A very moist back door cold front that entered northeastern New Mexico late on the 29th provided a reinforcing surge of low level moisture through the 30th. This front also acted as a focus mechanism for a couple strong to severe thunderstorms across parts of eastern New Mexico.
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 very moist back door cold front that entered northeastern New Mexico late on the 29th provided a reinforcing surge of low level moisture through the 30th. This front also acted as a focus mechanism for a couple strong to severe thunderstorms across parts of eastern New Mexico. Slow-moving showers and thunderstorms with torrential rainfall produced numerous reports of minor flooding. Some of the more significant storms impacted the area along the Sandia Mountains where pea to nickel size hail accompanied torrential rainfall amounts of two to three inches. Flash flooding was reported along Las Huertas Creek in Placitas. A wet microburst in south central Curry County produced a wind gust to 71 mph at the Cannon Air Force Base and 65 mph at the Clovis Fire Department. A stationary thunderstorm east of Church Rock produced another round of flash flooding along state road 118. Another storm moving slowly southeast out of southwest Colorado produced flash flooding along U.S. Highway 64 east of Bloomfield around sunset. Clayton set a new daily rainfall record of 1.52 inches, breaking the previous record of 1.23 inches from 2015. Outflow from a wet microburst during the early morning hours east of Fort Sumner produced a 71 mph wind gust at the Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility.
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 30, 10:34 AM MST, 56 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 1134 AM MDT Sun Jul 30 2017 .AVIATION... 18Z TAF CYCLE Another active thunderstorm day forecast, with convection breaking- out even earlier than yesterday. MVFR conditions are forecast with storms today/tonight, with KLVS and KTCC the terminals most likely to be impacted. Storms will move in the vicinity of KABQ, with the potential for a stronger east canyon/gap wind than what is currently forecast conditional on extent of storms to the east. Storms will likely continue through the overnight hours across central/eastern NM rather than following a normal diurnal downtrend. 11 && .PREV DISCUSSION...345 AM MDT Sun Jul 30 2017... .SYNOPSIS... A very active week is in store with areas of heavy rain and flash flooding possible daily. Though flooding may occur with any storm, the main focus for flash flooding is across northeast New Mexico today where heavy rainfall and flooding occurred last evening. Another round of widespread heavy rainfall is expected Monday afternoon and evening across the plains. The focus for heavy rain may shift across the western New Mexico on Tuesday. Temperatures will drop below normal across all areas due to the precipitation and clouds cover for much of the week. && .DISCUSSION... Quite a bit of rain occurred over the last several hours across northeast NM, which has saturated soils across the area. Another round of thunderstorms are expected this afternoon and tonight as a weak vort max rounds into NE NM where a boundary will be sitting. This boundary will be a focus for convection, both developing along it as well as moving along it from storms that develop over the Sangres and shift eastward. Abundant moisture will again be in place, with PWATs greater than 1.5 inches across the northeast plains. This combined with the slow storm movement and previous rainfall should lead to an increased risk of flash flooding. Issued a Flash Flood Watch for the Sangres eastward from 18Z today through 12Z Mon, but main concern exists this evening and overnight where models are suggesting very heavy QPF. Depending on the latest trends, the day shift may need to expand the watch southward slightly. Additionally, there may be a weak disturbance across northwest NM as well, and western NM should see another active day with slow moving storms drifting toward the north. Isolated flash flooding is not out of the question. The boundary across NE NM will shift southward overnight and into Monday, potentially setting up near I-40 Monday afternoon. This should again be a focus for thunderstorm development, in addition to upslope flow behind the boundary. Once again, should see potentially heavy rain into the evening and overnight hours across the eastern plains, though further south than tonight's convection. Only concern is how many debris clouds there will be and how much that impacts daytime heating and instability. Overall though, confidence is high for another round of widespread storms, just a matter of how high rain rates will be. The boundary, aided by convection, will push south and west, through the gaps of the central mountain chain Monday night. This may replenish moisture across the west, and lead to a more active Tuesday across western NM. Latest models runs are also showing that the east may be more active than originally thought as well. For the latter half of the week, with the upper high over Nevada, northwest flow over NM, and continued moisture in place, the eastern plains should be quite active as weak ripples in NW flow move across the area. It also appears that another front will slide down the plains on Thursday, which should be a strong trigger for widespread storms. All-in-all, a very active week is ahead with flash flooding possible every day. 34 && .FIRE WEATHER... Showers and isolated storms continue to be most active over northeast NM early this morning, but the activity was slowly diminishing. Expect showers and storms to re-ignite over the higher terrain later today. In addition, a surface boundary scheduled to invade northeast NM later this afternoon and push through the eastern plains tonight will spark or enhance widespread convection. Cell motion initially today will be mostly to the north and northeast, but by this evening, cells may tend to move to the east over northeast NM. Some erratic movement and storm development is also possible due to outflow boundaries. Slow movement of storms will lead to locally heavy rain and potential for flash flooding later today through Monday night. Vent rates today will be good to excellent south of Interstate 40 with areas of fair to poor north. Areas of poor vent rates forecast Monday over much of the central and east. Poor rates will also dominate the west and central Tuesday. High temperatures this week will be below average while lows will be above average. Tuesday and Wednesday may see a downtick in showers and storms as the upper high center is forecast to set up over portions of the Great Basin. Another front Thursday invading the eastern plains may result in a return to more widespread convection. Daily rounds of showers and storms will continue into the upcoming weekend. && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flash Flood Watch through late tonight for the following zones... NMZ512>515-527-528-530-531. && 33
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 554 AM MDT Sun Jul 30 2017 NMZ501>540-311200- 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- 554 AM MDT Sun Jul 30 2017 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of north and central New Mexico. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight While heavy rainfall is possible this afternoon and tonight just about anywhere over northern and central New Mexico, it's most likely over the northeast and east central. The heavy rainfall may result in at least minor flooding or areas of flash flooding. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday Heavy rainfall will be possible again Monday afternoon and Monday night over northern and central New Mexico. Localized areas of flash flooding may occur. .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. You can also submit storm reports and photos on our Facebook page or via Twitter using the hashtag nmwx.
The Albuquerque radar (KABX), 41 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:28 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind, 3 flash flood, 2 hail, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.
Observer reported Las Huertas Creek flooding over Tecolote Road. Six to eight inches of water, mud, and rocks covered roadway.
Hail up to the size of pennies.
Hail up to the size of nickels along with intense cloud to ground lightning.
Cannon Air Force Base peak wind gust to 71 mph.
Peak wind gust up to 65 mph at the Clovis Fire Department.
Peak wind gusts between 50 and 60 mph.
Flash flooding with 10 feet of water and mud reported over state road 118.
The ABC7 webcam in Clayton showed a funnel cloud looming over town.
U.S. Highway 64 completely flooded at mile marker 74. Roadway closed.
A peak wind gust to 71 mph was reported at the Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility.
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, July 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: 705514, 705515, 705516, 705517, 705518, 705519, 705520, 705521, 705522, 705523.