Subtropical moisture from the Gulf of California streamed northward into New Mexico and allowed for numerous showers and thunderstorms to develop through the late afternoon. A strong thunderstorm developed on the east side of Albuquerque around 5 pm.
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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.
Subtropical moisture from the Gulf of California streamed northward into New Mexico and allowed for numerous showers and thunderstorms to develop through the late afternoon. A strong thunderstorm developed on the east side of Albuquerque around 5 pm. Gusty winds toppled a large tree at Los Altos Park. No injuries were reported.
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 Sep 19, 2:32 PM MST, 1 hour 28 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 332 PM MDT Wed Sep 19 2018 .SYNOPSIS... With high pressure aloft to the east of New Mexico and a trough of low pressure moving in from the west, the weather pattern is poised to bring a surge of subtropical moisture to the Land of Enchantment through the evening and overnight. Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms will continue to take shape, first in western and central New Mexico, then moving toward the eastern tier of the state on Thursday. Many locations within northern and central New Mexico are expected to receive measurable precipitation through tonight and Thursday, and temperatures will undergo a notable cooling trend. On Friday, temperatures will drop a few more degrees in eastern New Mexico as a cold front slides southward down the plains. This front could keep a few areas of rain or perhaps some thunderstorms in the forecast for Friday, but the upcoming weekend appears mostly dry with temperatures warming up to, if not exceeding, normal. && .DISCUSSION... An impressive plume of moisture is drawing up the Gulf of California, near and ahead of Tropical Depression 19-E. While the moisture is moderating some as it moves over the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts, it is still sending an impressively juicy air mass our way. Spatial analyses of PWATs from satellite indicate well above average values (as high as 2.5 inches) over the Gulf of CA and Sonora, and consequently we should see much of NM PWATs continue to rise, perhaps as high as 1.3 inches (which would be record- breaking for central NM according to ABQ sounding climatology). Overall, the scenario has not changed too much from previous forecast packages, but the trough arriving from the west does appear slightly slower and this will likely increase rainfall potential over the western half of the state overnight while slightly delaying the spread eastward into Thursday. Storms that have already developed appear to be propagating at a fairly decent clip of 10 to 15 mph with motions likely increasing through the evening. The strong to severe threat will also be present due to substantial bulk shear in the lower half of the troposphere. Through the day Thursday, the axis of the trough aloft will push toward the eastern tier of NM, carrying the best moisture plume there and into west TX. Locally heavy rain would still be possible in eastern NM zones where PWATs would remain well above an inch. Meanwhile, roughly the northwestern half of NM will undergo abrupt drying with regards to PWATs and dewpoints. Temperatures statewide will be much cooler Thursday, running near normal to almost 10 degrees below average in the central NM zones. Model consensus generally leans toward the trough axis getting east of NM on Friday, but the 12Z NAM run was a bit more hesitant to do so. Have built the forecast more toward a solution carrying the trough axis and attendant mid-level moisture plume mostly east of NM. The back door front will be plunging south and westward through the day Friday, offering some increased boundary layer moisture. The cloud cover and precipitation forecast for areas along and east of the central mountain chain will be challenging for Friday, based on drying mid to upper levels while the surface front offers moisture advection and easterly upslope flow. Low clouds could be prevalent and pesky with stabilizing temperature lapse rates amidst the upslope flow, and needless to say this could wreak havoc on the temperature forecast. A gusty east canyon wind would also impact the ABQ metro and other favored central NM canyon wind locales. And last, but not least, the Continental Divide could retain just enough instability along with the arriving upslope flow and moisture for a few afternoon showers/storms Friday. The upslope flow would be lost into Saturday, and moisture and instability appear just a bit too weak for any appreciable storm development. High pressure would be broadly re-establishing itself over the greater southwest region through Saturday and Sunday. By Monday a northern Rockies trough will move toward the Great Plains, dropping a quick wind shift into northeastern NM. A second trailing trough will quickly follow on its heels, dropping a more substantial cold front into eastern NM by the middle to latter part of the week, depending on which model solution is chosen. 52 && .FIRE WEATHER... Widespread wetting rain event remains on track this evening through Thursday morning for western and central NM with the focus for wetting rains shifting to eastern New Mexico Thursday afternoon and evening. Drier air will put an end to the showers and storms across the northwest half or so of the state Thursday afternoon as an associated upper trough slides eastward through Colorado. A backdoor front will push westward across the area Friday, recharging low- level moisture and leading to higher relative humidity values but likely not resulting in more than a few showers or storms Saturday afternoon. Dry west to northwest flow aloft will prevail next week. Models bring a relatively strong backdoor cold front in by middle of next week. At this point it looks like cooler temperatures will be the main result with temperatures aloft keeping a lid on showers and storms. 