The center of upper level high pressure shifted east into Texas on the 11th and allowed a deep tap of moisture to spread north into New Mexico. Atmospheric moisture values over the region surged to the highest levels of the season.
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.
The center of upper level high pressure shifted east into Texas on the 11th and allowed a deep tap of moisture to spread north into New Mexico. Atmospheric moisture values over the region surged to the highest levels of the season. Numerous showers and thunderstorms developed over the central and western high terrain during the morning hours then moved east toward the Rio Grande Valley and high plains. Several outflow boundaries converged over the Albuquerque metro area by mid to late day and led to the development of strong thunderstorms with heavy rainfall. Many folks in Albuquerque picked up their greatest 24-hour totals of the season. Unfortunately, one man died after being swept away by flood waters in the Embudo Channel at Carlisle and Interstate 40. His body was found later near the Rio Grande at the terminus of the North Diversion Channel. A storm that moved northward across the Interstate 40 corridor near Edgewood downed about a dozen power poles. This led to an extended power outage for an estimated 6,300 customers. Many areas of eastern New Mexico picked up another one to two inches of rainfall, adding to the impressive summer totals. This was just the first of several very active weather days across the area.
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 Aug 11, 2:15 PM MST, 45 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 315 PM MDT Fri Aug 11 2017 .SYNOPSIS... Widespread showers and thunderstorms through tonight will produce locally heavy rain which could lead to flash flooding. A few strong to severe storms with damaging winds and large hail are also possible through this evening along the Interstate 25 corridor from the Las Vegas area northward and eastward across the Northeast and East Central Plains. Showers and storms will continue to be active Saturday through Monday. Drier westerly winds will bring decreasing chances for rain overall, but especially for the west and central, starting Tuesday and persisting through much of next week. High temperatures will remain near to below average through the weekend before warming to near or above normal mid to late next week. && .DISCUSSION... Upped pops even more than at the late morning update for portions of the central and east for tonight, with mention of locally heavy rainfall in a broad swath from southwest to northeast and east central this evening and north central to the central highlands and over the northeast and east central after midnight. As earlier discussed, PWAT values increased over an inch on 12Z ABQ sounding and adjacent sites. Low level upslope flow over much of the CWA and low level convergence forecast over the east central after midnight. Meanwhile, a disturbance on satellite imagery along our swrn border will migrate over the forecast area. Considered a flash flood watch for tonight but steering flow is such that storms won't stay in one place too long, although some boundary collisions/training could have an affect. Saturday, Sunday and Monday will continue to be active with another, better defined surface boundary possibly impacting the north central and northeast late Sunday afternoon/Sunday night. The latest GFS is even more suggestive of drier westerly winds sweeping out some or much of the moisture from western and even central New Mexico around the middle of next week. If the GFS is right, there will be few showers and storms anywhere over the forecast area next Thursday and Friday before the upper flow relaxes and allows monsoon moisture to return. && .FIRE WEATHER... The center of the mid-level high pressure system will continue to wobble around TX through the weekend allowing a plume of monsoon moisture with embedded disturbances to continue streaming north and northeastward over NM. Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms are expected each afternoon and evening, though there will be a downtick in the coverage of activity Sunday and again Monday. Locally heavy rainfall will be possible, especially for the rest of this afternoon and evening. Weekend total rain accumulation will likely reach around and over 1 inch across most of the forecast area, except for lighter amounts across the Four Corners area, and heavier amounts closer to 2 inches across parts of the northeast. Pockets of poor ventilation are expected mainly north of I-40 Saturday, then across the northeast on Sunday. Haines indices will generally be around 3, except for some 5s over the Sangre de Cristos on Sunday. High temperatures will vary from near normal to several degrees below normal each day. An upper level trough over the western US will steer drier air into the state from the west starting Monday, then especially Tuesday through the remainder of the work week. A back door cold front arriving Sunday night will enhance low level moisture across eastern areas for Monday with one more abundantly active day of convection along and east of the central mountain chain. The coverage and wetness of convection will then decrease with each day, and there will be a resulting increase in high temperatures. Ventilation will probably also improve, after some pockets of poor across the east on Monday. Haines will follow suite with some 5s across the northwest starting Tuesday, then spreading eastward through mid week. Pockets of 6 will be possible starting Thursday. && .AVIATION... 18Z TAF CYCLE A monsoon moisture surge with an embedded disturbance will cause SCT to NMRS showers and thunderstorms to stream N and NEWD across central and western areas today, then eastward across the eastern plains tonight. Abundant moisture will result in heavy rain with wet microbursts and erratic wind gusts that could reach over 45 kt. Some storms E of the central mountain chain may turn severe with large hail and wind gusts over 50 kt. MVFR conditions in low clouds should linger until mid afternoon across NE areas today, then return tonight with some fog in the wake of evening precipitation. E central areas will also be impacted by fog and low clouds tonight into Saturday morning. 