An unseasonably moisture-rich atmosphere over the Four Corners region combined with a weak upper level low swirling east over the area to produce large hail and flooding. A series of thunderstorms developed immediately west of Farmington during the late morning and intensified rapidly over the area.
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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.
An unseasonably moisture-rich atmosphere over the Four Corners region combined with a weak upper level low swirling east over the area to produce large hail and flooding. A series of thunderstorms developed immediately west of Farmington during the late morning and intensified rapidly over the area. Golf ball size hail, wall clouds, and flooding were reported. These were some of the strongest storms observed around the Farmington area dating back to the 1950s. Persistent heavy rainfall north of the area for several days in the San Juan Mountains prompted reservoir releases over southwest Colorado. The combination of heavy localized rainfall within the Animas River watershed and releases from Lemon Reservoir forced the Animas River at Farmington to reach minor flood stage for a few hours during the late afternoon and early evening. This was the highest flow observed on the Animas River at Farmington dating back to 2005. Active weather spread east through the remainder of the day with flash flooding around Abiquiu and hail and high winds across the eastern plains.
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 Jun 11, 4:51 AM MST, 6 hours 4 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 551 AM MDT THU JUN 11 2015 .AVIATION... 12Z TAF CYCLE AS UPPER LEVEL LOW MOVES TOWARD NM FROM SRN UTAH TODAY...SFC LOW OVER NE NM STRENGTHENS AND SOUTHWEST WINDS INCREASE MOST AREAS...ESPECIALLY EAST. BANDS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL PUSH INTO FAR NORTHWEST NM THIS MORNING...INCLUDING KFMN. SHOWERS AND STORMS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG AND BEHIND THE ASSOCIATED SFC COLD FRONT THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. FAVORED AREAS FOR STORMS FROM NEAR KGNT AND KABQ NEWD TO KRTN. SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL DIMINISH AROUND SUNSET. BACKDOOR COLD FRONT EXPECTED TO PLOW SWD THROUGH ERN PLAINS FRIDAY MORNING. 33 && .PREV DISCUSSION...316 AM MDT THU JUN 11 2015... .SYNOPSIS... AN ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN TO CONTINUE INTO THE WEEKEND AS AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE DRAGS SLOWLY EAST ACROSS THE REGION AND A BACKDOOR FRONT MOVES SOUTHWEST INTO THE STATE...LEADING TO DAILY ROUNDS OF THUNDERSTORMS. LOOK FOR A DOWNTREND IN DAILY THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY FROM LATE WEEKEND THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK AS HIGH PRESSURE IN THE UPPER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE NOSES EAST INTO THE AREA. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL GENERALLY BE BELOW NORMAL FROM FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND...WITH A GRADUAL TREND BACK TO NEAR NORMAL THEREAFTER. && .DISCUSSION... A HIGH PWAT ATMOSPHERE REMAINED OVER THE AREA AT 00Z WITH THE KABQ SOUNDING SHOWING A PWAT OF 0.92"...WHICH IS WELL ABOVE NORMAL FOR EARLY/MID JUNE. AT 09Z...SURFACE DEWPOINT TEMPERATURES WERE STILL VERY HIGH IN THE 50S AT MOST LOCATIONS. ALL OF THIS MOISTURE LOADED IN THE LOWER BOUNDARY LAYER WITH THE LATEST WATER VAPOR SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWING A MID LEVEL DRY AIR INTRUSION JUXTAPOSED OVER THE REGION. SOME MOISTURE SCOURING FORECAST TODAY WITH GOOD MIXING FORECAST AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING PACIFIC LOW...BUT STILL PLENTY OF MOISTURE FOR ANOTHER CROP OF THUNDERSTORMS FAVORING THE NORTHERN AND WESTERN MOUNTAINS AND ADJACENT HIGHLANDS. DOWNSLOPE WINDS WILL HELP TEMPERATURES TO RISE ABOVE YESTERDAY'S ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS...WHERE HIGHS WILL GENERALLY BE 5 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. THE BACKDOOR FRONT IS STILL ON TRACK TO PUSH INTO THE NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL PLAINS OVERNIGHT...WITH GOOD CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS NEAR THE COLORADO BORDER. ELSEWHERE...CONVECTION WILL FOLLOW A NORMAL DIURNAL DOWNTREND AND DIMINISH PRIOR TO MIDNIGHT. THE PACIFIC LOW IS FORECAST TO PUSH OUT OVER THE EASTERN PLAINS OF COLORADO FRIDAY...WITH A BAGGY TROUGH REMAINING OVER THE DESERT SOUTHWEST AND SOUTHERN ROCKIES INTO THE WEEKEND. THE BACKDOOR FRONT WILL SUPPLY UPSLOPE FLOW AND NICE VEERING WIND PROFILES FOR STRONG TO POSSIBLY SEVERE STORMS LATE FRIDAY ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE SANGRES AND ACROSS ADJACENT HIGHLANDS... WITH SOME LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL POSSIBLE AS STEERING FLOW LOOKS TO BE AROUND 5KTS. PLENTY OF MOISTURE TO HANG AROUND INTO SATURDAY WITH ANOTHER ROUND OF DAYTIME HEATING TRIGGERED CONVECTION AND SLOW STORM MOVEMENT. PRESSURE HEIGHTS ARE FORECAST TO RISE FROM SUNDAY THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK...WITH A GRADUAL DECREASE IN PWATS AND UPTREND IN HIGH TEMPERATURES TO NEAR NORMAL FOR MID JUNE. STILL SOME FORECAST UNCERTAINTY WITH REGARD TO HOW MUCH OF A DOWNTREND AS NEW MEXICO REMAINS ON THE PERIPHERY OF BOTH THE EASTERN PACIFIC SUBTROPICAL HIGH AND THE BERMUDA HIGH. A TREND TOWARD NORMAL JUNE WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR DAYS 5-7 SEEMS THE BEST BET AT THIS TIME. 11 && .FIRE WEATHER... AS AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH/LOW MOVES INTO WESTERN NEW MEXICO THIS AFTERNOON...