A nearly stationary storm over Arizona provided an extended period of deep moisture with widespread showers and isolated thunderstorms. A few of the heavier showers and thunderstorms produced heavy rain.
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The episode as NWS ABQ wrote it up.
A nearly stationary storm over Arizona provided an extended period of deep moisture with widespread showers and isolated thunderstorms. A few of the heavier showers and thunderstorms produced heavy rain. One such storm impacted the Northwest Plateau, resulting in localized flash flooding along state highway 491 south of Shiprock.
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 May 23, 10:39 AM MST, 2 hours 21 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 1139 AM MDT SAT MAY 23 2009 .UPDATE... MADE A FEW CHANGES TO POPS...QPF...SKY AND TEMPS ACROSS VARIOUS PORTIONS FCST AREA FOR TODAY. CHANGES ARE TOO VARIED TO DESCRIBE HERE...BUT MOST WERE MINOR TO MODERATE. ALL IN ALL THOUGH THE UPPER LOW IS SLOWLY BEGINNING TO FILL AND DRIFT N TO NE...THERE PLENTY O MOISTURE OUT THERE...NEARLY AN INCH PRECIPITABLE WATER ON THE EARLY MORNING KABQ SOUNDING THOUGH BALLOON RELEASED DURING A LIGHT RAIN. SO SHOWERS SHOULD BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD...ESPECIALLY W AND N THIS AFTERNOON WITH PROBABLY ALSO A FEW MORE STORMS THAN ON FRIDAY. 43 && .PREV DISCUSSION...255 AM MDT SAT MAY 23 2009... CURRENTLY...BROAD 500 MB TROUGH SLOPPED OVER MUCH OF THE NATION...WITH WEAK CLOSED LOW NEAR THE FOUR CORNERS. COMPLEX SURFACE CHART WITH BROAD TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE FROM CALIFORNIA DESERTS ACROSS NEW MEXICO TO THE TEXAS PANHANDLE...AND THIS FEATURE BISECTED BY WEAK RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE FROM WESTERN COLORADO ACROSS THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN TO ROUGHLY RUIDOSO. PATTERN SETS UP SUBTLE MOISTURE CONVERGENCE AXIS ALONG NEW MEXICO EASTERN BORDER...AND CIRCULATES SOUTHEAST FLOW UP THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY AND INTO THE NORTHERN AND WESTERN MOUNTAINS. WITH COPIOUS PRECIPITABLE WATER PUSHING DOUBLE THE CLIMATOLOGICAL NORM FOR LATE MAY...WEAK FORCING AND OROGRAPHIC ASSISTANCE WILL BE ENOUGH TO TOUCH OFF SHOWERS THROUGHOUT THE FORECAST AREA THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEKEND. MODELS...GOOD CONSENSUS ON A BROAD LOW FLOW PATTERN ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH GRADUAL EASTWARD CREEP FOR THE BROAD TROUGH AXIS...AS A SECONDARY SHORTWAVE TAKES SHAPE OVER THE GREAT BASIN BY TONIGHT. THIS FEATURE WILL SAG SOUTHWARD FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEKEND INTO ARIZONA...TO VEER FLOW ALOFT TO THE SOUTHWEST. WEAK RIDGING AHEAD OF THE TROUGH WILL HELP TAPER PRECIPITATION BACK TO CHANCE CATEGORY OVER MUCH OF THE STATE ON MEMORIAL DAY...BUT DAILY THREAT OF THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUES STATEWIDE...AND SOME OF THESE MAY PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS. TROUGH REMAINS IN PLACE FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS ACROSS ARIZONA TO THE TROPICAL EAST PACIFIC THROUGH MIDWEEK. BY THURSDAY...RIDGE BUILDING NORTHWARD OUT OF NORTHEAST MEXICO WILL OVERSPREAD NEW MEXICO BY NEXT WEEKEND WITH CONTINUED DAILY CHANCES OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS STATEWIDE. SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY...BROAD SOUTHEAST FLOW AT THE SURFACE WITH CONTINUED EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVER AND WEAK DYNAMIC HELP ALOFT WILL FOCUS SHOWER COVERAGE OVER SOUTHERN AND EASTERN SLOPES OF THE HIGHER COUNTRY...AND UP RIVER VALLEYS...DURING THE DAY TODAY. CONVECTIVE INDICES ARE MODEST TODAY...LIFTED INDICES AROUND 1 BELOW WITH MUCAPE MAXING OUT AT AROUND 1000 J/KG MAINLY IN THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS. VERY SHALLOW LAPSE RATES AND LACK OF TRIGGER ALOFT LEAVES SHOWER INITIATION TO OROGRAPHY AND LOCALIZED MOISTURE CONVERGENCE ALONG TROUGH AXES. TEMPERATURES REMAINING COOL UNDER CLOUD COVER...6 TO 12 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. INTO SUNDAY...LITTLE CHANGE TO OVERALL SET UP SUNDAY. AS TROUGH ALOFT MOVES EASTWARD...FLOW ALOFT WILL VEER TO THE SOUTHWEST WITH SURFACE TROUGH AND ENHANCED MOISTURE CONVERGENCE DEVELOPING OVER EASTERN NEW MEXICO. FOR CENTRAL AND WEST...WESTERLY FLOW AT THE SURFACE WILL SHIFT FAVORED SLOPES FOR OROGRAPHIC ASSISTANCE IN SHOWER DEVELOPMENT. CONVECTIVE INDICES MORE FAVORABLE FOR THUNDERSTORMS...WITH LIFTED INDICES DROPPING TO 2 BELOW...AND MUCAPE RISING TOWARD 1500 J/KG...AND MOST OF THIS OVER THE HIGH COUNTRY IN THE NORTH AND ACROSS THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN. TEMPERATURES EASING GRADUALLY UPWARD FOR THE DAY...BUT STILL REMAINING BELOW NORMAL WITH CONTINUED SUBSTANTIAL PWAT EXCEEDANCES OF CLIMATOLOGY FOR LATE MAY. INTO MONDAY...SURFACE LOW DEEPENING OVER EASTERN NEW MEXICO WITH BROAD WEST WINDS LOW DOWN AS WEAK RIDGE ALOFT POKES NORTHWARD IN ADVANCE OF TROUGH ALOFT MOVING INTO WESTERN ARIZONA. SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WILL KEEP MOISTURE RECHARGED AND MAINTAINED WELL ABOVE CLIMATOLOGY. STEEPENING LAPSE RATES WITH CONTINUED DEPRESSED LIFTED INDICES AND MODEST MUCAPE WILL SHIFT GRADUALLY TO THE EAST DURING THE DAY...WITH SURFACE MOISTURE CONVERGENCE OVER THE TEXAS BORDER COUNTIES FAVORED FOR MOST ACTIVE CONVECTION ON MONDAY AFTERNOON...AND OROGRAPHIC HELP NEEDED FOR THUNDERSTORMS CENTRAL AND WEST. TEMPERATURE WARM UP WILL LEVEL OFF WITH VERY MODEST TEMPERATURE ADVECTION...AND CONTINUED CLOUDY PRESENCE OVER MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA. INTO TUESDAY...SHOWER FOCUS REMAINING IN THE EAST WITH LIFTED INDICES DROPPING TO NEAR 4 BELOW NEAR THE TEXAS BORDER...BUT MODEST MUCAPE EASING ABOVE 1000 J/KG. FURTHER WEST...STEEPER LAPSE RATES BUT REDUCED CAPES WILL REQUIRE OROGRAPHIC HELP FOR CONVECTIVE INITIATION IN COOL SURFACE TEMPERATURES. SURFACE LOW SHIFTING TO CENTRAL TEXAS MAY PUSH WEAK COLD FRONT WESTWARD INTO EASTERN AND NORTHEAST NEW MEXICO TO HELP OUT WEAK MOISTURE CONVERGENCE ALREADY IN PLACE. LONGER TERM...WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...WEAK WESTBOUND COLD FRONT WASHING OUT OVER EASTERN NEW MEXICO WITH COMPLEX LOW FLOW PATTERN IN PLACE ALOFT BY MIDWEEK. SHOWER FOCUS WILL REMAIN THE EASTERN PLAINS AND ADJACENT HIGHLANDS WITH CONTINUED DEPRESSED LIFTED INDICES AND GRADUAL INCREASES TO MUCAPE OVER THESE AREAS ON WEDNESDAY. RIDGE BUILDING NORTHWARD INTO EASTERN NEW MEXICO COMBINED WITH CONTINUED EASTERLY FLOW OVER THE EASTERN END OF THE STATE WILL SET UP ANOTHER DAY OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EAST AND NORTH ON THURSDAY...WITH MOISTURE CONVERGENCE AXIS SETTING UP OVER THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY. FOR FRIDAY...LITTLE CHANGE...WITH WEAK SURFACE TROUGH EXTENDING FROM THE FOUR CORNERS TO EL PASO EXPANDING SHOWER COVERAGE TO THE CENTRAL AND WEST TO WIND UP THE WORK WEEK. RIDGING PROVIDING SOME HELP IN RETURNING TEMPERATURES BACK TO