Numerous showers and thunderstorms developed across western and central New Mexico during the afternoon hours of the 13th. Though most individual storms were short-lived, a few storms dumped very heavy rains in vulnerable areas.
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.
Numerous showers and thunderstorms developed across western and central New Mexico during the afternoon hours of the 13th. Though most individual storms were short-lived, a few storms dumped very heavy rains in vulnerable areas. Radar estimates over 2 inches of rain fell over portions of Gallup as well as the Track Fire burn scar.
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 13, 2:17 AM MST, 10 hours 43 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 317 AM MDT SAT AUG 13 2011 ...ENHANCED FLASH FLOOD THREAT FOR FIRE BURN SCARS THIS WEEKEND... .DISCUSSION... THE BACKDOOR COLD FRONT IS FINALLY SEEPING SOUTH AND WEST THIS MORNING GENERALLY NEAR A CLAYTON TO RANCHVALE LINE PER THE 09Z SURFACE ANALYSIS. PRESSURE RISES ARE NOT VERY ROBUST THOUGH AND IT MAY TAKE MORE TIME FOR THE FRONT TO PUSH DEEPER INTO NEW MEXICO THIS MORNING. EITHER WAY...MOISTURE IS STILL RECYCLED BENEATH THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE DRAPED ACROSS THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT. THE RIDGE WILL HOLD ON FOR ANOTHER DAY ALTHOUGH WE DO EXPECT INCREASING COVERAGE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING FAVORING THE SOUTHWEST...SOUTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST HIGH TERRAIN WHERE SLOW STORM MOTIONS ARE EXPECTED TO CAUSE FLASH FLOOD CONCERNS OVER RECENT FIRE BURN SCARS. ELSEWHERE IN NEW MEXICO...A GENERAL UPTICK IN SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL BE COMMON JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE IN THE STATE AS 850-500MB EAST TO SOUTHEAST FLOW HELPS PUMP BETTER MOISTURE INTO THE REGION. AT LEAST SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL LINGER OVERNIGHT BEFORE THE MAIN ACTION BEGINS ON SUNDAY. MODELS ARE STILL NOT AS ROBUST AS THEY WERE 24 HOURS AGO AT THIS TIME BUT THE RIDGE IS STILL PROGGED BY THE GFS AND THE ECMWF TO SHIFT EAST ALLOWING THE DEEPER MONSOONAL MOISTURE PLUME TO BE TRANSPORTED NORTHWARD FROM OLD MEXICO ACROSS MAINLY THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN CWFA. THE NAM-WRF HOLDS ONTO THE RIDGE FURTHER WEST BUT WOULD STILL SUPPORT AN UPTICK IN CONVECTION. THE THREAT FOR HEAVY RAINFALL FROM SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS STILL LOOKS GOOD OVER BURN SCARS AND MAYBE SO OVER A LARGER PORTION OF SOUTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL NEW MEXICO INTO SUNDAY NIGHT/EARLY MONDAY. WE WILL HOLD ONTO THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR BURN SCARS ONLY AT THIS POINT BUT FUTURE SHIFTS MAY NEED TO MONITOR THE NEED FOR A POSSIBLE EXPANSION OF THE WATCH IF THE THREAT FOR HEAVY RAINFALL BECOMES MORE WIDESPREAD. SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL SHIFT FURTHER EAST ON MONDAY FOLLOWED BY WHAT LOOKS TO BE A RETURN TO HOT AND DRY CONDITIONS ACROSS MUCH OF NEW MEXICO THROUGH THE END OF NEXT WEEK. THIS IS NOT GOOD NEWS FOR THE ONGOING DROUGHT CONDITIONS. THE GFS AND ECMWF HAVE CERTAINLY CHANGED THEIR TUNE FOR THE MIDDLE TO LATTER HALF OF THE WEEK. SOLUTIONS NOW INDICATE THE UPPER RIDGE WILL BUILD STRONGLY OVER NEW MEXICO WITH MUCH DRIER AIR FILTERING IN FROM THE WEST. THERE IS STILL SOME INDICATION IN THE ECMWF THAT THIS PATTERN WILL REVERT BACK TO CONDITIONS MORE TYPICAL FOR MID TO LATE AUGUST ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT CERTAIN IF THE MODEL IS JUST TRENDING