Abundant moisture and instability in place over New Mexico on the final day of July 2017 resulted in more flash flashing. Several days of heavy rainfall set the stage for saturated soils and rapid runoff.
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.
Abundant moisture and instability in place over New Mexico on the final day of July 2017 resulted in more flash flashing. Several days of heavy rainfall set the stage for saturated soils and rapid runoff. Very weak steering flow led to nearly stationary thunderstorms with impressive rainfall rates near three inches per hour. Heavy rainfall on very steep terrain west of Red River produced flash flooding across state highway 138 near mile marker nine. The highway was closed for around four hours. Torrential rainfall near Mariano Lake produced flash flooding on reservation routes 49 and 11. A deluge of rainfall on a ranch near Clines Corners produced 1.5 inches in just 35 minutes. A strong thunderstorm with frequent lightning strikes moved across the Albuquerque metro and destroyed a large tree outside a home in Four Hills. Showers and thunderstorms across eastern New Mexico congealed into a large area of heavy rainfall around Portales. This second round of very heavy rainfall on top of saturated soils resulted in serious flooding within Roosevelt County. Vehicles were stranded on U.S. Highway 70 and state police reported a lake covering miles of the highway. State road 267 was also washed out. The Roswell airport set a new daily rainfall record of 1.03 inches, breaking the previous record of 0.84 inches from 1997.
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 31, 10:30 AM MST, 2 hours 30 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 1130 AM MDT Mon Jul 31 2017 .AVIATION... 18Z TAF CYCLE Storms off to an early start again in what is forecast to be another active day. MVFR conditions are likely in/near storms, with short- lived IFR conditions possible in heavy rain. Central and eastern terminals are more likely to be impacted, with another round of late night convection possible at KROW. Local east canyon/gap wind at KABQ later today may be stronger than forecast for an hour or two with enhancement from thunderstorm outflow. 11 && .PREV DISCUSSION...306 AM MDT Mon Jul 31 2017... .SYNOPSIS... Another active week of weather coming up, with a brief lull during the middle of the week. Ridge of high pressure will be anchored over the Great Basin through the work week with north to northwest flow aloft over NM. This will allow short wave troughs to move southeast into the central plains states, and associated cold fronts to drop into eastern NM, and perhaps farther west. && .DISCUSSION... Showers and some thunderstorms persisting across the east central plains early this morning. They will wind down by sunrise. Lots of residual cloud cover this morning may slow the reproduction of showers and storms today, but this afternoon into tonight will be active once again with widespread rainfall some of it heavy. The daily dilemma as to if and where to issue a flash flood watch is a tough call again. Having said that, it looks to us like the southeast quarter of our CWA will have the best shot at some flooding, based on not only the forecasted QPF through tonight, but what fell Sunday and overnight. Much of the Sandia and Manzano mountains and the east mountain communities picked up between one half and one inch of rain, with over two inches reported near San Antonito and in Sandia Park. Just east of Milagro 2.40 inches of rain accumulated, while areas around Clovis and Portales picked up a half inch to one inch of rain. High pressure has settled over he Great Basin and will park itself there through the work week. So, while our direct tap of monsoonal moisture will be cut off, there will be a few back door cold fronts bringing in plenty of lower level moisture. We had one such front overnight drop south across the eastern plains and west to the central mountains, and even a brief east gap wind into the Rio Grande Valley. Other backdoor fronts are forecast for Wednesday night into Thursday, possibly over next weekend, and another likely early next week. Each will bring a fresh supply of low level moisture into the east, and possibly spill into the Rio Grande Valley. So, most of the next seven days will be active with widespread showers and thunderstorms, including heavy rain. The one exception will be Wednesday, as all models are now decidedly drier. So, trimmed back POPS quite a bit areawide. CHJ && .FIRE WEATHER... Wet weather remains in store today across the Land of Enchantment. Widespread showers and thunderstorms are expected with heavy rain possible. Greatest coverage of heavy rain today will be focused from the east mountains across the east central plains. Otherwise, look for below normal temperatures and generally light winds outside of thunderstorm wind gusts. Humidities should remain fairly moist today, with excellent humidity recoveries again tonight. A boundary will push through the gaps of the central mountain chain tonight, which should help focus thunderstorm activity across western NM on Tuesday, but upslope flow will allow scattered activity along the central mountain chain as well. On Wednesday, much drier air aloft will shift into NM from the north, which will significantly trend down storm coverage. This is a big shift in the models from yesterday, but all models are on board with this scenario. Should mainly see isolated convection over the northern and western mountains. The drying trend will be short-lived as a back door front arrives Thursday and plunges down the plains, triggering another round of widespread, potentially heavy rain producing storms across eastern NM. Lesser activity is expected across the west, but the front will push through the gaps of the central mountain chain Thursday night, potentially increasing chances for storms on Friday across the west. Additional disturbances in northwest flow aloft over the weekend could keep the plains active. Thereafter, the upper high that's over Nevada for much of the week looks to break down late in the weekend and early next week, but models have not sorted out the details yet. The cloud cover and precipitation should keep temperatures below normal for the remainder of the work week. Areas of poor ventilation will be possible each day. 34 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flash Flood Watch through late tonight for the following zones... NMZ521>526-533>540. && 33
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 516 AM MDT Mon Jul 31 2017 NMZ501>540-011100- 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- 516 AM MDT Mon Jul 31 2017 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of north and central New Mexico. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Heavy rainfall is possible nearly anywhere today, but the greatest concern exists over east central and southeast New Mexico where widespread heavy rain may lead to flash flooding. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday Localized areas of heavy rainfall remain possible on Tuesday, mainly across western New Mexico. Flash flooding will be possible. Drier conditions are expected for Wednesday, but a back door front on Thursday will be a trigger for another round of widespread heavy rains across eastern New Mexico. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report rainfall amounts and 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. 34
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM
1137 AM MDT MON JUL 31 2017
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0145 AM TSTM WND GST 2 E FORT SUMNER 34.48N 104.20W
07/31/2017 M71 MPH DE BACA NM TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
EVENT NUMBER ABQ1702128
RJHThe Albuquerque radar (KABX), 212 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:57 UTC.
3 flash flood, 1 lightning, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Large mudslide over state highway 138 at mile marker 9. Large boulders covered the highway. Road closed for nearly four hours.
Flash flood covering reservation route 49 east of Mariano Lake.
All arroyos and draws flooding on ranch near Clines Corners from 1.5 inches of rainfall in 35 minutes.
Lightning destroyed a large oak tree in Four Hills. Large branches fell onto the property and side swiped part of the house and a wall. No damage was noted in the photo however some minor damage may have occurred.
Numerous vehicles were stranded along U.S. Highway 70. State police characterized the area as a large lake. State road 267 was also washed out between Floyd and Portales. Over a foot of water was reported on roadways in downtown Portales.
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: 705524, 705525, 705526, 705527, 705528.