The first day of flash flooding over the Las Conchas burn scar was widespread as weak upper level disturbances rounded the west side of the upper high. Early in the afternoon, showers and thunderstorms developed over the central and northern portions of the burn scar.
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.
The first day of flash flooding over the Las Conchas burn scar was widespread as weak upper level disturbances rounded the west side of the upper high. Early in the afternoon, showers and thunderstorms developed over the central and northern portions of the burn scar. These storms generally produced 1 to 2 inches of rainfall. Later in the afternoon and early evening, even stronger and very slow moving storms developed across the southern portions of the burn scar. Radar estimated 3 to 4 inches of rain across a widespread area. Flash flooding was reported with each of these storms. The storms moved eastward over Santa Fe in the evening, and produced additional flooding.
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 21, 2:14 PM MST, 46 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 314 PM MDT SUN AUG 21 2011 .DISCUSSION...IT HAS BEEN ANOTHER ACTIVE CONVECTIVE DAY ACROSS MUCH OF NEW MEXICO TODAY. THE EAST HAD A LATE END TO THE OVERNIGHT AND EARLY MORNING STORMS...LEAVING THE ATMOSPHERE WORKED OVER AND SLOW TO INITIATE AGAIN. IT IS A DIFFERENT TALE IN THE WEST WHERE CLEARER SKIES LEAD TO A QUICK DESTABILIZATION...AND STORMS MADE QUICK USE OF THE JUICY 1.33 PRECIPITABLE WATER. POSITION OF THE UPPER HIGH IN TEXAS HAS BEEN STEERING STORMS IN A SOUTH TO NORTH FASHION FOR THE MOST PART...WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE NORTHEASTERN QUADRANT OF THE FORECAST AREA WHERE STORMS ARE MOVING MORE SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST. REMNANTS OF A MESOSCALE CONVECTIVE VORTEX HAVE BEEN ALL BUT DISPERSED AS IT MOVED INTO SOUTHERN COLORADO. SOME SUBSIDENCE ON THE BACK SIDE OF THIS HAS SUPPRESSED CONVECTION SOME IN THE UPPER RIO GRANDE AND SAN JUANS...BUT STORMS WILL LIKELY OVERCOME THIS TOWARD EVENING. HAVE TRIMMED POPS BACK SOME IN THE EAST CENTRAL TO SOUTHEASTERN PLAINS WHERE THINGS SHOULD BE TOO STABLE TO INITIATE. ELSEWHERE SCATTERED TO LIKELY POPS HAVE BEEN LEFT IN PLACE. THE UPPER HIGH IS STILL PROGGED TO SHIFT BACK TOWARD NEW MEXICO MONDAY. THIS WILL INTRODUCE SOME DRY AIR INTO THE SOUTHERN ZONES...REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF STORM COVERAGE COMPARED TO THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS. CENTER OF THE HIGH IN EASTERN PART OF THE STATE AND MORE STABILITY SHOULD ALSO SUPPRESS STORMS THERE. WILL STILL SEE DIURNAL CONVECTION FIRING ON THE HIGH TERRAIN OF MUCH OF NORTH CENTRAL AND WEST CENTRAL NEW MEXICO...BUT COVERAGE SHOULD BE NOTABLY LESS. DRIER AIR...LESS CLOUDS...AND LESS PRECIPITATION SHOULD ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO BUMP UP A COUPLE DEGREES. THE UPPER HIGH SITUATES ITSELF TOP DEAD CENTER OVER NEW MEXICO ON TUESDAY...ADDING MORE SUBSIDENT FORCING AND LIKELY WRAPPING SOME DRIER AIR INTO THE AREA. PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES ARE ADVERTISED TO DROP TO THE 0.8-0.9 INCH RANGE FOR MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA. TEMPERATURES WILL RISE ANOTHER DEGREE OR TWO IN MOST LOCALES. THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE WORK WEEK...THE DOME OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL SLOSH AROUND NEW MEXICO AND THE FOUR CORNERS REGION WHILE THE LOWER EASTERN SEABOARD POTENTIALLY PREPARES FOR IRENE. THE STORM COVERAGE IS EXPECTED TO BE RELATIVELY LOW FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR WITH THE SOUTHWESTERN MOUNTAINS AND THE EASTERN SLOPES OF THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL MOUNTAINS STAYING THE MOST LIKELY CANDIDATES FOR WETTING PRECIPITATION. THE BACK DOOR FRONT EXPECTED ON WEDNESDAY IS A BIT MUDDLED WITH A SOUTHEASTERLY RETURN FLOW WORKING INTO THE PLAINS ON THURSDAY. THIS TREND IS SHOWN TO CARRY ON INTO NEXT WEEKEND. 