A deeply saturated atmosphere and weak steering flow over New Mexico set the stage for slow-moving heavy thunderstorms with torrential rainfall. Rainfall rates approached 2 inches per hour in some 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.
A deeply saturated atmosphere and weak steering flow over New Mexico set the stage for slow-moving heavy thunderstorms with torrential rainfall. Rainfall rates approached 2 inches per hour in some areas. The greatest impact from heavy rainfall occurred in the area from near Santa Fe south through Eldorado and Lamy to Cerrillos, Madrid, and Albuquerque where significant flash flooding developed. Strong winds and large hail accompanied the heavy rainfall in the Albuquerque Metro Area. Another area of heavy rainfall produced flash flooding around El Rito and Ojo Caliente.
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 Jul 19, 1:58 PM MST, 2 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 258 PM MDT FRI JUL 19 2013 .DISCUSSION... ROBUST ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS ON THE UPTREND AS OF 3PM...MOVING WSW FROM THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS AND NE HIGHLANDS/PLAINS. A REPORT OF 1.54 INCHES IN LESS THAN ONE HOUR CAME IN FROM NEAR 10 MILES SOUTH OF SANTA FE...SO THESE STORMS ARE CERTAINLY CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. THE 12Z KABQ PWAT WAS 1.27 INCHES...WHICH IS 147 PERCENT OF NORMAL AND CLOSE TO +2 STANDARD DEVIATIONS ABOVE NORMAL. IN ADDITION TO THE JUICY ATMOSPHERE OVERHEAD...STORM MOTIONS IS 10 MPH OR LESS WHICH ADDS TO THE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL THREAT. STORMS APPROACHING THE ABQ METRO FROM THE NE WILL CERTAINLY HAVE A PRIMED AIRMASS TO WORK OVER... WITH THE 20Z LAPS ANALYSIS SHOWING SURFACE BASED CAPES AROUND 2000 J/KG AND LIFTED INDICES BETWEEN -4 AND -5C. MAIN IMPACT PERIOD FOR THE ABQ METRO WILL BE FROM 330 TO 530PM MDT. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL PERSIST INTO THE EVENING HOURS...BUT SHOULD DIMINISH SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT WITH NO SUNRISE SURPRISES SATURDAY MORNING. SATURDAY WILL BE SIMILAR OVERALL WITH WELL ABOVE NORMAL PWATS... BUT SLOWER STORM MOTION TO THE WEST OR SOUTHWEST. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE AGAIN... ESPECIALLY OVER THE MOUNTAIN ZONES. SUNDAY WILL BE A TAD WARMER/DRIER OVERALL AS PRESSURE HEIGHTS INCREASE WITH THE UPPER HIGH OVER NEVADA RIDGING INTO COLORADO AND NORTHERN NM. SUNDAY'S CROP OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY HUG THE TERRAIN A BIT MORE AS WELL WITH EVEN LIGHTER STEERING FLOW. THE FORECAST TRENDS AND CHALLENGES BEYOND MONDAY HAVE NOT CHANGED THIS FORECAST CYCLE. A GRADUAL TEMPERATURE UPTREND AND CONVECTIVE DOWNTREND IS FORECAST NEXT WEEK AS THE UPPER HIGH MOVES SLOWLY ESE ACROSS NM AND INTO TEXAS. SOME DIFFERENCES ARE STILL SHOWING UP IN THE PLACEMENT OF THE UPPER HIGH CENTROID BY FRIDAY OF NEXT WEEK...WITH THE ECMWF STILL SHOWING IT EAST OF NM. SO AT SOME POINT LATE NEXT WEEK...OR POSSIBLY DELAYED UNTIL THE WEEKEND...TEMPERATURES WILL TREND BACK DOWN AND RAIN CHANCES WILL TREND BACK UP AS A MORE TRADITIONAL MONSOON PATTERN SETS UP. THAT SAID...LOW FORECAST CONFIDENCE BEYOND WEDNESDAY AT THIS TIME. 11 && .FIRE WEATHER... ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TONIGHT WITH A JUICY AIRMASS IN PLACE AND SOME WEAK ATMOSPHERIC LIFT REMAINING OVER THE AREA. BACK DOOR COLD FRONT OVER NE PLAINS AND HIGHLANDS WILL KEEP A FEW STRONG STORMS GOING THERE UNTIL AROUND MIDNIGHT ALONG WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING. PARTIAL CLEARING MAY INHIBIT OVERNIGHT RELATIVE HUMIDITY RECOVERIES SLIGHTLY BUT STILL EXPECTING VERY GOOD TO EXCELLENT RECOVERY VALUES MOST PLACES BY EARLY MORNING SATURDAY WITH WIDESPREAD WETTING RAINS. ANOTHER ACTIVE TO VERY ACTIVE DAY IN STORE SATURDAY WITH THE UPPER LEVEL WEATHER PATTERN CHANGING LITTLE AND PLENTY OF MOISTURE IN PLACE...POSSIBLY INCREASING SOMEWHAT MORE WITH A WEAK TO MODERATE SOUTHERLY SURFACE FLOW DEVELOPING. PREVIOUS WEATHER PREDICTION MODEL INDICATIONS WERE THAT A DOWNTREND IN CONVECTION WOULD BEGIN SUNDAY AS THE DEEPER MOISTURE HEADED WESTWARD INTO ARIZONA. LATEST DATA...HOWEVER...SUGGESTS THAT THIS MAY NOT BE THE CASE. WHILE SOME DRIER AIR ALOFT BEGINS TO FILTER IN FROM THE NORTHEAST...PLENTY OF LOW AND MID LEVEL MOISTURE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO PUSH UP FROM SOUTH FROM DECAYING CONVECTIVE COMPLEXES OVER NORTHERN OLD MEXICO SUNDAY MORNING. ANOTHER ACTIVE DAY IN STORE MONDAY AS THE UPPER HIGH MOVES LITTLE AND PLENTY OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE LEFT IN PLACE TO RECYCLE. AT THIS POINT IN TIME...TUESDAY APPEARS TO BE THE FIRST OF SEVERAL DOWN DAYS AS VERY DRY AIR ALOFT BEGINS TO MOVE IN FROM THE EAST/SE. GENERAL TREND OF THE MEDIUM RANGE MODELS IS TO SHIFT THE FOUR CORNERS HIGH SLOWLY EASTWARD WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY...ALLOWING FOR A CLASSIC SOUTHERLY MONSOONAL FLOW. BOTH ECMWF AND GFS INDICATING THAT AN EASTERLY WAVE MAY ALSO GET INTO THE MIX...MOVING UP INTO SW AZ THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY...ENHANCING THE DEEP SOUTHERLY MONSOONAL FLOW OVER NM TOWARD THE END OF THE WORK WEEK. 33 && .AVIATION... 18Z TAF CYCLE SCT CLOUDS ALONG WITH SPOTTY MORNING RAINFALL KEEPING CONVECTION FROM DEVELOPING MUCH LATE THIS MORNING BUT WITH AN HOUR OR TWO MORE OF ADDITIONAL SFC HEATING...EXPECTING AN ACTIVE AFTERNOON WITH SCT TO NUMRS STORMS OVER THE MTS AND NE AND ISOLD TO SCT COVERAGE VALLEYS AND BASINS LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THE EVENING. HIGH MOISTURE CONTENT AND LIGHT WINDS ALOFT WILL MAKE FOR VERY HEAVY RAINERS CREATING ISOLD MVFR VSBYS AND BRIEF MTN OBSCURATIONS. SCT LOW LEVELS CLOUDS WILL KEEP THE SE PLAINS FROM SEEING CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY TODAY. 33 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... FARMINGTON...................... 65 92 64 94 / 30 30 30 20 DULCE........................... 53 84 52 87 / 50 50 50 40 CUBA............................ 54 84 54 86 / 60 50 60 50 GALLUP.......................... 58 85 59 86 / 40 50 50 40 EL MORRO........................ 53 81 54 82 / 40 60 50 50 GRANTS.......................... 57 82 58 84 / 40 40 50 40 QUEMADO......................... 56 82 57 81 / 50 60 60 50 GLENWOOD........................ 56 83 57 84 / 70 40 40 50 CHAMA........................... 50 78 51 80 / 70 70 60 50 LOS ALAMOS...................... 60 82 61 83 / 50 50 50 50 PECOS........................... 58 77 59 79 / 60 50 70 50 CERRO/QUESTA.................... 55 80 55 83 / 60 60 60 40 RED RIVER....................... 47 73 46 76 / 70 70 70 50 ANGEL FIRE...................... 44 74 44 77 / 70 70 70 50 TAOS............................ 54 83 54 85 / 50 50 50 40 MORA............................ 53 73 55 78 / 70 60 70 50 ESPANOLA........................ 59 84 59 85 / 40 40 40 40 SANTA FE........................ 60 83 61 84 / 50 50 60 50 SANTA FE AIRPORT................ 