High pressure aloft centered over Nevada maintained a persistent northerly flow over New Mexico. Showers and thunderstorms initially developed over the peaks of the northern high terrain and drifted south throughout the day as storms increased in both coverage and intensity.
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.
High pressure aloft centered over Nevada maintained a persistent northerly flow over New Mexico. Showers and thunderstorms initially developed over the peaks of the northern high terrain and drifted south throughout the day as storms increased in both coverage and intensity. Some of the storms became severe as vertical wind shear was more than sufficient to support organized storms. The main threat was gusty outflow winds, especially for western New Mexico.
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 2, 5:05 AM MST, 6 hours 17 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 605 AM MDT TUE JUL 2 2013 .AVIATION... 12Z TAF CYCLE VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THIS MORNING THROUGH ABOUT 18Z ALL AREAS EXCEPT OVER AND JUST EAST OF THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS WHERE SOME CEILINGS OF BKN-OVC030-040 COULD RESULT IN SOME LOCAL MVFR CONDITIONS WITH MOUNTAIN TOP OBSCURATIONS. THEREAFTER...SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS AND SHOWERS WILL DEVELOP AROUND 18Z INITIALLY FAVORING THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL HIGH TERRAIN. MOVEMENT WILL BE TO THE SOUTH. LATER IN THE AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING...21Z THROUGH 06Z...THE FOCUS LOOKS TO SHIFT TO THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ZONES AND STRONG GUSTY OUTFLOWS TO 45 MPH WITH LOCALLY MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN WILL ACCOMPANY THIS ACTIVITY. THE STRONGEST STORMS WILL PRODUCE LOCAL IFR TO MVFR CIGS AND VISIBILITIES AND AREAS OF BLOWING DUST NEAR OUTFLOWS WILL ALSO RESULT IN VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD DISSIPATE BETWEEN 06Z AND 10Z. 05 && .PREV DISCUSSION...335 AM MDT TUE JUL 2 2013... MODELS CONTINUE TO SHIFT THE CENTER OF 500 MB HIGH PRESSURE GRADUALLY SOUTHWARD FROM NORTHERN NV THIS MORNING TO THE CA/AZ BORDER THURSDAY. IT IS THEN FORECAST TO SHIFT EASTWARD ACROSS AZ FRIDAY AND OVER NM FOR THE WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK. AS THE HIGH APPROACHES OUR COOLING TREND WILL END. AFTER HIGH TEMPERATURES TODAY AND WEDNESDAY A FEW TO 13 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL CENTRAL AND EAST...AND A FEW DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL IN THE WEST...READINGS SHOULD GENERALLY CLIMB A FEW TO 7 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL BY SATURDAY. MOISTURE IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN IN PLACE AS THE HIGH ARRIVES KEEPING THE WEATHER PATTERN CONVECTIVELY ACTIVE. THE MOST ACTIVE DAYS OVERALL SHOULD BE TODAY AND WEDNESDAY. THE LAST TWO DAYS HAVE SEEN SHORTWAVES TRAVEL SOUTHWARD OVER THE AREA WITH ATTENDANT CLUSTERS AND LINES OF STORMS. TODAY AND WEDNESDAY SHOULD BE FAIRLY SIMILAR...EXCEPT SATELLITE IMAGERY EARLY THIS MORNING HAS SIGNS OF A WEAKER SHORTWAVE OVER CO...WHICH IS FARTHER WEST THAN THOSE WE HAVE SEEN THE LAST TWO NIGHTS. THIS SHOULD RESULT IN ANOTHER ROUND OF MAINLY SCATTERED STORMS EXCEPT FOR MORE NUMEROUS CELLS TRACKING OFF THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL MOUNTAINS...AS WELL AS THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS EAST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. GRIDS CURRENTLY PAINT DAILY ROUNDS OF SCATTERED TO ISOLATED ACTIVITY DURING THE LATTER HALF OF THE WORK WEEK AND THE WEEKEND...BUT THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR CLUSTERS OF MORE NUMEROUS CELLS ACROSS NORTHERN AND EASTERN PARTS OF THE FORECAST AREA. WHEN THE HIGH GETS SOUTH OF UT AND CO...SHORTWAVES IN THE WESTERLIES SHOULD TRACK EASTERLY AND SOUTHEASTERLY ACROSS PARTS OF NM. THE GFS AND ECMWF HINT AT ONE SUCH SHORTWAVE CLIPPING N AND NE NM FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT AS A WEAK UPPER TROUGH CROSSES THE CENTRAL ROCKIES. THIS COULD BE A DAILY OCCURRENCE THROUGH THE WEEKEND. 