52 && .AVIATION...SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED THE REMAINDER OF THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING OVER MUCH OF CENTRAL AND NORTHERN NEW MEXICO. THE GREATEST COVERAGE WILL OCCUR ALONG THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN AND ADJACENT HIGHLANDS AND VALLEYS AND ALSO ACROSS THE WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS. ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT FURTHER EAST ACROSS THE PLAINS WILL BE POSSIBLE LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT. SOME OF THE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY DOWNPOURS...ERRATIC GUSTY WINDS OF 35 TO 40 KTS...SMALL HAIL AND CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES. LOCALIZED MVFR TO IFR CIGS AND VSBYS CAN BE EXPECTED IN THE STRONG STORMS ALONG WITH MOUNTAIN TOPS OBSCURED. ABUNDANT VFR TO POSSIBLY MVFR CIGS WILL BE IN PLACE OVER MUCH OF THE STATE OVERNIGHT. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING ALTHOUGH COVERAGE IS NOT EXPECTED TO BE AS GREAT. NEXT AVIATION DISCUSSION SCHEDULED FOR 09Z. KW && .FIRE WEATHER...SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED OVER MUCH OF CENTRAL AND NORTHERN NEW MEXICO THE REMAINDER OF THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING. THE HIGHEST CONFIDENCE FOR WETTING RAINFALL WILL REMAIN OVER THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL HIGH TERRAIN SHIFTING EAST INTO THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY LATER TONIGHT AND ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS. OVERNIGHT RECOVERIES WILL BE EXCELLENT ALONG AND WEST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN WITH GOOD VALUES EXPECTED OVER THE EASTERN PLAINS. UPPER LEVEL HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE WILL BUILD FURTHER WEST INTO CENTRAL NEW MEXICO ON MONDAY. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR A BIT MORE DRYING AND LESS COVERAGE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE DAY. THE HIGHEST COVERAGE WILL LIKELY OCCUR OVER THE WESTERN AND NORTHERN HIGH TERRAIN WHERE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS WILL BE POSSIBLE. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED CONVECTION WILL BE POSSIBLE BENEATH THE UPPER RIDGE IN A MOISTURE RECYCLING MODE. TEMPERATURES WILL WARM ABOVE NORMAL TUESDAY AFTERNOON WITH SOME AREAS REACHING 10+ DEGREES ABOVE SEASONAL NORMALS FOR LATE AUGUST. A BACK DOOR COLD FRONT COULD IMPACT THE EAST ON WEDNESDAY WITH AN UPTICK IN SHOWERS AND STORMS OTHERWISE WE EXPECT MAINLY SCATTERED COVERAGES THROUGH THE END OF NEXT WEEK AS THE UPPER HIGH REMAINS OVER CENTRAL AND NORTHERN NEW MEXICO. KW && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... FARMINGTON...................... 64 91 63 95 / 30 20 20 10 DULCE........................... 52 85 52 89 / 50 30 30 20 CUBA............................ 57 82 57 86 / 50 30 30 20 GALLUP.......................... 58 85 57 88 / 40 20 20 20 EL MORRO........................ 54 79 54 82 / 50 30 20 20 GRANTS.......................... 57 85 57 88 / 50 30 20 20 QUEMADO......................... 57 82 57 84 / 50 20 20 20 GLENWOOD........................ 63 90 64 91 / 30 10 20 10 CHAMA........................... 50 78 49 82 / 50 40 30 20 LOS ALAMOS...................... 60 80 60 85 / 50 30 30 20 PECOS........................... 58 80 57 83 / 50 30 30 20 CERRO/QUESTA.................... 52 79 53 83 / 50 30 30 20 RED RIVER....................... 49 70 47 74 / 60 40 40 30 ANGEL FIRE...................... 48 73 46 77 / 60 40 30 30 TAOS............................ 54 83 55 87 / 50 30 30 20 MORA............................ 55 78 54 81 / 60 30 30 20 ESPANOLA........................ 60 87 58 92 / 50 20 20 10 SANTA FE........................ 60 85 59 88 / 50 30 30 20 SANTA FE AIRPORT................ 61 88 62 92 / 50 20 20 20 ALBUQUERQUE FOOTHILLS........... 67 88 67 90 / 50 10 20 10 ALBUQUERQUE HEIGHTS............. 70 90 70 92 / 50 10 20 10 ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY.............. 67 92 67 94 / 40 10 20 10 ALBUQUERQUE WEST MESA........... 67 92 67 94 / 50 10 20 10 LOS LUNAS....................... 