59 85 59 86 / 40 40 50 40 ALBUQUERQUE FOOTHILLS........... 65 86 67 87 / 40 50 60 40 ALBUQUERQUE HEIGHTS............. 66 87 68 88 / 40 40 50 30 ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY.............. 64 89 65 90 / 30 40 50 30 ALBUQUERQUE WEST MESA........... 66 88 66 89 / 30 30 40 30 LOS LUNAS....................... 65 89 65 90 / 30 30 40 20 RIO RANCHO...................... 65 88 66 89 / 40 30 40 30 SOCORRO......................... 65 90 65 92 / 30 30 30 20 SANDIA PARK/CEDAR CREST......... 58 83 59 84 / 50 60 70 50 TIJERAS......................... 60 84 61 85 / 50 50 60 50 MORIARTY/ESTANCIA............... 56 81 56 83 / 40 60 70 40 CLINES CORNERS.................. 56 79 57 82 / 30 40 60 40 GRAN QUIVIRA.................... 59 80 59 82 / 40 40 40 40 CARRIZOZO....................... 62 83 62 84 / 30 30 30 30 RUIDOSO......................... 54 72 54 74 / 40 50 30 40 CAPULIN......................... 56 81 57 85 / 70 70 50 20 RATON........................... 57 83 58 87 / 70 50 50 30 SPRINGER........................ 58 84 59 88 / 70 50 60 30 LAS VEGAS....................... 54 79 56 83 / 60 50 60 30 CLAYTON......................... 65 89 66 92 / 40 30 30 10 ROY............................. 62 84 63 87 / 50 40 30 20 CONCHAS......................... 66 88 67 92 / 30 20 20 10 SANTA ROSA...................... 65 87 66 90 / 30 20 20 10 TUCUMCARI....................... 68 91 69 94 / 20 20 20 5 CLOVIS.......................... 63 87 64 89 / 10 10 10 5 PORTALES........................ 64 88 65 90 / 10 10 10 5 FORT SUMNER..................... 65 88 67 90 / 10 10 20 5 ROSWELL......................... 66 90 67 92 / 10 10 10 5 PICACHO......................... 60 84 62 87 / 20 20 20 10 ELK............................. 58 80 58 82 / 40 40 30 20 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && 11
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 600 AM MDT FRI JUL 19 2013 NMZ501>540-201200- 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 FRI JUL 19 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TODAY ACROSS THE HIGH TERRAIN AS WELL AS PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST NEW MEXICO. THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING DUE TO CONTINUED HIGH MOISTURE...INCREASED INSTABILITY AND SLOW STORM MOTION. RECENT BURN SCARS OVER THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ARE OF GREATEST CONCERN...THOUGH ONE STORM OVER ANY OF THE RECENT BURN SCARS COULD POSE FLOODING PROBLEMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND FAVORING THE HIGH TERRAIN AND ADJACENT VALLEYS. LIGHT STEERING FLOW COMBINED WITH HIGH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES...MAY RESULT IN LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN AND FLASH FLOODING. AREAS WITHIN AND DOWNSTREAM OF BURN SCARS CONTINUE TO BE OF GREATEST CONCERN. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT RAINFALL AMOUNTS AND ANY FLOODING ISSUES THROUGH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/ABQ OR BY CALLING 1.888.386.7637. 34
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 1257 PM MDT FRI JUL 19 2013 NMZ501-502-505-191930- CHUSKA MOUNTAINS-NORTHWEST PLATEAU-WEST CENTRAL PLATEAU- 1257 PM MDT FRI JUL 19 2013 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING OVER THE WEST SLOPES OF THE CHUSKA MOUNTAINS... AT 1245 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING RAINFALL AMOUNTS UP TO THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF TOADLENA. MOVEMENT WAS TOWARDS THE WEST/SOUTHWEST AT 7 MPH. LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE CRYSTAL...NARBONA PASS AND NAVAJO. HEAVY RAINS WILL CAUSE WATER TO POND ON ROADS AND IN LOW SPOTS. FAST RUNNING WATER WILL QUICKLY FILL ARROYOS AND DITCHES. && LAT...LON 3651 10906 3656 10893 3582 10878 3583 10906 TIME...MOT...LOC 1857Z 048DEG 14KT 3617 10903 50
