A very wet month for most of Southern New Mexico lead to many areas improving to Moderate(D1) drought or better. A late monsoon surge in the middle of the month brought several inches of rain to the region.
Every event with a place to put it; 8 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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 EPZ wrote it up.
A very wet month for most of Southern New Mexico lead to many areas improving to Moderate(D1) drought or better. A late monsoon surge in the middle of the month brought several inches of rain to the region.
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 El Paso, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 31, 1:29 PM MST, 10 hours 31 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EL PASO TX/SANTA TERESA NM 229 PM MDT SAT AUG 31 2013 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT AND DRIER AIR OVER THE REGION WILL LIMIT STORM ACTIVITY ACROSS THE BORDERLAND THIS EVENING AND SUNDAY. ONLY A FEW STORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE LOWLANDS WEST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE...WITH SLIGHTLY BETTER STORM POTENTIAL OVER AREA MOUNTAINS AND LOWLANDS WEST OF THE DIVIDE. TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE WARMER. A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL PUSH IN MONDAY BRINGING INCREASED STORM CHANCES TO THE REGION THROUGH TUESDAY. BEYOND TUESDAY HIGH PRESSURE WILL BRING A RETURN OF GENERALLY WARM AND DRY CONDITIONS. && .DISCUSSION... SEVERAL FACTORS HAVE ALIGNED TO WORK AGAINST SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. HIGH PRESSURE AND WARM TEMPS ALOFT TO INHIBIT DEEP INSTABILITY. LESSER MOISTURE AND ERODING SURFACE DEWPOINTS TO LIMIT MOISTURE AVAILABILITY. THE RESULTS ARE APPARENT WITH ONLY LIMITED CUMULUS DEVELOPMENT AND STORMS ONLY OVER THE SOUTHERN SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS. EXPECT NO CHANGE FOR SUNDAY. CONTINUED WARM WITH VERY LIMITED STORMS. MONDAY A BACKDOOR FRONTAL BOUNDARY MOVES INTO THE REGION FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS. THIS FEATURE ENHANCES LOW LEVEL SOUTHEASTERLY WINDS AND THUS BRINGS SURFACE DEWPOINTS UP IN THE LATE AFTERNOON/ EVENING HOURS MONDAY. IN ADDITION...MULTIPLE FORECAST MODELS SHOW AN UPPER-LEVEL DISTURBANCE ALSO TRACKING IN FROM THE EAST MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY. THIS COMBINATION OF INCREASED MOISTURE... ADVANCING SURFACE BOUNDARY...AND UPPER IMPULSE SHOULD RESULT IN A NOTICEABLE BOUNCE IN SHOWER AND STORM ACTIVITY FOR THE MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. MOUNTAIN POPS UPPER INTO THE SCATTERED CATEGORY...AND LOWLANDS MIGHT SEE THE SAME. WEDNESDAY THE UPPER HIGH IS TO OUR NORTH ALLOWING DEEP E/NE WINDS TO BRING DRIER AIR OVER THE REGION. PRECIPITATION CHANCES WILL DROP ACCORDINGLY ACROSS THE AREA WITH MOST AREAS LOOKING TO REMAIN DRY FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK. STILL A FEW STORMS OVER AREA MOUNTAINS. TEMPS WILL BE SEASONALLY WARM THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND. 14-BIRD && .AVIATION...VALID 00/00Z-02/00Z. VFR CONDTS ARE EXPECTED MOST AREAS EXCEPT OVER HIGHER ELEVATIONS IN GILA WILDERNESS...SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS AND SOUTHERN NM BOOTHEEL HIGHLANDS. IN THESE AREAS LOOK FOR ISOLD MVFR IN TSRA BKN-OVC030CB OVC080 3SM WNDS VRB25G35KT THROUGH 03Z...AND AGAIN AFT 18Z SUNDAY. ELSEWHERE...FEW100-140 BKN250-300 ARE EXPECTED. LOOK FOR NORTHWEST WINDS UNTIL 09...THEN NORTH AFT 10Z...THEN NORTHEAST AFT 15Z. 22-TRIPOLI && .FIRE WEATHER... UPPER LEVEL CIRCULATION AROUND HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT OVER COLORADO...WILL