TOWARD CLIMATOLOGY OR IS REALLY SHOWING A MOISTURE SIGNAL. TIME WILL TELL. STAY TUNED. KW && .AVIATION... MULTIPLE BKN CLOUD DECKS THIS MORNING MAINLY ABOVE MT TOP LEVEL WILL THIN AFTER SUNRISE OVER MOST OF THE REGION...EXCEPT FOR THE FAR SW MTS. CONVECTIVE INITIATION WILL OCCUR OVER ALL THE HIGHER TERRAIN BY 17Z AND SLIDE NORTH AND NORTHWEST AROUND 15 KTS. THERE WILL BE 2 FAVORED AREAS FOR STORMS THIS AFTERNOON. THE FIRST IS EXPECTED OVER THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MTS AND UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY IN VCNTY OF LOW LEVEL SURFACE BNDRY...AND THE SECOND OVER THE SW AND WESTERN MTS IN ASSCN WITH WEAK UPPER LEVEL WAVE. LOCALLY HVY RAIN WITH VSBYS LESS THAN 1 MILE...GUSTY SFC WINDS TO 35 KTS...INTENSE LIGHTNING...AND SMALL HAIL WILL ACCOMPANY STRONG STORMS TODAY. STORMS WILL DISSIPATE EAST OF THE CENTRAL MTS AFTER 06Z BUT KEEP GOING OVER THE WEST ALL NIGHT. NEXT AVIATION DISCUSSION SCHEDULED FOR 21Z. GUYER && .FIRE WEATHER... A FAVORABLE PATTERN IS SETTING UP OVER THE REGION THROUGH MONDAY FOR AT LEAST SOME FOLKS TO RECEIVE HEAVY RAINFALL...PARTICULARLY OVER THE HIGH TERRAIN. RH VALUES EARLY THIS MORNING ARE ALREADY IN THE 50 TO 70 PCT RANGE FOR MOST OF EASTERN AND SOUTHWESTERN NM. THE DRIEST CONDITIONS REMAIN OVER THE NW PLATEAU WHERE DEWPOINTS IN THE 20S ARE SLOWLY RISING AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO THROUGH THIS MORNING. RECOVERIES WILL AVERAGE VERY GOOD TO EXCELLENT ALL AREAS AS COVERAGE OF STORMS INCREASES OVER THE WEEKEND WITH MIN RH VALUES HIGHER THAN THE PAST FEW DAYS AS WELL. BURN SCARS WILL HAVE THE GREATEST THREAT FOR FLASH FLOODING THROUGH THIS PERIOD. THE UPPER HIGH WILL SHIFT BACK TO THE WEST OVER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND ARIZONA...ALLOWING FOR WEST TO NORTHWEST FLOW TO DEVELOP OVER AT LEAST THE NORTHWEST HALF OF NM BEGINNING LATE MONDAY. THIS IS A SOMEWHAT NEW TREND IN SEVERAL MODELS...SHOWING A SIGNIFICANT DRYING TREND OVER THE REGION. THE UPPER HIGH THEN SHIFTS EAST DIRECTLY OVER NM AND BECOMES FIRMLY ENTRENCHED OVER THE AREA THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR EXCEPTIONALLY LOW MIN RH VALUES FOR MID AUGUST AND WELL ABOVE NORMAL MAX TEMPS. NIGHTTIME TEMPS WILL BE COOLER DUE TO THE DRY AIR WITH INVERSION PATTERNS DOMINATING MID SLOPE RH VALUES. STORM CHANCES WILL BE RELEGATED TO THE VCNTY OF HIGH TERRAIN WITH VALUES WELL BELOW CLIMATOLOGY. HIGH HAINES VALUES AND EXCELLENT VENTILATION RATES WILL ALSO ACCOMPANY THIS PATTERN FOR AT LEAST THE NORTHWEST HALF OF THE STATE. GUYER && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... FARMINGTON...................... 95 66 85 61 / 10 30 50 40 DULCE........................... 89 53 82 51 / 30 40 70 60 CUBA............................ 87 56 82 55 / 30 40 60 60 GALLUP.......................... 87 58 80 55 / 30 50 60 50 EL MORRO........................ 82 54 76 52 / 50 60 70 60 GRANTS.......................... 88 57 82 54 / 30 50 60 60 QUEMADO......................... 83 57 79 55 / 60 60 70 60 GLENWOOD........................ 87 63 85 62 / 30 40 60 50 CHAMA........................... 81 50 75 49 / 50 50 80 60 LOS ALAMOS...................... 83 62 78 61 / 50 50 60 60 PECOS........................... 81 57 78 57 / 50 60 60 70 CERRO/QUESTA.................... 83 52 80 52 / 40 60 60 60 RED RIVER....................... 74 49 71 49 / 60 60 70 60 ANGEL FIRE...................... 75 49 73 49 / 70 60 70 60 TAOS............................ 86 55 81 54 / 30 50 60 60 MORA............................ 79 53 76 53 / 60 60 60 60 ESPANOLA........................ 