Drought conditions across northern and central New Mexico continued to improve during the month of June 2021. An early start to the monsoon season led to many days characterized by widespread thunderstorms, especially across the eastern half of the area.
Every event with a place to put it; 41 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 central New Mexico continued to improve during the month of June 2021. An early start to the monsoon season led to many days characterized by widespread thunderstorms, especially across the eastern half of the area. Extreme to exceptional drought improved to about 59 percent with about 30 percent deemed exceptional drought. The most noted drought improvement was across the eastern plains of New Mexico which saw numerous days of beneficial thunderstorm activity, but unfortunately, some areas received excessive amounts of rainfall that resulted in flooding. This area generally saw precipitation totals ranging from 2 to 5 inches with locally higher amounts. The Roswell airport measured a total of 5.08 inches for the month of June which is their third wettest June on record and well above the average of 1.42 inches. While the east saw big improvements in drought conditions, extreme to exceptional drought conditions persisted for areas west of the Rio Grande Valley where rainfall totals were generally less than two inches. The Four Corners area continued to receive the least amount of precipitation with totals less than half an inch.
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 May 31, 10:37 PM MST, 1 hour 23 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 1137 PM MDT Mon May 31 2021 .AVIATION... 06Z TAF CYCLE Most convection has dissipated as of 05Z although widely sct light showers and a brief tstm or two will persist through 12Z. Widespread MVFR to IFR conditions obscuring terrain in low clouds and br are expected through 15Z, mainly east of the central mountain chain. Tstms to develop over the higher terrain by 18Z then mostly move to the southeast to south. Storms which eventually move into the ern plains may become strong to severe aft 20Z with large hail and wind gusts to 50kt. && .PREV DISCUSSION...929 PM MDT Mon May 31 2021... .UPDATE... Cancelled today's Flash Flood Watch that was in effect for portions of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, south central mountains, and Chaves County plains. The threat of heavy rain has ended, but the chance of lighter rain and even a few thunderstorms will continue through tonight. 44 && .PREV DISCUSSION...544 PM MDT Mon May 31 2021... .UPDATE... Update to cancel Severe Thunderstorm Watch 229 for Lincoln and Chaves Counties given limited instability that is also on the downtrend. A Flash Flood Watch is still in effect for Lincoln and Chaves Counties through 10PM MDT, but would need some moderate to heavy rain to cause additional hydro issues. 15 && .PREV DISCUSSION...148 PM MDT Mon May 31 2021... .SYNOPSIS... An active weather pattern will continue through the work week, with rounds of storms each day favoring the mountains and eastern New Mexico. Locally heavy rainfall is possible through at least Wednesday due to slow moving storms. However, a gradual warming and drying trend will begin mid week and continue through the weekend and will take temperatures back to near or above normal areawide by Sunday or Monday. Until then, daytime temperatures will generally be below normal across eastern New Mexico and above normal across far western New Mexico. && .DISCUSSION... SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT)... Water vapor imagery this afternoon shows the low pressure system still stalled over southern AZ and deep moisture is streaming into the area ahead of it. The PWAT of 0.78" on the 12Z KABQ sounding and 1.00" at KAMA is well above normal for the end of May and with a weak disturbance embedded within the flow, numerous showers and thunderstorms got off to an early start today. The latest SPC mesoanalysis indicates an axis of instability roughly from Chaves County stretching northwestward into Valencia County with 1000-1500 J/kg of MLCAPE. The morning's convection across the southeast produced heavy rainfall with radar estimates of 2-4", and flash flooding was reported in southern Chaves County. With additional convection moving eastward into the area, additional flash flooding will be a concern. Thus, a Flash Flood Watch was issued for Lincoln and Chaves counties through this evening. Severe storms will also be possible across south central and southeast NM where the greatest instability and shear reside. The latest hi-res guidance has the convection moving into eastern NM by 00Z before gradually diminishing after 03Z. A few lingering showers and thunderstorms can't be ruled out overnight across the east, but the severe threat looks to be limited. The aforementioned low over southern AZ moves just slightly to the east on Tuesday while another disturbance approaches from the northwest. This will once again generate another round of showers and thunderstorms, particularly along and east of the central mountain chain. Sufficient instability, shear, and moisture will once again lead to the possibility of strong to severe thunderstorms in the area where the SPC Day 2 Outlook outlines a marginal risk for severe storms. LONG TERM...(WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY)... A strengthening upper level high over the Great Basin will gradually shift east toward the southern Rockies and weaken through Saturday, leading to a gradual warming and drying trend. However, sufficient moisture will remain across the area for daily rounds of daytime heating triggered convection, especially across the mountains and the eastern plains/highlands. There will be a limited severe threat Wednesday afternoon/evening from the central highlands to the east central and southeast plains given modest shear and instability. A high amplitude west coast trough/low will begin to advance eastward late in the weekend and into early next week as the jet stream dips south into the Great Basin and possibly into the Desert Southwest. This pattern change could bring strong winds back to New Mexico as early as Sunday, but probably not until Mon/Tue of next week. 15/11 && .FIRE WEATHER... There are no critical fire weather conditions expected over the next week. A stalled low pressure system over southern AZ will send subtropical moisture into the area which will result in daily rounds of showers and thunderstorms are expected this week. Wetting precipitation will favor eastern NM where the deeper moisture will reside. Across the west, wetting precipitation will be more spotty with dry thunderstorms more likely due to less atmospheric moisture. 