CONTINUE TO CIRCULATE DRIER AIR INTO OUR REGION THROUGH EARLY MONDAY. THIS WILL RESTRICT THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY TO AREA MOUNTAINS. A WEAK BACKDOOR COLD FRONT WILL INTRODUCE ADDITIONAL MOISTURE INTO OUR AREA FROM THE EAST STARTING MONDAY AFTERNOON. THIS WILL RESULT IN A RAMP UP IN STORM ACTIVITY THROUGH TUESDAY. A STRENGTHENING EASTERLY FLOW BEHIND THE FRONT WILL THEN BRING DRIER AIR BACK INTO THE REGION STARTING MIDWEEK.DESPITE THE RELATIVELY DRIER AIR INTO OUR AREA...HAINES INDICES WILL CONTINUE TO REACH VALUES OF 3 EACH AFTERNOON. EXCEPTION WILL BE FAR WEST TEXAS...WHERE 2 IS EXPECTED. MIN RH SUNDAY AND MONDAY WILL RANGE FROM THE UPPER 20S LOWLANDS...TO NEAR 50 OVER HIGHER ELEVATIONS IN THE GILA REGION...SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS AND SOUTHERN HIDALGO COUNTY HIGHLANDS. VALUES CLIMB ROUGHLY 5-10 % ALL AREAS TUESDAY...FOLLOWING THE COLD FRONT. THE HIGH ALOFT WILL REMAIN VIRTUALLY STATIONARY OVER NEW MEXICO OR FOUR CORNERS THROUGH NEXT WEEK. 22-TRIPOLI && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... EL PASO 73 97 75 95 74 / 10 10 10 10 20 SIERRA BLANCA 68 98 70 95 69 / 10 10 10 0 10 LAS CRUCES 67 95 69 94 68 / 10 10 10 10 20 ALAMOGORDO 69 96 71 92 70 / 10 10 10 20 20 CLOUDCROFT 50 73 51 72 51 / 20 20 10 50 30 TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES 67 93 69 92 68 / 10 10 10 20 20 SILVER CITY 63 88 65 87 65 / 20 20 20 30 30 DEMING 65 95 69 93 68 / 10 10 10 20 20 LORDSBURG 66 95 68 94 67 / 20 20 10 20 20 WEST EL PASO METRO 74 97 74 95 73 / 10 10 10 10 20 DELL CITY 65 96 69 92 68 / 10 10 10 10 20 FORT HANCOCK 70 101 74 99 73 / 10 10 10 10 10 LOMA LINDA 66 97 69 90 69 / 10 10 10 20 20 FABENS 69 98 73 96 72 / 10 10 10 10 20 SANTA TERESA 71 96 72 94 71 / 10 10 10 10 20 WHITE SANDS HQ 70 95 72 92 71 / 10 10 10 10 20 JORNADA RANGE 66 94 69 92 68 / 10 10 10 20 20 HATCH 67 91 68 90 67 / 10 10 10 20 20 COLUMBUS 67 95 70 94 69 / 10 10 10 20 20 OROGRANDE 71 97 71 93 70 / 10 10 10 10 20 MAYHILL 56 79 56 78 54 / 20 20 10 40 30 MESCALERO 54 82 57 80 55 / 20 20 10 40 30 TIMBERON 54 79 58 80 56 / 20 20 10 40 30 WINSTON 59 84 60 81 57 / 20 30 20 40 30 HILLSBORO 65 89 67 87 67 / 10 10 10 20 20 SPACEPORT 66 93 69 91 68 / 10 10 10 20 20 LAKE ROBERTS 59 87 58 84 58 / 20 30 20 40 30 HURLEY 64 90 67 89 67 / 10 10 20 20 20 CLIFF 56 93 58 91 59 / 20 20 20 20 20 MULE CREEK 55 92 57 90 60 / 20 20 20 30 20 FAYWOOD 65 89 67 87 67 / 10 20 10 20 20 ANIMAS 66 95 68 94 67 / 20 10 10 20 20 HACHITA 65 94 67 93 66 / 10 10 10 20 20 ANTELOPE WELLS 63 93 66 93 65 / 10 10 10 20 20 CLOVERDALE 63 89 67 89 67 / 20 20 10 30 20 && .EPZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NM...NONE. TX...NONE. && 14/22
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EL PASO TX/SANTA TERESA NM 1122 AM MDT SAT AUG 31 2013 NMZ401>417-TXZ418>424-011730- UPPER GILA RIVER VALLEY-SOUTHERN GILA HIGHLANDS/BLACK RANGE- SOUTHERN GILA FOOTHILLS/MIMBRES VALLEY- SOUTHWEST DESERT/LOWER GILA RIVER VALLEY-LOWLANDS OF THE BOOTHEEL- UPLANDS OF THE BOOTHEEL-SOUTHWEST DESERT/MIMBRES BASIN- EASTERN BLACK RANGE FOOTHILLS-SIERRA COUNTY LAKES- NORTHERN DONA ANA COUNTY-SOUTHERN DONA ANA COUNTY/MESILLA VALLEY- CENTRAL TULAROSA BASIN-SOUTHERN TULAROSA BASIN- WEST SLOPES SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS BELOW 7500 FEET- SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 7500 FEET- EAST SLOPES SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS BELOW 7500 FEET-OTERO MESA- WESTERN EL PASO COUNTY-EASTERN/CENTRAL EL PASO COUNTY- NORTHERN HUDSPETH HIGHLANDS/HUECO MOUNTAINS-SALT BASIN- SOUTHERN HUDSPETH HIGHLANDS- RIO GRANDE VALLEY OF EASTERN EL PASO/WESTERN HUDSPETH COUNTIES- RIO GRANDE VALLEY OF EASTERN HUDSPETH COUNTY- 1122 AM MDT SAT AUG 31 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NM AND TX. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. A FEW SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE...BUT MOST AREAS WILL REMAIN DRY. ISOLATED STORMS WILL MAINLY OVER THE HIGHER MOUNTAINS AND OVER THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE AND WESTWARD. A FEW STORMS MAY PROVIDE AN INCH OF RAIN...WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH AND SMALL HAIL MAY OCCUR WITH ISOLATED STORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS BECOMING MORE WIDESPREAD LATE MONDAY AND TUESDAY WITH A FEW STORMS PRODUCING UP TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN RESULTING IN FLASH FLOODING. ISOLATED STORMS MAY ALSO PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH AND 1 INCH DIAMETER HAIL. DRIER CONDITIONS RETURN THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS SHOULD REPORT ANY OBSERVED HAZARDOUS WEATHER OR FLOODING TO THIS OFFICE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT. BIRD
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
10 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
The month started out in Severe(D2) drought but on September 17th was put into Moderate(D1) drought. The Gila Hot Springs Cooperative Observer reported 4.32 inches of precipitation which was 2.40 inches above normal.
The entire zone started out in Severe(D2) drought with the eastern half of the area put into Abnormally Dry(D0) by September 17th. The western areas went from Severe(D2) to Moderate(D1) drought on September 17th.
The zone started out in Severe(D2) drought to start the month, but on September 17th, the western areas were put in Moderate(D1) drought with eastern areas put into Abnormally Dry(D0) drought. The Faywood Cooperative Observer reported 3.28 inches of precipitation which was 1.64 inches above normal.
The zone went from Severe(D2) to Moderate(D1) drought on September 17th. The Deming ASOS reported 3.07 inches of precipitation which was 1.77 inches above normal.
The zone transitioned from Severe(D2) drought to Abnormally Dry(D0) drought on September 17th. The Winston Cooperative Observer reported 5.08 inches of rain which was 3.18 inches above normal.
The entire zone transitioned from Severe(D2) drought to Abnormally Dry(D0) drought on September 17th. The Truth or Consequences Cooperative Observer reported 6.20 inches of precipitation which was 4.47 inches above normal.
The zone went from Severe(D2) to Abnormally Dry(D0) drought on September 17th. The Cooperative Observer at Jornada reported 2.88 inches of precipitation which was 1.47 inches above normal.
The northern half of the zone which started in Severe(D2) drought transitioned to Abnormally Dry(D0) drought on September 17th. The New Mexico State University Cooperative Observer reported 3.08 inches of rain which was 1.75 inches above normal.
The northern half of the zone started out in Severe(D2) drought with a gradual decrease to Abnormally Dry(D0) drought far south. On September 17th all areas were in Abnormally Dry(D0) drought or no drought at all. The Orogrande Cooperative Observer reported 4.51 inches of rain which was 2.81 inches above normal.
The far northern portions of the zone started out in Extreme(D3) drought with a decrease to Abnormally Dry(D0) conditions far south to start the month. By September 17th, all areas were in either Abnormally Dry(D0) drought or none at all.
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, September 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: 474257, 474258, 474259, 474260, 474261, 474262, 474263, 474264, 474265, 474266.