90 59 87 59 / 30 40 50 60 SANTA FE........................ 85 60 81 60 / 50 60 50 70 SANTA FE AIRPORT................ 88 62 84 61 / 30 50 50 60 ALBUQUERQUE FOOTHILLS........... 91 65 85 65 / 30 40 50 50 ALBUQUERQUE HEIGHTS............. 92 70 87 69 / 30 40 50 50 ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY.............. 94 67 90 67 / 30 40 40 50 ALBUQUERQUE WEST MESA........... 95 65 89 64 / 30 40 50 50 LOS LUNAS....................... 93 64 88 64 / 30 40 40 50 RIO RANCHO...................... 95 62 89 63 / 30 40 50 50 SOCORRO......................... 94 65 87 64 / 40 40 50 40 SANDIA PARK/CEDAR CREST......... 90 60 82 60 / 40 50 50 60 TIJERAS......................... 90 59 82 60 / 40 50 50 60 MORIARTY/ESTANCIA............... 86 55 81 56 / 40 50 50 60 CLINES CORNERS.................. 83 60 80 60 / 40 50 50 60 GRAN QUIVIRA.................... 87 61 83 61 / 30 40 50 60 CARRIZOZO....................... 90 62 84 63 / 40 40 50 40 RUIDOSO......................... 79 56 75 57 / 60 50 60 50 CAPULIN......................... 85 59 85 59 / 40 40 40 30 RATON........................... 92 61 91 60 / 60 60 40 40 SPRINGER........................ 91 62 90 61 / 40 50 40 40 LAS VEGAS....................... 84 57 82 58 / 40 60 50 50 CLAYTON......................... 88 65 90 65 / 20 20 20 30 ROY............................. 88 63 87 63 / 30 30 40 30 CONCHAS......................... 93 70 92 70 / 20 30 30 30 SANTA ROSA...................... 92 67 89 68 / 30 40 30 30 TUCUMCARI....................... 96 70 95 70 / 20 30 20 30 CLOVIS.......................... 94 67 92 69 / 20 30 20 20 PORTALES........................ 94 67 92 68 / 20 30 20 20 FORT SUMNER..................... 95 69 92 70 / 20 30 20 20 ROSWELL......................... 97 71 93 71 / 20 30 20 20 PICACHO......................... 90 62 86 62 / 30 30 30 30 ELK............................. 83 59 79 59 / 70 50 50 30 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM NOON MDT TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ508-511-512-514-526-527-539. && 17/GUYER
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 603 AM MDT SAT AUG 13 2011 NMZ501>540-141200- NORTHWEST PLATEAU-CHUSKA MOUNTAINS-FAR NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS- NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS-WEST CENTRAL PLATEAU-WEST CENTRAL MOUNTAINS- WEST CENTRAL HIGHLANDS-SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS- SAN FRANCISCO RIVER VALLEY-SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS-JEMEZ MOUNTAINS- WEST SLOPES SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS- NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 9500 FEET/RED RIVER- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 9500 FEET- EAST SLOPES SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS-UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY- LOWER CHAMA RIVER VALLEY-SANTA FE METRO AREA-ALBUQUERQUE METRO AREA- LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY-SANDIA/MANZANO MOUNTAINS-ESTANCIA VALLEY- CENTRAL HIGHLANDS-SOUTH CENTRAL HIGHLANDS-UPPER TULAROSA VALLEY- SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS-RATON RIDGE/JOHNSON MESA- FAR NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS-NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS-UNION COUNTY- HARDING COUNTY-EASTERN SAN MIGUEL COUNTY-GUADALUPE COUNTY- QUAY COUNTY-CURRY COUNTY-ROOSEVELT COUNTY-DE BACA COUNTY- CHAVES COUNTY PLAINS-EASTERN LINCOLN COUNTY-SOUTHWEST CHAVES COUNTY- 603 AM MDT SAT AUG 13 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL...GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL WILL BE COMMON THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE SLOW MOVEMENT TO THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CAUSE AN ENHANCED THREAT FOR FLASH FLOODING ESPECIALLY OVER RECENT FIRE BURN SCARS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG AND WEST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN TO THE ARIZONA STATE LINE ON SUNDAY. HEAVY RAINFALL WILL POSE A THREAT FOR ADDITIONAL FLASH FLOODING ...ESPECIALLY OVER RECENT FIRE BURN SCARS. