Afternoon thunderstorms developed along the Continental Divide and then moved east into the Rio Grande Valley. A strong and slow moving storm caused considerable flash flooding across Albuquerque.
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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.
Afternoon thunderstorms developed along the Continental Divide and then moved east into the Rio Grande Valley. A strong and slow moving storm caused considerable flash flooding across Albuquerque.
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 13, 11:22 AM MST, 1 hour 48 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 1222 PM MDT Wed Sep 13 2023 ...New AVIATION... .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 329 AM MDT Wed Sep 13 2023 Widespread showers and storms are expected again today across the region with a few stronger storms in central and southern NM. Burn scar flash flooding remains a threat today with heavier showers and storms. Shower and storm chances trend down late in the week as drier air enters from the west. With clearer skies, temperatures will gradually warm up to seasonal averages by the beginning of next week. Breezy west winds begin to pick-up early next week out ahead of a storm system that may impact the area around the middle of next week. && .SHORT TERM... (Today through Thursday) Issued at 329 AM MDT Wed Sep 13 2023 One of the more pronounced waves in the recent series of disturbances passing eastward over the forecast area will cross today followed by brief and weak shortwave ridging tonight. Temperatures and lapse rates will also rise from yesterday with the potential for a little more sun across northern and eastern areas, enabling thunderstorms to become better developed. In fact, forecast CAPE and bulk shear suggest a few strong to severe storms will be possible over eastern areas this afternoon until sunset. The base of the upper trough looks to cross the central valley around mid day today with drier air and significantly lower PWATs funneling in behind it. At this time the greatest risk of burn scar flash flooding appears to be over the Hermits Peak Calf Canyon Scar, where 0.50-1.00" of rain fell yesterday saturating the ground, PWATs are forecast to remain elevated into the afternoon when instability will be greatest, and CAMs are depicting some moderate precipitation bullseyes this afternoon until sunset. CAMs are in good agreement on mainly westerly upslope flow precipitation over the south central mountains, so with this forecast package we will only issue a Flash Flood Watch for the southern peaks and east slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, especially the Hermits Peak Calf Canyon Burn Scar. In the wake of the shortwave trough tonight, precipitation will taper off from the west, except over far eastern areas where it may keep going until about sunrise as another backdoor front sags into the state. The far eastern plains also have a good chance for at least patchy fog behind this backdoor front late tonight into Thursday morning. Thursday, a more pronounced upper level trough will approach NM from the northwest working with recycled moisture and moisture from the backdoor front on the eastern plains to produce numerous showers and thunderstorms across almost all of our forecast zones. High temperatures will trend warmer in most places today and again Thursday, when readings look to peak from near normal to as much as 8 degrees below normal. && .LONG TERM... (Thursday night through Tuesday) Issued at 329 AM MDT Wed Sep 13 2023 The aformentioned trough enters northern NM late on Thursday and the lift out ahead of it could allow convection to persist well into the overnight hours in eastern NM. A boundary from the east will provide some more low-level moisture, but this weak front will struggle to make it through the gaps of central mountain chain. A few severe storms are possible in the northeast on Friday afternoon as they come off the east slopes of the Sangre de Cristo mountains. A convective aided backdoor front on Friday night will have a bit more vigor than the one of Thursday, but still not expecting more than a breeze in the Albuquerque and Santa Fe metro areas. Temperatures will moderate to near seasonal averages over the weekend as ridging slides in from the west. Isolated to scattered storms are possible in the east, but the severe and flash flood potential will be low. As the ridge moves overhead, some moisture will sneak