA FE AIRPORT................ 52 82 53 84 / 30 40 40 20 ALBUQUERQUE FOOTHILLS........... 56 82 58 86 / 30 40 20 20 ALBUQUERQUE HEIGHTS............. 59 84 61 87 / 30 40 20 20 ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY.............. 57 85 60 88 / 30 40 20 10 ALBUQUERQUE WEST MESA........... 58 84 60 87 / 30 40 20 10 LOS LUNAS....................... 57 86 60 89 / 30 40 20 10 RIO RANCHO...................... 58 84 61 88 / 30 40 20 10 SOCORRO......................... 59 84 58 88 / 30 30 30 10 SANDIA PARK/CEDAR CREST......... 47 75 51 76 / 30 50 30 20 MORIARTY/ESTANCIA............... 51 81 53 84 / 30 40 30 20 CLINES CORNERS.................. 52 76 52 80 / 30 40 30 30 GRAN QUIVIRA.................... 54 79 54 81 / 30 50 30 20 CARRIZOZO....................... 57 82 57 85 / 30 30 30 20 RUIDOSO......................... 54 74 52 78 / 30 50 30 30 CAPULIN......................... 51 79 50 76 / 30 30 40 30 RATON........................... 51 83 51 81 / 30 30 40 30 LAS VEGAS....................... 51 79 50 79 / 30 40 40 30 CLAYTON......................... 63 87 61 82 / 20 40 30 30 ROY............................. 59 84 58 79 / 30 40 30 30 CONCHAS......................... 62 90 62 89 / 30 40 30 30 SANTA ROSA...................... 58 88 58 86 / 30 40 30 30 TUCUMCARI....................... 64 92 62 88 / 20 40 20 30 CLOVIS.......................... 63 91 63 88 / 10 20 20 20 PORTALES........................ 64 92 64 89 / 10 20 20 20 FORT SUMNER..................... 62 92 63 88 / 30 40 20 30 ROSWELL......................... 66 91 65 92 / 20 30 20 20 PICACHO......................... 60 84 60 87 / 30 40 20 20 ELK............................. 56 81 56 83 / 30 40 20 30 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && 43/52
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 600 AM MDT MON AUG 24 2009 NMZ501>540-251200- ALBUQUERQUE METRO AREA-CENTRAL HIGHLANDS-CHAVES COUNTY PLAINS- CHUSKA MOUNTAINS-CURRY COUNTY-DE BACA COUNTY- EAST SLOPES SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS-EASTERN LINCOLN COUNTY- EASTERN SAN MIGUEL COUNTY-ESTANCIA VALLEY-FAR NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS- FAR NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS-GUADALUPE COUNTY-HARDING COUNTY- JEMEZ MOUNTAINS-LOWER CHAMA RIVER VALLEY-LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY- NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS- NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTOS ABOVE 9500 FEET/RED RIVER- NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS-NORTHWEST PLATEAU-QUAY COUNTY- RATON RIDGE/JOHNSON MESA-ROOSEVELT COUNTY-SAN FRANCISCO RIVER VALLEY- SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS-SANDIA/MANZANO MOUNTAINS-SANTA FE METRO AREA- SOUTH CENTRAL HIGHLANDS-SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTOS ABOVE 9500 FEET-SOUTHWEST CHAVES COUNTY- SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS-UNION COUNTY-UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY- UPPER TULAROSA VALLEY-WEST CENTRAL HIGHLANDS-WEST CENTRAL MOUNTAINS- WEST CENTRAL PLATEAU-WEST SLOPES SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS- 600 AM MDT MON AUG 24 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT AREAS OF HEAVY RAINFALL ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND WESTERN NEW MEXICO. THESE HEAVY RAINS MAY RESULT IN LOCALIZED AREAS OF FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE AGAIN TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS CENTRAL AND WESTERN NEW MEXICO...WHICH MAY RESULT IN AREAS OF FLOODING. REMEMBER...WEATHER CAN CHANGE VERY RAPIDLY. ALWAYS USE THE LATEST FORECASTS...WATCHES AND WARNINGS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. 34
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM
341 PM MDT MON AUG 24 2009
NMZ501-503-242215-
FAR NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS-NORTHWEST PLATEAU-
341 PM MDT MON AUG 24 2009
...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING OVER NORTHWESTERN SAN JUAN COUNTY...
AT 339 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...SMALL
HAIL...AND TORRENTIAL RAINFALL NEAR SHIPROCK. MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT
15 MPH.
LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE HIGHWAY 491 FROM SHIPROCK
NORTH TO THE COLORADO STATE LINE...AND RESERVATION ROAD 364.
HEAVY RAINS WILL CAUSE WATER TO POND ON ROADS AND IN LOW SPOTS. FAST
RUNNING WATER WILL QUICKLY FILL ARROYOS AND DITCHES.
&&
LAT...LON 3700 10865 3700 10860 3670 10860 3666 10906
3699 10907 3700 10904 3701 10883 3701 10866
TIME...MOT...LOC 2140Z 271DEG 13KT 3682 10876
GUYERThe Albuquerque radar (KABX), 209 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:06 UTC.
1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
A 24 year old man was critically injured when he was struck by lightning while riding his horse along a metal fence. The horse was killed. The man's hat had a four inch hole in it from the lightning strike.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, August 2009
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: 184356.