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE MOST COMMON OVER SOUTHERN...CENTRAL AND EASTERN SECTIONS ON MONDAY. TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...THE THREAT FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW...HOWEVER...WEATHER CAN CHANGE VERY RAPIDLY. ALWAYS USE THE LATEST FORECASTS...WATCHES AND WARNINGS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED...HOWEVER...SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT STORM REPORTS TO OUR WEBPAGE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/ABQ OR BY PHONE AT 1-888-386-7637. 17
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 1234 PM MDT SAT AUG 13 2011 NMZ505-506-131900- WEST CENTRAL MOUNTAINS-WEST CENTRAL PLATEAU- 1234 PM MDT SAT AUG 13 2011 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WESTERN MCKINLEY COUNTY THROUGH 100 PM MDT... AT 1230 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR CHURCH ROCK...OR ABOUT NEAR GALLUP...MOVING NORTHWEST AT 5 MPH. HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. AREAS AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...GALLUP...GAMERCO AND ALLISON. THIS WILL ALSO IMPACT INTERSTATE 40 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 18 AND 37. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. && LAT...LON 3556 10887 3571 10865 3549 10846 3541 10871 TIME...MOT...LOC 1833Z 128DEG 3KT 3553 10866 DPORTER
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 127 PM MDT SAT AUG 13 2011 NMZ524-525-132000- SOUTH CENTRAL HIGHLANDS-UPPER TULAROSA VALLEY- 127 PM MDT SAT AUG 13 2011 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WESTERN LINCOLN AND SOUTHEASTERN SOCORRO COUNTIES THROUGH 200 PM MDT... AT 125 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 19 MILES WEST OF CARRIZOZO...MOVING WEST AT 5 MPH. HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. AREAS AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF EXTREME WESTERN LINCOLN AND SOUTHEASTERN SOCORRO COUNTIES. THIS WILL INCLUDE THE OSCURA MOUNTAINS AND WORKMAN RIDGE. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. && LAT...LON 3353 10642 3376 10634 3369 10609 3350 10614 TIME...MOT...LOC 1927Z 092DEG 5KT 3361 10622 DPORTER
The Albuquerque radar (KABX), 180 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:59 UTC.
2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Flash flooding occurred along Maloney Street between 1st and 6th streets. Several of these intersections were closed as water was halfway up vehicles. A few cars were stuck in the water.
State Police in Raton reported rock and tree limb debris from the Track Fire burn scar on Interstate 25 from mile markers 455 to 459. The northbound lanes were primarily impacted. Much of the water and debris came from the mountains on the west side of the interstate. Raton Creek also overflowed its banks on the north side of Raton. The creek, which is 15 feet deep and cemented, had water spilling out up to 30 feet away from its banks. The water came up to the porches on a half dozen homes, but fortunately did not cause any house damage.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, August 2011
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: 321982, 321980.