15 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 442 AM MDT Mon May 31 2021 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- 442 AM MDT Mon May 31 2021 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of northern and central New Mexico. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms are expected across more of New Mexico today, especially in central to north central areas of the state. Some storms will be strong to severe with heavy downpours, large hail, and damaging winds. Locally heavy rainfall could lead to flash flooding, particularly over recent wildfire burn scars in the Sangre de Cristo mountains. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday Scattered to numerous thunderstorms are expected again on Tuesday with storms focusing over the southwestern mountains and the central mountain chain of New Mexico. Some storms will be capable of heavy downpours, large hail, and damaging winds in eastern areas of the state. Thunderstorms will redevelop each day thereafter, generally favoring the eastern half of the state where a few strong to severe storms will be possible. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report their observations of any severe weather 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. 52
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM
740 PM MDT MON MAY 31 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0223 PM HAIL LA CIENEGA 35.56N 106.13W
05/30/2021 M1.25 INCH SANTA FE NM SOCIAL MEDIA
&&
EVENT NUMBER ABQ202102362
12The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
41 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Extreme to exceptional drought conditions from May 2021 continued in June.
Extreme to exceptional drought conditions from May 2021 continued in June.
Extreme to exceptional drought conditions from May 2021 continued in June.
Extreme to exceptional drought conditions from May 2021 continued in June.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from May 2021 improved in June with severe drought conditions across the area.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from May 2021 improved in June with abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions across the area.
Severe drought conditions from May 2021 continued in June.
Extreme to exceptional drought conditions from May 2021 continued in June.
Moderate to severe drought conditions from May 2021 improved in June with abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions across the area.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from May 2021 improved in June with severe drought conditions across the area.
Severe drought conditions from May 2021 improved in June with abnormally dry conditions across the area.
Extreme to exceptional drought conditions from May 2021 continued in June.
Severe to exceptional drought conditions from May 2021 continued in June.
Exceptional drought conditions from May 2021 continued in June.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from May 2021 improved in June with moderate to severe drought conditions across the area.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from May 2021 improved in June with moderate to severe drought conditions across the area.
Extreme drought conditions from May 2021 improved in June with severe drought conditions across the area.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from May 2021 improved in June with moderate to severe drought conditions across the area.
Extreme to exceptional drought conditions from May 2021 improved in June with severe to extreme drought conditions across the area.
Extreme to exceptional drought conditions from May 2021 continued in June.
Extreme to exceptional drought conditions from May 2021 improved in June with moderate to severe drought conditions across the area.
Extreme to exceptional drought conditions from May 2021 improved in June with moderate to severe drought conditions across the area. Extreme drought conditions continued across far western Roosevelt County.
Exceptional drought conditions from May 2021 improved in June with severe to exceptional drought conditions across the area.
Exceptional drought conditions from May 2021 continued in June.
Exceptional drought conditions from May 2021 continued in June.
Exceptional drought conditions from May 2021 continued in June.
Exceptional drought conditions from May 2021 improved in June with extreme drought conditions across the area.
Extreme to exceptional drought conditions from May 2021 improved in June with extreme drought conditions across the area.
Extreme drought conditions from May 2021 continued in June.
Extreme to exceptional drought conditions from May 2021 continued in June.
Exceptional drought conditions from May 2021 continued in June.
Severe to extreme drought conditions from May 2021 continued in June.
Exceptional drought conditions from May 2021 improved in June with extreme drought conditions across the area.
Exceptional drought conditions from May 2021 improved slightly in June with extreme drought conditions across northern portions of the area.
Extreme to exceptional drought conditions from May 2021 continued in June.
Exceptional drought conditions from May 2021 improved in June with extreme drought conditions across the area.
Exceptional drought conditions from May 2021 improved in June with extreme drought conditions across the area.
Severe drought conditions from May 2021 continued in June.
Severe drought conditions from May 2021 continued in June.
Severe drought conditions from May 2021 continued in June.
Severe drought conditions from May 2021 continued in June.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, June 2021
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: 960323, 960324, 960325, 960326, 960327, 960328, 960329, 960330, 960331, 960332, 960333, 960334, 960335, 960336, 960338, 960339, 960341, 960343, 960344, 960346, 960347, 960348, 960367, 960368, 960369, 960370, 960371, 960372, 960373, 960374, 960375, 960376, 960377, 960378, 960379, 960380, 960381, 960382, 960383, 960384, and more.