up into western NM from the Gulf of California where the water temps are running a few degrees above average. The jet stream looks to get more active over the Intermountain West around the middle of next week, although models disagree on where it will be located. It looks likely that winds will begin to increase with intensifying westerly flow overhead, but it remains to be seen if there will be an uptick in precipitation chances. && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 1159 AM MDT Wed Sep 13 2023 Areas of MVFR and IFR conditions in low clouds, fog, showers and thunderstorms will continue at time through the afternoon and early evening. A few strong to severe storms are possible across the eastern plains this afternoon until around sunset with large hail the main threat. Showers and will end from west to east overnight, except for the far eastern plains where isolated showers and thunderstorms continue. Areas of fog and low clouds return to far eastern areas again tonight with MVFR and IFR conditions. Localized fog is also possible in lower elevations west of the central mountain chain in and near the Rio Grande Valley late tonight into Thursday morning. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 329 AM MDT Wed Sep 13 2023 A series of disturbances will continue crossing the forecast area from the west and northwest today through Friday night with daily rounds of scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms. Three day precipitation totals look to vary around 0.10-0.50" over central and western areas, and around 0.50-1.25" over the northern mountains and east. There will be a risk of burn scar flash flooding, especially over the HPCC Scar today and to a lesser extent Thursday. A ridge of high pressure will build over the state Saturday through Sunday enabling humidities to fall, and high temperatures to rise closer to normal, with scattered to isolated showers and thunderstorms favoring eastern areas Saturday and southern areas on Sunday. A winter-like storm system dropping into the western US early in the coming work week looks to cause southwest winds to strengthen, and will probably trigger daily rounds of fairly isolated showers and thunderstorms. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Farmington...................... 52 78 53 76 / 20 30 20 20 Dulce........................... 38 76 42 70 / 40 60 30 50 Cuba............................ 46 73 47 70 / 20 50 20 40 Gallup.......................... 45 76 46 75 / 20 40 10 20 El Morro........................ 43 73 44 73 / 30 60 20 30 Grants.......................... 45 76 45 75 / 20 60 10 30 Quemado......................... 46 73 46 74 / 30 50 20 20 Magdalena....................... 50 76 51 75 / 30 50 20 30 Datil........................... 47 72 48 73 / 20 50 20 30 Reserve......................... 46 78 45 79 / 20 30 5 5 Glenwood........................ 55 83 56 84 / 20 30 0 5 Chama........................... 39 70 40 63 / 50 80 30 70 Los Alamos...................... 50 70 51 69 / 20 70 20 70 Pecos........................... 48 74 49 70 / 20 60 30 60 Cerro/Questa.................... 32 70 35 63 / 50 80 50 80 Red River....................... 35 65 36 58 / 60 80 50 80 Angel Fire...................... 32 65 34 60 / 40 80 40 80 Taos............................ 42 73 44 67 / 50 60 30 60 Mora............................ 41 70 42 65 / 30 70 40 80 Espanola........................ 50 78 51 75 / 20 50 30 50 Santa Fe........................ 51 73 52 70 / 20 50 30 60 Santa Fe Airport................ 50 76 50 74 / 20 40 20 40 Albuquerque Foothills........... 58 81 56 79 / 20 30 20 30 Albuquerque Heights............. 57 81 56 79 / 20 30 20 20 Albuquerque Valley.............. 57 82 56 81 / 30 30 20 20 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 59 81 57 80 / 20 30 20 30 Belen........................... 55 83 54 82 / 20 30 20 20 Bernalillo...................... 56 83 55 81 / 20 30 20 30 Bosque Farms.................... 54 82 53 81 / 20 30 20 30 Corrales........................ 57 82 56 80 / 20 30 20 30 Los Lunas....................... 55 83 54 81 / 20 30 20 20 Placitas........................ 56 78 55 77 / 20 40 30 30 Rio Rancho...................... 58 81 56 79 / 20 40 20 30 Socorro......................... 57 84 57 82 / 20 30 20 20 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 52 72 51 71 / 20 40 30 30 Tijeras......................... 52 75 52 75 / 30 40 20 30 Edgewood........................ 