A powerful back door cold front surged southwest across the eastern plains during the afternoon of the 14th then plowed west through the Rio Grande Valley. The combination of deep moisture and strong lift associated with the front along with weak steering flows beneath the upper level high produced widespread heavy rainfall.
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 powerful back door cold front surged southwest across the eastern plains during the afternoon of the 14th then plowed west through the Rio Grande Valley. The combination of deep moisture and strong lift associated with the front along with weak steering flows beneath the upper level high produced widespread heavy rainfall. A couple severe thunderstorms erupted over the area given the presence of strong vertical wind shear. The most severe flooding occurred well after sunset when training thunderstorms around the Espanola area produced prolific rainfall amounts. A CoCoRaHS observer to the northwest of Espanola reported an impressive 4.88 inches of rainfall from this storm. Major flash flooding was observed around Espanola. A total of 8 homes were damaged by flood waters and numerous vehicles were abandoned.
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 14, 11:02 AM MST, 58 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 1202 PM MDT MON JUL 14 2014 .AVIATION... 18Z TAF CYCLE ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT THE FORECAST AREA TODAY/TONIGHT. IT IS EXPECTED THAT ALL TERMINAL SITES WOULD BE IMPACTED BY THIS ACTIVITY. SOME SITES HAVE MORE POTENTIAL THAN OTHERS INCLUDING SOME VIS RESTRICTIONS DUE TO SHORT TERM HEAVY RAIN. VRB GUSTY WINDS WILL ALSO PLAGUE MANY OF THE SITES. MVFR CIGS DUE TO PASSING STORMS WILL BE MOST POSSIBLE AT LVS/TCC DUE TO COLD FRONTAL EFFECTS THERE. AS THE SH/TS DECLINE IN COVERAGE/INTENSITY DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...SOME RESIDUAL LOW CIGS WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER EASTERN PLAINS SITES. TCC HAS THE BEST CHANCE OF OBSERVING THAT ALTHOUGH CANT RULE OUT LVS. 50 && .PREV DISCUSSION...355 AM MDT MON JUL 14 2014... .SYNOPSIS... VERY RICH ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE ACROSS FORECAST AREA AND THIS WILL...FOR THE MOST PART...BE AROUND AT LEAST THROUGH THURSDAY BEFORE HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT BEGINS TO BUILD MORE STRONGLY OVER OR NEARER NEW MEXICO. AT LEAST 2 MORE BACK DOOR COLD FRONTS WILL MAKE IT ACROSS EAST AND AT LEAST PORTIONS OF CENTRAL NEW MEXICO THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT OR THURSDAY...SO WE STILL HAVE AT LEAST 4 DAYS TO GET MOST...PREFERABLY ALL...LOCALES A HALFWAY DECENT DRINK OF WATER BEFORE STRONG HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT BUILDS OVER OR VERY NEAR THE STATE AND REALLY STABILIZES...DRIES AND FURTHER WARMS THE ATMOSPHERE...GREATLY REDUCING STORM COVERAGE. && .DISCUSSION... A NUMBER OF TWEAKS...MORE MINOR THAN MODERATE...MADE TO MOST OF THE FCST GRIDS ACROSS MOST OF THE NEXT 6 PERIODS. SOME OF THE BIGGER ISSUES TO WRESTLE WITH WILL BE JUST WHERE THE HEAVIEST RAINS WILL FALL...TIMING OF THE BACK DOOR FRONTS/MOISTURE RECHARGES...HOW MUCH EACH DAY/S CONVECTION WILL IMPACT OR CHANGE THE LOCATION AND EVOLUTION OF MID AND UPPER TROPOSPHERIC DISTURBANCES AND HENCE THE LOCATION AND INTENSITY OF THE STRONGEST STORMS AND HEAVIEST RAINFALL. DECIDED AGAINST ISSUING ANOTHER FLASH FLOOD WATCH AS TODAY BRINGS A LITTLE LESS FOCUSED AN AREA OF POTENTIAL HEAVY RAINFALL. BUT PWATS ARE QUITE HIGH ACROSS MUCH OF FCST AREA...SO DECIDED TO ADD LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WORDING TO ALL SCATTERED OR GREATER COVERAGE POPS AREAS. LAST BACK DOOR PUSH LOOKS TO COME INTO AND ACROSS A GOOD PORTION OF N AND CENTRAL NM BETWEEN MODELS ARE STILL PRETTY CONSISTENT WITH A TREND TO DRIER AND WARMER WEATHER BY AND OVER THE COMING WEEKEND AS THE NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT GIVES WAY TO A MONSTROUS HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM ALOFT...WHICH WILL WARM...DRY AND STABILIZE THE ATMOSPHERE ACROSS MUCH OF THE STATE. THERE IS A LITTLE MORE MOISTURE INDICATED TO BE TRAPPED UNDER THE HIGH ON THE LATEST ECMWF AND GFS MODELS FOR GOOD PORTION OF NEXT WEEK...SO THERE IS STILL SOME HOPE THAT AT LEAST ISOLATED SHOWERS AND STORMS CAN BE REALIZED FOR PORTIONS OF NEXT WEEK. 43 && .FIRE WEATHER... WETTING RAIN TO CONTINUE OVER MUCH OF THE AREA TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY WITH SOME DRYING AND A REDUCTION IN COVERAGE THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS PERSISTED WHILE GRADUALLY DISSIPATING DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...WITH GOOD TO EXCELLENT RH RECOVERS MOST AREAS EXCEPT THE LOWER ELEVATIONS OF THE NORTHWEST PLATEAU. AN AMPLIFIED PATTERN IS IN PLACE WITH AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OVER THE WESTERN STATES AND AN UNSEASONABLY STRONG UPPER LOW OVER THE NORTH CENTRAL STATES WITH NORTHWEST FLOW TO INCREASE AS THE PATTERN CONTINUES TO AMPLIFY. THIS PATTERN WILL SUPPORT REGULAR INTRUSIONS OF MOISTURE