As an area of high pressure continued to strengthen over the Great Basin area on September 5, 2021, drier air continued to filter into the state from the north which further limited storm coverage across the area. However, deeper moisture continued to reside across southern New Mexico which allowed for another round of afternoon thunderstorms.
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.
As an area of high pressure continued to strengthen over the Great Basin area on September 5, 2021, drier air continued to filter into the state from the north which further limited storm coverage across the area. However, deeper moisture continued to reside across southern New Mexico which allowed for another round of afternoon thunderstorms. A few of these thunderstorms produced heavy rainfall while steering flow moved these thunderstorms in a general south to southwest direction. With slow steering flow, this only added to the flash flooding risk. The heaviest rainfall was reported in southern Catron and Socorro counties, and flash flooding was reported in the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument where a few visitors to the park were stranded.
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 5, 4:51 AM MST, 4 hours 45 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 551 AM MDT Sun Sep 5 2021 .AVIATION... 12Z TAF CYCLE Isolated showers will continue over portions of eastern NM, primarily south of I-40. MVFR/IFR cigs and vsbys will continue expanding in coverage from the east slopes of the central mountain chain ewd until around sunrise then gradually dissipate. Lcl upslope fog will mainly impact the east slopes of the central highlands and central mountain chain through mid morning. Dry air aloft is forecast to continue to push into the northwest third of the state today which will focus thunderstorm activity this afternoon and evening over eastern and southern NM with wdly sct coverage progged south of I-40. 33 && .PREV DISCUSSION...211 AM MDT Sun Sep 5 2021... .SYNOPSIS... An unseasonably strong area of high pressure will build into NM from the west this week. The chance for showers and storms will be mainly confined to southern and eastern NM today and Labor Day. A couple of these storms may produce heavy rainfall but the overall threat will be very limited. Dry and hot conditions will prevail through the end of the week with near-record high temperatures likely statewide. && .DISCUSSION... SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH LABOR DAY)... Upper-level high is forecast to strengthen over southern NV today and the resulting north to northeasterly flow aloft will usher in more dry air aloft to the northwest half of the state today. Today's afternoon and evening thunderstorms will favor locations south of I- 40 and along and east of the central mountain chain (which is comprised of the Sangre de Cristo, Sandia, Manzano, Gallinas, and Sacramento mountain ranges). Only a few storms are forecast for Monday afternoon and evening as dry air continues to move in from the north and northeast. Lingering cloud cover in east-central and southeast NM will keep high temperatures below to well below average while the remainder of the central and northern NM remain above seasonal averages for early September. The warmer than average temperatures spread to all areas Monday afternoon as the above mentioned upper-level continues to strengthen as it shifts to near the central N/UT. LONG TERM...(MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY)... By Monday night, an unseasonably strong 597dm H5 high over the Great Basin will begin spreading a much drier and stable airmass into NM. This upper high will traverse very slowly eastward across northern NM thru Friday. The H5 value of 595dm progged by the ECMWF at KABQ Thursday night is near the record value for the month of September. The H7 temp of +16.5C Tuesday is also above the 90th percentile. This upper high will result in near-record high temps Tuesday thru Friday w/ very little if any cloud cover. Comfortably cool nights w/ clear skies, dry air, and light winds will bring relief after sunset each day. 33/Guyer && .FIRE WEATHER... There are no fire weather concerns during the next week as the Four Corners' high builds back over the Great Basin, keeping troughs well north of NM. High temperatures are forecast to warm to above average for all areas through the work week. 33 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 306 AM MDT Sun Sep 5 2021 NMZ201>241-061000- 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- 306 AM MDT Sun Sep 5 2021 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of north and central New Mexico. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Patchy fog across portions of eastern NM this morning may reduce visibilities below one-half mile at times and result in localized hazardous travel. Isolated to scattered showers and storms over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and areas south of the I-40 corridor will produce locally heavy rainfall with localized areas of flash flooding possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday Isolated showers and thunderstorms are possible over the central and southern high terrain Monday. A couple storms may produce brief heavy rainfall and strong outflow winds. Near-record high temperatures will develop over the region Tuesday through Saturday as an unseasonably strong area of high pressure builds into New Mexico. .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. Guyer
The Albuquerque radar (KABX), 165 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:33 UTC.
2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain flooded portions of New Mexico State Road 52 which rendered the roadway impassable. The New Mexico Department of Transportation was forced to close to roadway for several hours as a result. The extent of damages is unknown.
Heavy rain in the Gila Cliff Dwellings flooded many creeks, canyons, and trails in the National Monument. Water overtook a bridge as debris clogged the canyon underneath which stranded visitors for a short time. Damages are estimated.
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, September 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: 971658, 971611.