Flash Flood and Flooding in Texas, September 21 to 22, 2014

Name: Flash Flood and Flooding in Texas, September 21 to 22, 2014
Start: 2014-09-21T23:11
End: 2014-09-22T20:37
Location: Texas

September 21 to 22, 2014 · NWS MAF · 3 events in 1 county or zone

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $501,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS MAF wrote it up.

Moisture from the remnants of Tropical Storm Odile continue to rotate around the area under an upper level ridge stretching over the region. The main focus for rainfall was more concentrated over the Trans Pecos and Southeast New Mexico at this time. Easterly low level upslope flow favored areas west of the Pecos and especially the Guadalupe Mountains in western Eddy County. The high moisture allowed for any shower or thunderstorm to produce 1-3 inches of rainfall.

What forecasters said that day

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 Midland/Odessa, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 21, 5:32 PM CST, 5 hours 39 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 21, 5:32 PM CST, 5 hours 39 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
632 PM CDT Sun Sep 21 2014

.DISCUSSION...
See aviation discussion below.

&&

.AVIATION...
VFR conditions this evening should become MVFR around 08z and
continue through at least Monday morning at the west Texas and
southeast New Mexico terminals. Scattered showers and thunderstorms
can be expected at least the next 18 hours at the terminals due
to the remains of tropical system and have added TEMPO groups for
MVFR or IFR conditions in showers and thunderstorms and fog.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 152 PM CDT Sun Sep 21 2014/

DISCUSSION...
Though difficult to discern placement of the primary circulation
associated with the remnants of Odile, radar seemed to suggest a
location in central Eddy County. Though instability is limited,
precipitable water across a large part of the area remained above
1.5 inches resulting in the potential for very heavy rainfall
amounts. Though heavy rainfall in association with the circulation
has begun to wind down, heavy rain continues over the northern
Permian Basin with scattered showers and thunderstorms developing
across much of the rest of southwest Texas.

Showers and thunderstorms across much of the area will decrease
this evening with loss of heating, though low level flow increases
becoming more easterly and upslope in the vicinity the mountain
areas. Though models have not been handling the remnants of Odile
well, should see circulation lift northwest as 700 mb high builds
into the area. Expecting to see increase in precipitation over
southeast New Mexico later in the evening as upslope low level
flow increases. May see scattered showers and thunderstorms later
tonight into Monday morning over the Permian Basin as a weak cold
front pushes into the area with additional thunderstorms possible
near the front in the afternoon, generally across the Permian
Basin. Expecting the heaviest rain, mostly in New Mexico, to wind
down by late morning.

Though the primary focus for heavy rain will be southeast New
Mexico, will keep areal coverage for the flash flood watch unchanged
as abundant moisture and wet soils combined with high rainfall
rates across most of the watch area could result in flash
flooding. Will extend flash flood watch through Monday morning to
match expected decrease in rain in southeast New Mexico.

Looking for potential scattered thunderstorms mostly eastern
Permian Basin Tuesday and Wednesday near weak upper trough and low
level moist axis. Scattered thunderstorms are possible beginning
in the mountains Thursday and spreading eastward by the weekend in
advance of upper trough approaching the area.

FIRE WEATHER...
Fire weather concerns will remain low through Tuesday as a moist
airmass remains over the area. Rain chances will stay high through
tonight. Afternoon relative humidities will remain above 30
percent through most of next week, while recovery will be
excellent.

&&

.MAF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NM...FLASH FLOOD WATCH through Monday morning FOR THE FOLLOWING
     ZONES... Central Lea County...Eddy County Plains...
     Guadalupe Mountains of Eddy County...Northern Lea County...
     Southern Lea County.

TX...FLASH FLOOD WATCH through Monday afternoon FOR THE FOLLOWING
     ZONES... Andrews...Borden...Crane...Davis/Apache Mountains
     Area...Dawson...Ector...Gaines...Glasscock...Guadalupe
     Mountains...Howard...Loving...Martin...Midland...Mitchell...
     Pecos...Reagan...Reeves County and Upper Trans Pecos...
     Scurry...Upton...Van Horn and Highway 54 Corridor...Ward...
     Winkler.

&&

99

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Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 21, 3:00 AM CST, 20 hours 11 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
400 AM CDT SUN SEP 21 2014

NMZ027>029-033-034-TXZ045>048-050>053-057>063-067>070-074-075-
079>082-258-220900-
GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS OF EDDY COUNTY-EDDY COUNTY PLAINS-
NORTHERN LEA COUNTY-CENTRAL LEA COUNTY-SOUTHERN LEA COUNTY-GAINES-
DAWSON-BORDEN-SCURRY-ANDREWS-MARTIN-HOWARD-MITCHELL-
VAN HORN AND HIGHWAY 54 CORRIDOR-REEVES COUNTY AND UPPER TRANS PECOS-
LOVING-WINKLER-ECTOR-MIDLAND-GLASSCOCK-WARD-CRANE-UPTON-REAGAN-
DAVIS/APACHE MOUNTAINS AREA-PECOS-PRESIDIO VALLEY-MARFA PLATEAU-
BIG BEND AREA-TERRELL-GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS-
400 AM CDT SUN SEP 21 2014 /300 AM MDT SUN SEP 21 2014/

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST NEW
MEXICO...SOUTHWEST TEXAS AND WEST TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINFALL ARE LIKELY AGAIN
TODAY AND TONIGHT ACROSS SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO AND MUCH OF WEST
TEXAS...RESULTING IN FLASH FLOODING. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN
EFFECT FOR THE GUADALUPE...DAVIS...AND APACHE MOUNTAINS...
SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO PLAINS...WESTERN LOW ROLLING PLAINS...VAN
HORN AND THE HIGHWAY 54 CORRIDOR...REEVES COUNTY AND THE UPPER
TRANS PECOS...AND PERMIAN BASIN. ABUNDANT RAINFALL HAS ALREADY
FALLEN IN THESE AREAS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS...SO IT WILL NOT
TAKE MUCH ADDITIONAL RAINFALL TO RAISE CONCERNS FOR MORE FLASH
FLOODING.