44 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Farmington...................... 61 87 60 89 / 30 20 20 20 Dulce........................... 50 81 50 83 / 70 40 30 30 Cuba............................ 57 78 55 81 / 70 50 30 30 Gallup.......................... 57 84 56 83 / 30 30 30 40 El Morro........................ 55 78 53 78 / 60 50 40 50 Grants.......................... 58 81 56 82 / 60 50 30 40 Quemado......................... 58 80 57 79 / 50 50 30 50 Glenwood........................ 66 86 67 87 / 50 40 40 40 Chama........................... 47 77 46 78 / 80 50 40 40 Los Alamos...................... 58 78 56 81 / 70 50 50 30 Pecos........................... 56 78 55 79 / 80 50 40 30 Cerro/Questa.................... 49 77 48 77 / 80 50 40 40 Red River....................... 45 69 43 70 / 80 60 40 40 Angel Fire...................... 48 72 44 72 / 90 50 40 40 Taos............................ 52 79 51 80 / 70 50 30 30 Mora............................ 52 75 51 76 / 90 50 40 30 Espanola........................ 58 84 58 87 / 70 40 40 20 Santa Fe........................ 57 79 56 81 / 70 50 40 30 Santa Fe Airport................ 58 82 58 85 / 60 40 30 20 Albuquerque Foothills........... 64 84 62 85 / 60 40 40 20 Albuquerque Heights............. 66 86 65 88 / 60 30 30 20 Albuquerque Valley.............. 66 87 65 89 / 60 30 30 20 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 64 86 63 89 / 60 30 30 20 Los Lunas....................... 65 88 65 90 / 60 30 30 20 Rio Rancho...................... 64 85 63 88 / 60 40 30 20 Socorro......................... 67 88 67 89 / 60 40 40 30 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 59 79 57 81 / 70 40 40 20 Tijeras......................... 61 81 60 83 / 70 40 40 20 Moriarty/Estancia............... 58 83 58 85 / 70 30 40 30 Clines Corners.................. 56 79 56 81 / 70 40 40 30 Gran Quivira.................... 60 82 60 83 / 60 30 40 30 Carrizozo....................... 64 85 64 85 / 50 30 40 30 Ruidoso......................... 57 76 58 77 / 60 40 50 40 Capulin......................... 54 76 55 76 / 60 40 30 50 Raton........................... 55 81 55 82 / 60 50 30 40 Springer........................ 55 81 56 81 / 70 40 30 30 Las Vegas....................... 54 77 53 78 / 90 40 40 30 Clayton......................... 60 81 60 81 / 70 50 30 40 Roy............................. 57 79 57 81 / 70 40 20 30 Conchas......................... 63 87 64 85 / 70 50 30 30 Santa Rosa...................... 63 87 63 86 / 70 50 30 20 Tucumcari....................... 66 89 66 89 / 80 50 30 30 Clovis.......................... 65 87 65 87 / 50 40 30 30 Portales........................ 66 89 66 88 / 40 30 30 30 Fort Sumner..................... 66 90 66 88 / 60 30 30 30 Roswell......................... 67 92 68 93 / 40 30 30 20 Picacho......................... 63 85 64 86 / 50 40 30 30 Elk............................. 60 80 61 81 / 40 40 40 40 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 1115 AM MDT Fri Aug 11 2017 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- 1115 AM MDT Fri Aug 11 2017 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of north and central New Mexico. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight There is a marginal risk for severe thunderstorms with large hail and damaging winds along the Interstate 25 corridor from the Las Vegas area eastward across the the Northeast and East Central Plains this afternoon and evening. Locally heavy rainfall, which could lead to flash flooding is likely over the central and west this afternoon and evening, then may spread into the eastern plains this evening. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday A significant moisture surge will produce a large coverage of storms over NM this weekend. This pattern will enhance the possibility for locally heavy rainfall and the risk for flash flooding. There is a marginal risk for severe thunderstorms over eastern NM Sunday afternoon and evening. Storms will be capable of producing large hail, strong downburst winds, frequent lightning, and locally heavy rainfall. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report severe weather, heavy rainfall and any subsequent flooding through the National Weather Service Albuquerque web site at weather.gov/abq or by calling 1.888.386.7637. You can also submit storm reports and photos on our Facebook page or via Twitter using the hashtag nmwx.
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 140 PM MDT FRI AUG 11 2017 NMZ515-528-529-112030- Far Northeast Highlands-Northeast Highlands-East Slopes Sangre de Cristo Mountains- 140 PM MDT FRI AUG 11 2017 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHERN SAN MIGUEL AND SOUTH CENTRAL MORA COUNTIES UNTIL 230 PM MDT... At 139 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over Tierra Monte, or 10 miles south of Mora, moving east at 10 mph. Penny size hail and winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... La Cueva, Tierra Monte, Sapello, South Carmen, Manuelitas, Golondrinas and Rainsville. Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. && LAT...LON 3577 10539 3586 10542 3603 10516 3574 10503 TIME...MOT...LOC 1939Z 249DEG 10KT 3583 10536 33
The Albuquerque radar (KABX), 21 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:01 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
An unidentified man was swept away in the Embudo Channel near Carlisle and Interstate 40. His body was later discovered at the terminus of the North Diversion Channel near Alameda.
Santa Rosa airport peak wind gust up to 61 mph.
Outflow winds from a wet microburst north of Edgewood downed about a dozen power poles. An extended power outage impacted at least 6,300 customers.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Rain, Bernalillo | 2017-08-11 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Indirect |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, August 2017
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: 707907, 707905, 707906.