33 && .AVIATION... 18Z TAF CYCLE Deep sub-tropical moisture streaming northward from Mexico will result in the development and lowering of VFR cigs later today, along with an increase in coverage of showers and storms during the late afternoon and particularly during the evening and overnight hours. Widespread showers and thunderstorms will impact all but KTCC and KROW through Thursday forenoon. MVFR to lcl IFR conditions along with mountain obscurations are likely with showers and storms this evening through Thursday morning. 33 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Farmington...................... 52 81 45 83 / 60 5 0 0 Dulce........................... 50 77 36 80 / 80 20 5 5 Cuba............................ 54 76 45 76 / 90 30 5 20 Gallup.......................... 46 78 34 81 / 80 10 0 5 El Morro........................ 53 73 38 79 / 90 30 5 20 Grants.......................... 57 75 41 79 / 90 20 5 20 Quemado......................... 55 71 42 79 / 90 20 5 20 Glenwood........................ 59 79 51 82 / 90 30 10 10 Chama........................... 46 72 37 71 / 90 20 10 10 Los Alamos...................... 55 74 54 75 / 90 50 5 10 Pecos........................... 54 66 47 68 / 80 70 10 30 Cerro/Questa.................... 50 72 40 66 / 80 50 10 20 Red River....................... 46 64 36 55 / 80 50 10 30 Angel Fire...................... 48 67 35 59 / 80 70 10 40 Taos............................ 53 76 42 72 / 70 40 5 20 Mora............................ 50 66 41 60 / 80 70 10 30 Espanola........................ 58 79 47 80 / 70 40 5 10 Santa Fe........................ 55 71 48 74 / 80 50 10 20 Santa Fe Airport................ 56 74 48 77 / 80 40 5 10 Albuquerque Foothills........... 59 75 54 78 / 80 40 5 10 Albuquerque Heights............. 61 76 58 79 / 80 40 5 10 Albuquerque Valley.............. 58 78 53 81 / 80 40 5 10 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 61 76 54 79 / 80 40 5 10 Los Lunas....................... 61 74 51 83 / 80 40 5 10 Rio Rancho...................... 61 80 54 80 / 80 40 5 10 Socorro......................... 65 73 57 83 / 90 50 10 10 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 54 70 49 73 / 90 50 10 20 Tijeras......................... 57 71 48 75 / 90 50 5 20 Moriarty/Estancia............... 55 70 43 73 / 80 70 10 20 Clines Corners.................. 54 67 50 70 / 70 70 10 30 Gran Quivira.................... 57 67 49 72 / 80 70 10 20 Carrizozo....................... 60 67 54 74 / 90 70 20 20 Ruidoso......................... 52 64 51 66 / 80 90 50 30 Capulin......................... 56 72 49 59 / 30 60 10 40 Raton........................... 56 73 49 66 / 40 60 10 30 Springer........................ 58 73 50 70 / 50 60 10 20 Las Vegas....................... 54 66 47 66 / 60 60 10 30 Clayton......................... 61 76 53 62 / 20 70 30 30 Roy............................. 59 72 53 63 / 30 70 20 20 Conchas......................... 64 80 58 71 / 30 70 40 20 Santa Rosa...................... 62 75 55 69 / 40 70 40 20 Tucumcari....................... 67 81 59 72 / 20 70 60 30 Clovis.......................... 63 76 57 64 / 10 60 70 30 Portales........................ 64 78 58 65 / 20 50 70 30 Fort Sumner..................... 65 78 59 72 / 30 70 50 20 Roswell......................... 67 77 60 75 / 30 60 50 20 Picacho......................... 62 71 55 71 / 40 80 50 30 Elk............................. 59 66 53 69 / 60 80 50 40 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flash Flood Watch from 6 PM MDT this evening through late tonight for the following zones... NMZ505>507-519>526-539-540. Flash Flood Watch through late tonight for the following zones... NMZ508-509. && 52
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 448 AM MDT Wed Sep 19 2018 NMZ501>540-201100- 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- 448 AM MDT Wed Sep 19 2018 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of north and central New Mexico. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Heavy rainfall is expected across the southwest mountains this afternoon and across a broad area of western and central New Mexico along and south of I-40 tonight, where localized areas of flash flooding may occur. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday Chances of heavy rainfall will shift to the east across the southeast plains Thursday afternoon with decreasing chances of localized flash flooding. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated. 28
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Albuquerque NM
206 PM MDT WED SEP 19 2018
NMZ518-192030-
Santa Fe Metro Area-
206 PM MDT WED SEP 19 2018
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EASTERN SANDOVAL AND WEST CENTRAL
SANTA FE COUNTIES UNTIL 230 PM MDT...
At 206 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Madrid, or 19 miles east of Bernalillo, moving northwest at 10 mph.
Half inch hail and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with this
storm.
Heavy rain and frequent and dangerous cloud to ground lightning will
also be possible with this storm.
Locations impacted include...
La Bajada, Madrid and Los Cerrillos.
This includes Interstate 25 between Mile Markers 253 and 265.
Heavy rains will cause water to pond on roads and in low spots. Fast
running water will quickly fill arroyos and ditches.
&&
LAT...LON 3557 10625 3543 10614 3539 10617 3539 10619
3535 10623 3532 10624 3539 10639 3541 10639
3542 10640
TIME...MOT...LOC 2006Z 131DEG 7KT 3541 10622
44The Albuquerque radar (KABX), 27 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:00 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A large cottonwood tree was blown down at Los Altos Park.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, September 2018
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: 774720.