Drought conditions across northern and eastern New Mexico continued to deteriorate during the month of July. Moderate to extreme drought worsened to about 94 percent of the state of which about 14 percent across northern and southeast New Mexico was deemed as extreme drought.
Every event with a place to put it; 28 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
Drought conditions across northern and eastern New Mexico continued to deteriorate during the month of July. Moderate to extreme drought worsened to about 94 percent of the state of which about 14 percent across northern and southeast New Mexico was deemed as extreme drought. Monsoon season got off to a slow start during the month of July as an area of high pressure strengthened over the state. Record heat and dry conditions were observed across the area for several days. A more traditional monsoon pattern developed toward mid-July with some areas receiving beneficial rainfall. Northeast New Mexico received above normal rainfall totals during the latter half of the month, and Clayton recorded their 6th wettest July on record with 5.84 of rainfall. Despite the more active pattern, storm tracks did not favor northwest and southeast New Mexico where below normal precipitation totals and worsening drought conditions were observed. Precipitation totals during the month of July generally ranged from two to three inches across southwest and south central New Mexico with one to three inches across central New Mexico and the Rio Grande Valley. Northeast New Mexico received the most amount of rainfall with CoCoRaHS observers in Union County receiving about five to seven inches. Southeast New Mexico and the Four Corners area received the least amount of precipitation with rain totals ranging from one to two inches.
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 30, 10:56 PM MST, 1 hour 4 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 1156 PM MDT Tue Jun 30 2020 .AVIATION... 06Z TAF CYCLE VFR conditions are forecast to continue aside of possible MVFR vsbys at KFMN or KGUP through mid or late morning due to low level smoke from fires in AZ. Winds will be lower most TAF sites today. Models show near surface smoke could impact KLVS and KROW overnight but confidence is very low. Smoke may return to at least the western RAF sites again later Wednesday night. && .PREV DISCUSSION...401 PM MDT Tue Jun 30 2020... .SYNOPSIS... Weaker winds and warmer temperatures are expected on Wednesday, then high temperatures should be near normal through the weekend. A moderate stream of monsoon moisture is forecast to begin flowing northward over the state on Thursday with showers and thunderstorms in the forecast each day thereafter. Thursday afternoon some thunderstorms will produce little or no rain with gusty winds across northern areas and in the central valley further south. Moisture will become rich enough Friday through the weekend for a risk of flash flooding below recent burn scars each day. A few strong to severe thunderstorms will also be possible from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains eastward Saturday and Sunday. Drier air will filter over the state early next week with above normal temperatures and decreasing coverage and wetness of showers and thunderstorms each day. && .DISCUSSION... SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT)... Dry and cooler (for July 1st) air will continue to filter into the area tonight as wind diminish in wake of an unseasonably strong trough and attendant Pacific cold front. The clear/dry atmosphere and lighter winds will set the stage for a rather chilly night for parts of the west/north as the first day of July dawns Wednesday. Min temps will flirt with record lows at places like Farmington, Gallup, Taos, Angel Fire and Capulin. Included mentioned of hazy skies/areas of smoke for parts of west-central NM to the RGV as well as across Socorro into Lincoln counties. A later shift may need to refine these areas but the broader message is elevated smoke should be more noticeable for areas near Gallup, Crownpoint, Grants, and the SAF-ABQ corridor as compared to last night. 500mb heights quickly rebound with a much more relaxed southwest flow aloft going into Wednesday. Models in good agreement with gradual air mass moistening especially across the southern tier of zones supporting increased afternoon cloud cover there. Latest HREF suggests any wetting footprints to remain well south of our area Wed PM though quick perusal of CAMS suggest some isolated high-based activity vicinity of our SC high terrain that is also supported by the 12Z EC. Better chances of showers and thunderstorms just beyond this period. Max temperatures trending several degrees warmer central/northwest but still a shade below seasonal average. KJ LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY)... A mid-level high pressure system over TX and OK on Thursday is forecast to drift slowly westward over southwest NM by Saturday morning, then further west over AZ Sunday through Tuesday. With the high east of us, modest monsoon moisture will begin to stream northward over NM with a chance for showers and thunderstorms over the mountains as well as the south central and southwest lowlands Thursday. Surface dewpoints will remain fairly low in the northern mountains and central valley on Thursday resulting in some gusty and dry thunderstorms there. The moistening trend will continue Friday and Friday night with a better chance of wetting thunderstorms over the entire forecast area, except the Four Corners region. There will be a risk of flash flooding below recent burn scars from Friday through the weekend. Storms on Thursday and Friday will tend to move toward the north and northeast at 10-15 mph. Storms should move more toward the east and southeast off the high terrain Saturday, then toward the southeast and south on Sunday through Tuesday, as the high gradually shifts westward over AZ. A weak disturbance tracking slowly eastward over CO will invigorate convective activity from the northern mountains eastward Saturday, then from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains eastward Sunday, where/when there will also be a greater risk of burn scar flash flooding. A few strong to severe thunderstorms will also be possible from the Sangres eastward both days. In the wake of the disturbance crossing CO a downtick in thunderstorm coverage is expected Monday, and again Tuesday, as drier air filters over the forecast area. After high temperatures near normal over the weekend, readings will climb above normal areawide Monday, and from a few to 7 degrees above normal by Tuesday. By Tuesday, thunderstorm coverage should be sparse favoring the southern high terrain, Sangres, and adjacent lowlands to the south and southeast. 