44 .FIRE WEATHER... VERY AMPLIFIED PATTERN WITH UPPER LEVEL HIGH CENTERED OVER NEVADA TO SHIFT ONLY A BIT THROUGH MID WEEK. SOME CHANGES IN THE PATTERN... MAINLY IN THE FORM OF DECREASED AMPLIFICATION BY THE END OF THE WEEK INTO THE WEEKEND. SUFFICIENT MOISTURE TO REMAIN IN PLACE TO SUPPORT DAILY ROUNDS OF WETTING RAIN FAVORING THE HIGHER TERRAIN. FOR TODAY AND WEDNESDAY...UPPER LEVEL HIGH TO REMAIN OVER NEVADA WITH CLOSED LOW OVER ILLINOIS AND RELATIVELY STRONG GRADIENT OVER AND JUST EAST OF NEW MEXICO RESULTING IN FAIRLY STRONG NORTH WINDS ALOFT. GOOD SURFACE MOISTURE WITH GAP WINDS OVERNIGHT SUPPORTING WESTWARD TRANSPORT OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE. WETTING RAIN TO FAVOR THE HIGHER TERRAIN AND EASTERN PLAINS...BUT SOME BETTER INSTABILITY OVER THE WEST COULD INCREASE COVERAGE TODAY THOUGH AFTERNOON RH MIN VALUES STILL NEAR 15 PERCENT OVER THE NORTHWEST PLATEAU AND HIGHLANDS WITH SOME DRY THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE THERE. OVERNIGHT RH RECOVERIES TO BE MAINLY GOOD TO EXCELLENT WITH SOME FAIR VALUES ACROSS THE NORTHWEST. SIMILAR WETTING RAIN PATTERN ON WEDNESDAY. UPPER RIDGE STARTS TO FLATTEN ON WEDNESDAY AND AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVES ONSHORE NEAR THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST EARLY WEDNESDAY WITH A STRONGER SYSTEM LATE WEDNESDAY AND INTO THURSDAY. THE CENTER OF THE UPPER HIGH SHIFTS SOUTHWARD IN RESPONSE. BY LATE FRIDAY...THE HIGH SHIFTS TO THE EAST AS LOW PRESSURE DEEPENS OFF THE CALIFORNIA COAST. DRIER AIR MOVES INTO THE WESTERN AND NORTHERN ZONES... REDUCING BUT NOT ELIMINATING WETTING RAIN COVERAGE. TEMPERATURES TO TREND UP THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY WITH HIGH HAINES OF 5 TO 6 OVER WESTERN AND POSSIBLY CENTRAL ZONES FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY. 05 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 611 AM MDT TUE JUL 2 2013 NMZ501>540-031200- 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- 611 AM MDT TUE JUL 2 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. HOWEVER...A FEW STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS AND IN WESTERN AREAS SOUTH OF I-40. IN ADDITION SOME THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A QUICK THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH OF RAIN EAST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TO THE TEXAS BORDER. RAIN AT THIS RATE COULD PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING WITHIN AND BELOW RECENTLY BURNED FORESTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. HOWEVER...A FEW STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS...AND ALSO IN CENTRAL AND WESTERN AREAS SOUTH OF I-40. IN ADDITION SOME THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A QUICK THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH OF RAIN EAST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TO THE TEXAS BORDER...AND ALSO AROUND GLENWOOD. RAIN AT THIS RATE COULD PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING WITHIN AND BELOW RECENTLY BURNED FORESTS. WEATHER CAN CHANGE VERY RAPIDLY. ALWAYS USE THE LATEST FORECASTS... WATCHES AND WARNINGS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. 44
The Amarillo radar (KAMA), 189 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:20 UTC.
9 hail, 4 thunderstorm wind, 2 funnel cloud, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
The Clayton Police Dept. relayed reports of a funnel cloud associated with a severe thunderstorm storm in the area. A large funnel cloud was accompanied by several smaller funnel clouds. Rotation was not observed or evident on radar.
An amateur radio operator reported torrents of water along NM 3 with up to 4 feet of flowing water over the road. Considerable hail and reduced visibilities also accompanied the storms. Difficult driving conditions due to heavy rain, hail and near zero visibility were also reported along Interstate 40 in this area via NMDOT.
A local COOP observer estimated a wind gust to near 60 mph.
The Lincoln County Emergency Manager relayed a report from the Capitan Police Dept. Chief of a well-defined funnel cloud just north of Capitan.
The hail resulted in damage to automobiles, including broken windshields.
Wind gust recorded at a RAWS site.
Wind gust was recorded at White Sands Missile Range- Oscura Range Camp site.
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: 451033, 451020, 451021, 451022, 451029, 451023, 451034, 451030, 451035, 451024, 451025, 451028, 451026, 451027, 451031, 451032.