48 76 48 74 / 20 40 20 40 Moriarty/Estancia............... 44 78 44 76 / 20 40 20 40 Clines Corners.................. 48 74 47 70 / 20 40 20 40 Mountainair..................... 49 76 49 75 / 30 40 20 30 Gran Quivira.................... 50 76 50 76 / 50 40 20 30 Carrizozo....................... 56 79 57 79 / 30 30 20 30 Ruidoso......................... 50 73 50 73 / 20 50 10 40 Capulin......................... 45 69 47 61 / 40 80 60 70 Raton........................... 46 73 47 65 / 30 80 50 70 Springer........................ 48 75 49 69 / 40 60 40 60 Las Vegas....................... 47 73 47 69 / 40 60 40 70 Clayton......................... 54 73 54 69 / 70 50 50 50 Roy............................. 50 74 52 69 / 60 70 60 70 Conchas......................... 57 80 56 76 / 60 50 50 50 Santa Rosa...................... 55 78 55 75 / 40 50 40 50 Tucumcari....................... 57 78 55 76 / 70 40 40 40 Clovis.......................... 56 81 57 77 / 70 30 50 50 Portales........................ 57 82 59 79 / 70 30 50 40 Fort Sumner..................... 57 82 58 79 / 50 40 30 40 Roswell......................... 61 89 63 85 / 30 20 20 30 Picacho......................... 54 82 55 78 / 20 30 10 40 Elk............................. 51 81 52 78 / 20 30 10 30 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flood Watch until 8 PM MDT this evening for NMZ214-215. && SHORT TERM...44 LONG TERM....16 AVIATION...33
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Albuquerque NM
153 PM MDT Wed Sep 13 2023
NMZ233-234-237-132030-
Guadalupe County-Quay County-De Baca County-
153 PM MDT Wed Sep 13 2023
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTH CENTRAL DE BACA...WESTERN
QUAY AND EAST CENTRAL GUADALUPE COUNTIES THROUGH 230 PM MDT...
At 153 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 13
miles east of Puerto De Luna, or 19 miles southeast of Santa Rosa,
moving southeast at 10 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
This storm will remain over mainly rural areas of north central De
Baca, western Quay and east central Guadalupe Counties.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If threatening weather approaches your area, take shelter in a sturdy
building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
&&
LAT...LON 3479 10451 3496 10437 3485 10403 3455 10428
TIME...MOT...LOC 1953Z 309DEG 9KT 3482 10438
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
12Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Albuquerque NM
204 PM MDT Wed Sep 13 2023
NMZ219-221-132030-
Sandia/Manzano Mountains Including Edgewood-Middle Rio Grande
Valley/Albuquerque Metro Area-
204 PM MDT Wed Sep 13 2023
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTH CENTRAL SANDOVAL AND
BERNALILLO COUNTIES THROUGH 230 PM MDT...
At 204 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
northwestern Albuquerque, moving southeast at 10 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Albuquerque, southwestern Rio Rancho, Corrales, Los Ranchos De
Albuquerque, Paradise Hills, South Valley, Cabezon, Sandia Heights,
North Valley, and Rio Rancho Intel Area.
This includes the following highways...
Interstate 40 between Mile Markers 151 and 167.
Interstate 25 between Mile Markers 217 and 235.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If threatening weather approaches your area, take shelter in a sturdy
building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
Motorists can expect brief but sudden changes in visibility and
ponding of water on highways as storms move through the area.
&&
LAT...LON 3517 10642 3492 10660 3513 10685 3527 10674
TIME...MOT...LOC 2004Z 309DEG 9KT 3515 10673
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
12The Albuquerque radar (KABX), 10 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:08 UTC.
2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
A video shared on social media by the local media showed that heavy rain caused a waterfall over a hillside below the Petroglyph National Monument. A cul-de-sac near Taylor Ranch was also inundated with hail and heavy rainfall.
The right two lanes of I-25 southbound near Avenida Caesar Chavez were flooded under two feet of water due to heavy rainfall. One vehicle was partially submerged and at least one other vehicle was stalled out. Traffic was backed up nearly nine miles to Paseo del Norte Boulevard.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, September 2023
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: 1120882, 1120883.