IN ADDITION TO HEAVY RAINFALL...SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS MAY BE
ACCOMPANIED BY GUSTY WINDS UP 50 MPH AND SMALL HAIL..ESPECIALLY OVER
SOUTHWEST TEXAS.

ELEVATED FLOWS WILL CONTINUE ALONG THE RIO GRANDE TODAY AND TONIGHT
DUE TO RELEASES FROM RESERVOIRS IN MEXICO AND HEAVY RAINFALL ON BOTH
SIDES OF THE RIVER.  TRIBUTARIES AND ARROYOS TO THE PECOS
RIVER...SUCH AS THE RIO PENASCO...FOUR MILE DRAW...SOUTH SEVEN
RIVERS...ROCKY ARROYO...DARK CANYON...BLACK RIVER...DELAWARE
RIVER...AND WALNUT CANYON HAVE BEEN FLUCTUATING BUT ANY ADDITIONAL
RAIN THAT FALLS IN THOSE AREAS WILL QUICKLY CAUSE ADDITIONAL
RISES...IF NOT FLOODING. ALSO LINGERING FLOODING IN BORDEN AND
SCURRY COUNTIES IS STILL A CONCERN WITH RECORD FLOW ON THE
COLORADO RIVER SOUTHEAST OF GAIL...DEEP CREEK IN SCURRY COUNTY...AND
NEAR IRA SOUTHWEST OF J.B. THOMAS. FINALLY FLOODING ALONG THE
PECOS RIVER FROM RED BLUFF TO PECOS/BARSTOW IS STILL POSSIBLE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL
WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS MOST AREAS MONDAY...SO FLOODING AND FLASH
FLOODING CONCERNS MAY LINGER.

THE RIO GRANDE...PECOS RIVER...AND ASSOCIATED TRIBUTARIES AND
ARROYOS WILL REMAIN ELEVATED DURING THE NEXT FEW DAYS DUE TO
ADDITIONAL RAINFALL.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ALTHOUGH SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED...LOCAL EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT SHOULD STAY UP TO DATE ON THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN
FLASH FLOODING OR RIVER FLOODING OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS.

THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WATCHES...WARNINGS...ADVISORIES...
AND STATEMENTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN
MIDLAND CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT /LOWER CASE/
HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/MIDLAND

In the hours before

Local storm report, Sep 21, 5:17 PM CST, 5 hours 54 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
617 PM CDT SUN SEP 21 2014

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0552 PM     FLASH FLOOD      7 NW CARLSBAD           32.48N 104.32W
09/21/2014                   EDDY               NM   TRAINED SPOTTER

            NM HWY 137 AT MILE MARKER 54 HAS 4 FEET OF WATER FLOWING
            OVER IT. TRAFFIC IS BEING BLOCKED BY THE FLOOD WATERS.

&&

MH

Local storm report, Sep 21, 5:50 PM CST, 5 hours 21 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
650 PM CDT SUN SEP 21 2014

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0552 PM     FLASH FLOOD      10 NE QUEEN             32.29N 104.62W
09/21/2014                   EDDY               NM   TRAINED SPOTTER

            NM HWY 137 AT DARK CANYON DRAW ROAD HAS 4 FEET OF WATER
            FLOWING OVER IT. TRAFFIC IS BEING BLOCKED BY THE FLOOD
            WATERS.

&&

MH

The radar

The Midland/Odessa radar (KMAF), 168 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:11 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 flood, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Reeves

When: September 21, 11:11 PM CST to September 22, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Reeves County, 3.42 mi W of Orla to 2.68 mi NE of Orla
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $500,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 31.816, -103.958

Heavy rain fell across Reeves County and produced flooding along the Pecos River. Local emergency management officials were continuing to report flooding along the Pecos River from Orla to the city of Pecos. Mandatory evacuations were issued from the Pecos River to U.S. Highway 285. Emergency management in Loving County reported minor flooding on the western side of Mentone. The cost of damage is a very rough estimate.

Flash Flood, Reeves

When: September 22, 6:49 AM CST to 7:49 AM CST
Where: Reeves County, 1.4 mi SW of Toyah to 5.81 mi S of Toyah
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $500
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 31.306, -103.797

Heavy rains across Reeves County produced flash flooding 9 miles south of Toyah on FM 2903 with water over the road along Nine Mile Draw. Damage estimates are very rough.

Flood, Reeves

When: September 22, 6:37 PM CST to 8:37 PM CST
Where: Reeves County, 3.96 mi NW of Pecos to 3.6 mi WNW of Pecos
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $500
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 31.464, -103.523

Heavy rains occurred along the Pecos River which flowed towards the city of Pecos causing nearby draws to flow out of their banks. This contributed to water ponding over the roads and low lying areas about one to three miles north of Pecos on FM 1216. This section of the road was closed due to the flooding. Damage is a very rough estimate.

What these are

Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Texas in 2014 Every state in 2014 This day in weather history Warnings in Texas, September 2014

Sources

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: 540857, 539387, 539388.