67 93 67 93 / 40 10 20 10 RIO RANCHO...................... 67 92 67 94 / 50 20 20 10 SOCORRO......................... 67 93 68 94 / 40 5 20 5 SANDIA PARK/CEDAR CREST......... 57 86 57 86 / 50 20 20 20 TIJERAS......................... 64 89 64 92 / 50 20 20 10 MORIARTY/ESTANCIA............... 58 87 59 88 / 50 20 20 10 CLINES CORNERS.................. 60 84 61 85 / 50 20 20 20 GRAN QUIVIRA.................... 62 87 63 88 / 40 20 20 10 CARRIZOZO....................... 65 89 65 91 / 40 10 20 10 RUIDOSO......................... 60 79 61 81 / 40 20 20 20 CAPULIN......................... 59 86 60 88 / 50 20 20 20 RATON........................... 60 91 60 92 / 50 20 20 20 SPRINGER........................ 61 91 60 93 / 50 20 20 20 LAS VEGAS....................... 58 85 58 86 / 60 20 30 20 CLAYTON......................... 65 94 66 95 / 30 10 10 20 ROY............................. 65 89 64 91 / 40 20 20 10 CONCHAS......................... 70 95 69 97 / 30 10 20 10 SANTA ROSA...................... 68 95 69 96 / 30 10 20 10 TUCUMCARI....................... 70 98 70 99 / 20 10 10 10 CLOVIS.......................... 68 96 68 96 / 10 5 5 5 PORTALES........................ 68 97 68 97 / 10 5 5 5 FORT SUMNER..................... 69 97 68 98 / 20 10 10 5 ROSWELL......................... 71 98 71 98 / 10 5 5 5 PICACHO......................... 65 92 65 93 / 20 10 10 10 ELK............................. 60 87 60 87 / 20 20 10 20 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && 52/17
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 600 AM MDT SUN AUG 21 2011 NMZ501>540-221200- 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 SUN AUG 21 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS WILL YIELD NUMEROUS SLOW MOVING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TODAY. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AND MINOR FLOODING. LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE OVER RECENT BURN SCARS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. 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. 34
The Albuquerque radar (KABX), 90 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:01 UTC.
5 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Water and debris flowed over Highway 501 after approximately one inch of rain fell over central portions of the Las Conchas burn scar. The highway was temporarily closed.
After 1 to 1.5 inches of rain fell on the northern portion of the Las Conchas burn scar, flash flooding was reported in Santa Clara Canyon. Four people that were working in the canyon had to be rescued by helicopter.
Highway 30 near Santa Clara Pueblo was temporarily closed due to flash flooding.
Major flash flooding ensued after an estimated 3 to 4 inches of rain fell across the southern portion of the Las Conchas burn scar. Flooding in Frijoles Creek caused damage in and around Bandelier National Monument. Two barrier walls around the Visitors Center were overtopped and the septic system lift station was inundated with water. Major flooding was also reported in Peralta Canyon around Kasha Katuwe (Tent Rocks) National Monument. Damage was reported to the access road as well as other local roads.
Along and downstream of Cochiti Canyon sustained the most damage from flood waters. Flows were reported to be 8 to 10 feet high when they reached Dixon's Apple Orchard. The flood waters damaged the owners personal residence, inundated the main storage facility with 10 feet of mud and debris, moved a semi truck approximately 200 yards and destroyed approximately 10 percent of the apple orchard. The water also wiped out a 50 yard long 4 foot by 4 foot rock retaining wall that was built in 1942.
Flash flooding was reported in homes on Galisteo Street, within the Forest Circle Street and Calle Torreador subdivisions, Miguel Chaves Road and the Tuscany at St. Francis Apartments. Street flooding was also reported on portions of Cerrillos, St. Francis Dr., and St. Michaels Road.
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: 329112, 329121, 329160, 329288, 329302.