NORMAL VALUES BY THE END OF THE WORK WEEK FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS IN MAY. SHY .AVIATION... MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION WILL BE RATHER WIDESPREAD THROUGH AT LEAST 16Z THIS MORNING AS LOW LEVEL MOIST SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST FLOW PERSISTS. AREAS OF IFR CIGS ARE LIKELY ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS THROUGH 16Z THIS MORNING. ELSEWHERE EXPECT MVFR CIGS AND SPOTTY AREAS OF IFR CIGS AND VISIBILITIES WITH SHOWERS AND A FEW EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. NEXT AVIATION DISCUSSION SCHEDULED FOR 21Z. CHJ .FIRE WEATHER... THE UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL GRADUALLY WEAKEN TODAY AS IT MOVES OVER THE FOUR CORNERS REGION. BUT HIGH MOISTURE LEVELS WILL LINGER ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO ALONG WITH SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS. WEAK WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT WILL RETURN TO CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO STARTING SUNDAY FOR DRIER CONDITIONS THERE. THE AIRMASS OVER THE NORTHERN THIRD OF THE STATE WILL REMAIN MOIST AND UNSTABLE ENOUGH TO ALLOW FOR WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT. THE OUTLOOK FOR MONDAY AND TUESDAY IS FOR GENERALLY DRIER CONDITIONS AND FEWER DAYTIME SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. A BACK DOOR COLD FRONT WILL BRING AN INCREASE IN MOISTURE AND THUS MORE SHOWERS AND STORMS FOR WEDNESDAY THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. CHJ && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && 43
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 521 AM MDT SAT MAY 23 2009 NMZ001>021-026-241200- 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- 521 AM MDT SAT MAY 23 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THE PROBABILITY OF WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. HOWEVER...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL THROUGH THIS EVENING IS POSSIBLE...ALONG WITH LOCAL AREAS OF FLASH FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FOR SUNDAY...THE PROBABILITY OF WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. HOWEVER...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON IS POSSIBLE...ALONG WITH LOCAL AREAS OF FLASH FLOODING. FOR MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...THE PROBABILITY OF WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. HOWEVER...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY MAY PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WITH LOCAL AREAS OF FLASH FLOODING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING FOR THE NORTHERN AND WESTERN MOUNTAINS AND THE EASTERN PLAINS DUE TO LOCAL FLASH FLOODING IN HEAVIER THUNDERSTORMS. SPOTTERS SHOULD REPORT HEAVY RAINFALL AND OBSERVED FLASH FLOODING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AT 888.386.7637. SHY
The Albuquerque radar (KABX), 230 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:02 UTC.
2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain caused about four feet of mud to slide into an irrigation canal running along Navajo route 362. This forced water over route 362 and onto farm land and residents' homes.
Localized flash flooding reported 20 to 30 miles south of Shiprock on State Highway 491. Part of the road was washed out.
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, May 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: 161137, 160461.