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 138 PM MDT FRI JUL 19 2013 NMZ518-521-192015- SANDIA/MANZANO MOUNTAINS-SANTA FE METRO AREA- 138 PM MDT FRI JUL 19 2013 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM JUST SOUTH OF SANTA FE MOVING TOWARDS THE SOUTHWEST... AT 134 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN UP TO THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH AND PEA SIZED HAIL 5 MILES SOUTH/SOUTHEAST OF SANTA FE. MOVEMENT WAS SOUTHWEST AT 5 MPH. LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE LA CIENEGA...LOS CERRILLOS...MADRID AND CERRILLOS HILLS STATE PARK. MOTORISTS CAN EXPECT BRIEF...BUT SUDDEN CHANGES IN VISIBILITY AND PONDING OF WATER ON THE HIGHWAYS AS THIS STORM MOVES THROUGH THE AREA. && LAT...LON 3526 10621 3543 10640 3563 10608 3549 10594 TIME...MOT...LOC 1937Z 025DEG 5KT 3557 10594 50
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
7 flash flood, 5 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
Gold Mine Road was flooded and impassable for nearly 200 yards near Cerrillos. Major torrents of water raging in San Marcos Arroyo between Eldorado and NM 14 near Cerrillos were captured by local residents, many of whom described it as a rare sight.
Quarter hail near Spain and Eubank.
A major mudslide off the hill behind property ended up a couple feet deep on the deck and patio. Unpaved driveway completely destroyed by flood waters. The arroyo that crossed the property along NM 14 was at least 40 feet wide and 10 feet deep.
Entire roof covering exterior garden department collapsed at the Kmart on Montgomery and Eubank due to heavy rainfall.
Two large trees blown down at the FAA Air Route Traffic Control Center.
Quarter hail at Montgomery and Moon.
Nickel hail at Spain and Eubank.
Quarter hail near Montgomery and Moon.
Power lines downed in a couple areas from Juan Tabo and Candelaria to Wyoming and Lomas.
Nickel size hail at University and Strand Loop.
A couple of man hole covers were blown out of roadway from flash flooding around Spain and Eubank. Widespread flooded roadways were reported within this area. Small sink hole developed at the intersection of Copper and Juan Tabo.
Highway 111 washed away along Rio Vallecitos. Vehicles parked at Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa were among the damages and mudslides were reported along the hillsides near the resort. The RV and camping area was closed due to flooding.
Portion of highway 554 washed away in El Rito. A home along highway 554 was impacted by the flood waters with damage reported to the kitchen. Local print media reported that the skirt of a mobile home was washed away and a propane tank floated several hundred feet away from the home.
Large amounts of landscape debris washed across Wyoming at Carmel blocking northbound lanes of traffic.
Three to four feet of water standing in parking lot at Home Depot.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, July 2013
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: 454424, 454421, 454425, 454518, 455117, 454419, 454420, 454422, 454418, 454423, 454426, 454429, 454430, 454427, 454428.