44 && .FIRE WEATHER... Red Flag Warning conditions ending early evening across eastern areas. This looks to be the last bout of critical fire wx for the area through at least next Tuesday with a change toward more typical early July fire wx conditions going into the holiday weekend. Canceled the RFW for fire weather zone 109 a little early as winds continue to diminish. Models similar showing a more relaxed but increasingly moist south to southwest flow aloft over the area Wednesday into Thursday as high pressure aloft expands/builds northward over TX. Main challenges for our area in the near-term will be how quickly the air mass moistens and the extent of thunderstorm coverage by Thursday afternoon/evening. Latest indications are that isolated to scattered wetting footprints will favor mainly the western/central high terrain but there could be a trend toward more dry than wet storms as this mid-week transition to a more active thunderstorm pattern takes place. Beyond Thursday, models generally favor an elongated upper ridge from southwest New Mexico into eastern Colorado on Friday with a max centroid placement somewhere over eastern New Mexico to the TX panhandle. This would favor western areas for continued moisture advection along the western periphery of the high while weak NW to SE steering flow would bring storms in the eastern plains during the late afternoon or evening hours. Overall, moisture level should trend upward quite nicely with PWAT values near/above three-quarters of an inch for central NM or just above climo for early July. This upper air pattern then undergoes a change with high pressure aloft shifting or redeveloping west of NM this holiday weekend and placing the area under a northwest flow aloft. Moisture recycling will support daily rounds of thunderstorms with a trend toward more wet than dry. 41 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 412 PM MDT Tue Jun 30 2020 NMZ201>241-011100- Northwest Plateau-Chuska Mountains-Far Northwest Highlands- Northwest Highlands-West Central Plateau-West Central Mountains- West Central Highlands-Southwest Mountains- San Francisco River Valley-Tusas Mountains Including Chama- Jemez Mountains-Glorieta Mesa Including Glorieta Pass- Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains- Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains- East Slopes Sangre de Cristo Mountains-Upper Rio Grande Valley- Espanola Valley-Santa Fe Metro Area- Middle Rio Grande Valley/Albuquerque Metro Area- Lower Rio Grande Valley-Sandia/Manzano Mountains Including Edgewood- Estancia Valley-Central Highlands-South Central Highlands- Upper Tularosa Valley-South Central Mountains- Johnson and Bartlett Mesas Including Raton Pass- 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- San Agustin Plains and Adjacent Lowlands- 412 PM MDT Tue Jun 30 2020 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of north and central New Mexico. .DAY ONE...Tonight Critical fire weather conditions are expected across portions of eastern New Mexico this afternoon until 7 PM MDT due to low humidity and strong winds. Of greatest concern, will be the area along and 50 miles either side of Interstate 40. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday Showers and thunderstorms will increase late this week and over the holiday weekend as a modest monsoon flow develops. Stronger storms over the weekend will generally be capable of wind gusts up to 45 mph, frequent cloud-to-ground lightning, and minor flooding. Flash flooding will be possible over and below recent burn scars. Saturday and Sunday, a few strong to severe thunderstorms will be possible east of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated. 44
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
28 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from June 2020 continued in July.
Severe drought conditions from June 2020 continued in July.
Extreme drought conditions from June 2020 continued in July.
Extreme drought conditions from June 2020 continued in July.
Severe drought conditions from June 2020 worsened to extreme drought in July in southern Colfax County.
Extreme drought conditions in June 2020 improved to moderate to severe drought across most of Union County in July thanks to above normal precipitation. Northern portions of the county remained in extreme drought.
Extreme drought conditions from June 2020 continued in July.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from June 2020 continued in July.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from June 2020 worsened in July with all of the northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains in extreme drought.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from June 2020 continued in July.
Extreme drought conditions from June 2020 continued across western portions of the area in July. Eastern Colfax County and western Union County improved to severe drought.
Severe drought conditions from June 2020 continued in July.
Severe drought conditions from June 2020 worsened to extreme drought across portions of the southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains in July.
Severe drought conditions from June 2020 continued in July.
Extreme drought conditions from June 2020 improved to severe drought in July.
Severe drought conditions from June 2020 continued in July.
Severe drought conditions from June 2020 continued in July.
Extreme drought conditions from June 2020 improved to severe drought in July.
Severe drought conditions from June 2020 continued in July.
Severe drought conditions from June 2020 worsened to extreme drought across central De Baca County in July.
Severe drought conditions from June 2020 continued in July.
Severe drought conditions from June 2020 continued in July.
Severe drought conditions from June 2020 worsened in July with extreme drought developing across portions of southern and northern Chaves County.
Severe drought conditions developed across the Glorieta Pass area during July 2020. Below normal precipitation amounts set the stage for deteriorating drought conditions.
Severe drought conditions developed across southern Santa Fe County during July 2020. Below normal precipitation amounts set the stage for deteriorating drought conditions.
Severe drought conditions developed across northern portions of the Sandia/Manzano Mountains during July 2020. Below normal precipitation amounts set the stage for deteriorating drought conditions.
Severe drought conditions developed across central Torrance County during July 2020. Below normal precipitation amounts set the stage for deteriorating drought conditions.
Severe drought conditions developed across the Central Highlands during July 2020. Below normal precipitation amounts set the stage for deteriorating drought conditions.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, July 2020
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: 898327, 898328, 898329, 898330, 898331, 898332, 898333, 898334, 898335, 898336, 898337, 898338, 898339, 898340, 898341, 898342, 898343, 898344, 898345, 898346, 898347, 898348, 898349, 898351, 898352, 898353, 898354, 898355.