IN THE FORM OF BACK DOOR FRONTS INTO THE EASTERN PLAINS. SOUNDINGS FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND CURRENT SATELLITE PRODUCTS INDICATE THAT PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES ARE GREATER THAN ONE INCH ACROSS NEW MEXICO WITH HIGHER VALUES OVER THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. IN THE WAKE OF A BACK DOOR FRONT ON SUNDAY...ANOTHER FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE NORTHEAST TODAY AND THROUGH MOST OF THE PLAINS OVERNIGHT... ACCOMPANIED BY ANOTHER SURGE OF MOISTURE. WIDESPREAD WETTING RAINS ARE EXPECTED TODAY...SOME WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN...WITH A FOCUS AREAS ACROSS THE WEST AND WELL AS THE CENTRAL HIGH TERRAIN AND ADJACENT EAST SLOPES AND HIGHLANDS. MODERATE GAP WINDS OVERNIGHT WILL USHER LOW LEVEL MOISTURE INTO THE CENTRAL VALLEYS AND WESTERN ZONES. ADDITIONALLY...THE SURFACE HIGH STRENGTHENS OVER THE GREAT PLAINS ON TUESDAY AND MOIST EASTERLY FLOW WILL PERSIST ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS. YET ANOTHER FRONT SURGES INTO THE NORTHEAST ON WEDNESDAY...AS AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVES OVER THE STATE IN NORTHWEST FLOW. THUS...WIDESPREAD WETTING RAINS WILL CONTINUE TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY....WITH MOSTLY GOOD TO EXCELLENT OVERNIGHT RH RECOVERIES. THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF STORMS WILL SUPPORT LOCAL FLOODING...AND BURN SCARS WILL BE PARTICULARLY SUSCEPTIBLE. BY THURSDAY...THE UPPER HIGH IS CENTERED OVER NORTHWEST MEXICO AND WITH INCREASED NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT DRIER AIR MOVES OVER THE NORTHWEST...DECREASING THE CHANCES FOR WETTING RAIN THERE. RECYCLING OF MOISTURE WILL RESULT IN CONTINUED WETTING RAIN...THOUGH A DOWNTICK IN COVERAGE IS EXPECTED. HIGH HAINES VALUES OF 5 TO POSSIBLY 6 WILL BE IN PLACE ACROSS THE NORTHWEST. MORE DRYING WILL STEADILY DECREASE CONVECTION FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND AS THE AREA OF HIGH HAINES STEADILY INCREASES AND MIN RH VALUES STEADILY DECREASE AS WELL. 05 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 608 AM MDT MON JUL 14 2014 NMZ501>540-151200- 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- 608 AM MDT MON JUL 14 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TODAY INTO TONIGHT. RAINFALL COULD BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES. THIS MAY LEAD TO LOCALIZED AREAS OF FLASH FLOODING...ESPECIALLY OVER AND NEAR RECENT AND OLDER BURN SCARS. ISOLATED LOCATIONS MAY RECEIVE UP TO 2 INCHES OF RAINFALL OR VERY LOCALLY EVEN MORE. A FEW STORMS MAY ALSO PRODUCE SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH AT LEAST THURSDAY. RAINFALL ONCE AGAIN COULD BECOME HEAVY. THIS MAY LEAD TO LOCALIZED AREAS OF FLASH FLOODING...ESPECIALLY OVER AND NEAR RECENT AND OLDER BURN SCARS. ISOLATED LOCATIONS MAY RECEIVE UP TO 2 INCHES OF RAINFALL. A FEW STORMS MAY ALSO PRODUCE SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT RAINFALL AMOUNTS AND ANY FLOODING THROUGH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/ABQ OR BY CALLING 1.888.386.7637. 43
The Holloman AFB radar (KHDX), 60 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:59 UTC.
3 flash flood, 2 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
Considerable debris and logs were washed down a hillside onto Highway 37. No damage occurred to the roadway but created a significant mess and forced a temporary road closure.
Quarter size hail.
Severe winds with pea size hail and heavy downpour. No damaged observed.
Large hail dented car on Highway 550 in Cuba.
Exceptionally heavy rainfall report of 4.88 inches northwest of Espanola.
Torrential rainfall produced significant flooding in Espanola during the overnight on the 14-15th. The NM Emergency Operations Center and local broadcast media reported at least 8 homes suffered flood damage with numerous vehicles abandoned and flooded. At least 4 residents reported 12 to 18 inches of standing water on their properties. North Railroad Ave and Hunter were flooded forcing city officials to run pumps to remove water. East Laguna Street around Santa Claran Casino was flooded. Santa Clara Pueblo was also flooded during this event.
Local media reported a vehicle that was washed off the road due to heavy rains in Rio Rancho on Northern Blvd. near 10th street. The young driver attempted to pass through fast-moving water during the early morning hours of the 15th and the vehicle was swept off the road and buried up to its wheels in mud. The road also sustained damage due to the undercutting of the water. Large chunks of asphalt were chipped off. Rain began in the area just before 10pm and did not stop until close to 7 am the following morning. Mostly light stratiform rain continued over the area with embedded heavy cells. KABX storm total precipitation estimated ranged from 2.5 to 3.2 inches.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, July 2014
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: 521438, 521440, 521452, 521453, 521424, 521467, 522291.