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING ALONG AND NEAR THE ASSOCIATED SURFACE COLD FRONT. FAVORED AREAS FOR SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL BE OVER THE NW THIRD OF THE STATE. SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL THEN SHIFT TO THE NE QUARTER AS AN ASSOCIATED BACKDOOR COLD FRONT SLIDES IN. THIS BACKDOOR FRONT WILL SURGE SOUTH AND WEST FRIDAY...SETTING THE STATE FOR A VERY ACTIVE DAY. WITH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IN PLACE AND A WEAK UPPER LEVEL TROUGH EVER SO SLOWLY MOVING EWD THROUGH THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES AND SOUTHERN PLAINS...SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL PROVIDE WIDESPREAD WETTING RAINS TO MUCH OF CENTRAL AND NORTHERN NEW MEXICO EACH AFTERNOON AND EVENING FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE EACH AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES REMAIN ABOVE TO WELL ABOVE AVERAGE. GFS HAS BEGUN TRENDING MORE TOWARD THE WETTER ECMWF SOLUTION FOR TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY OF NEXT WEEK. BOTH MODELS TRENDING DRIER FOR THE END OF NEXT WEEK AS STRONGER WESTERLIES PUSH INTO MUCH OF THE WESTERN U.S. BOTH MODELS...HOWEVER...HINTING THAT THE WESTERN EXTENSION OF THE BERMUDA HIGH MAY STRENGTHEN WWD ENOUGH TO ALLOW REMNANT MOISTURE FROM EASTER PACIFIC TROPICAL SYSTEMS TO MOVE NORTHWARD. 33 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && 11
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 513 AM MDT THU JUN 11 2015 NMZ501>540-121200- 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 CRISTOS ABOVE 9500 FEET/RED RIVER- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTOS ABOVE 9500 FEET- EAST SLOPES SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS-UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY- LOWER CHAMA RIVER VALLEY-SANTA FE METRO AREA- MIDDLE RIO GRANDE VALLEY/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- 513 AM MDT THU JUN 11 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A FEW STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE SMALL HAIL AND STRONG OUTFLOW WINDS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS THE NORTHWEST QUARTER AND NEAR THE COLORADO BORDER BETWEEN RATON AND CLAYTON. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY SLOWER STORM MOTION AND A MOISTURE RICH ATMOSPHERE LATE FRIDAY AND LATE SATURDAY WILL SUPPORT LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL PRODUCING THUNDERSTORMS...ESPECIALLY NEAR THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS AND ACROSS THE EAST CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. 11
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 1124 AM MDT THU JUN 11 2015 NMZ501-111800- NORTHWEST PLATEAU- 1124 AM MDT THU JUN 11 2015 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL SAN JUAN COUNTY UNTIL NOON MDT... AT 1122 AM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A BROKEN LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF FARMINGTON TO 6 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SANOSTEE...AND MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. PEA SIZE HAIL...WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH...AND HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... FARMINGTON...KIRTLAND...FRUITLAND...NAPI HEADQUARTERS...UPPER FRUITLAND...BURNHAM...OJO AMARILLO AND NENAHNEZAD. OTHER LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS DUNES RECREATION AREA...HEAD CANYON RECREATION AREA...JACKSON LAKE WILDLIFE AREA...AND AZTEC RUINS NATIONAL MONUMENT. && LAT...LON 3684 10799 3633 10851 3633 10891 3685 10831 TIME...MOT...LOC 1722Z 258DEG 17KT 3684 10824 3635 10882 GUYER
The Albuquerque radar (KABX), 215 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:56 UTC.
3 hail, 1 flood, 1 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Half dollar size hail at San Juan College. Second hand report noted some sky lights were damaged in a couple buildings.
Photo from emergency manager showed ping pong ball size hail.
Quarter size hail in Farmington.
Animas River rose above bankful during the mid afternoon of the 11th and crested at minor flood stage briefly around 4pm before slowly falling through the overnight. Berg and Animas Parks experienced flooding along the riverwalk and many trails were inundated along the river for several hours. No damage to infrastructure was reported.
County road 155 washed away and culverts destroyed.
Peak wind of 59mph from thunderstorm at CSBF.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, June 2015
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: 572273, 572275, 572272, 572289, 572292, 572293.