Daytime heating combining with high moisture content underneath the monsoon high resulted in slow moving shower and thunderstorm activity each and every day first across the mountains ranges in the afternoon before spreading to surrounding lower elevations during the evening and early overnight hours. Some thunderstorms resulted in burn scar flash flooding on the South Fork burn scar just west…
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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.
Daytime heating combining with high moisture content underneath the monsoon high resulted in slow moving shower and thunderstorm activity each and every day first across the mountains ranges in the afternoon before spreading to surrounding lower elevations during the evening and early overnight hours. Some thunderstorms resulted in burn scar flash flooding on the South Fork burn scar just west of Ruidoso on June 2nd, and from the Hermit's Peak/Calf Canyon burn scar on August 3rd.
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 Aug 2, 10:26 AM MST, 1 hour 27 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 1126 AM MDT Fri Aug 2 2024 ...New AVIATION... .UPDATE... Issued at 810 AM MDT Fri Aug 2 2024 Latest hi-res CAM guidance and the fact there are clear skies and 50s dewpoints in the obs over the south-central mtns this morning leads credence to diurnal convection firing up over the South- Central Mtns near Ruidoso today. Given the combination of showers/storms developing directly over or just west of the burn scars in and around Ruidoso and slow and erratic storm motions keeping rainfall over one location for an extended period of time, opted to expand the Flood Watch to this area for today. && .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 330 AM MDT Fri Aug 2 2024 The monsoon high centers itself around to just north of the Four Corners area through Sunday. A better coverage of showers and storms are expected today and Saturday across the mountain ranges spreading to lower elevations come the evening and early overnight hours. The high then elongates eastward early next week, with a typical coverage of showers and storms across the northern and western mountains spreading to lower elevations late in the day. Storm motion will generally be slow and erratic. An uptick in storm coverage looks possible beginning Wednesday, but especially late week as the monsoon high weakens and shifts more over the south central U.S. Temperatures will be seasonably hot remain hot with widespread 90s to near 100 for many lower elevation areas. && .SHORT TERM... (Today through Saturday) Issued at 330 AM MDT Fri Aug 2 2024 The center of high pressure at 500 mb will vary its position around the UT/CO border for the next couple of days. A moisture-rich, low- level, southeasterly return flow will keep precipitable water values around 125-175% of normal this afternoon and evening, when scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms are expected; except for more isolated activity over the far east central and southeast plains. Some thunderstorms will produce locally heavy rainfall with a risk of flash flooding, especially below recent burn scars, in other locations where the ground is already saturated from recent heavy rainfall, and in urban areas. With this forecast package we will continue the Flood Watch for the southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains, east slopes of the Sangres, and Las Vegas area. Will expand the watch to include the Jemez Mountains, where radar indicates some locations received 1-2 inches of rain on Thursday. Do not have enough confidence to issue a Flood Watch for the Sacramento Mountains at this time, since storms are expected to move toward the west and northwest off the high terrain, and away from the burn scars. Although flash flooding is not likely in the Sacs, it is possible given the rich moisture in place if storms can form directly over the scars as some high resolution models indicate will occur. Will let the morning shift re-evaluate and update the Flood Watch as needed. On Saturday, the low-level return flow will abate as surface winds shift out of the southwest across southern areas. As a result, PWATs will drop between 100-125% of normal, which is enough for a few storms to produce locally heavy rainfall as numerous thunderstorms return to western and north central areas. Elsewhere, scattered to isolated showers and thunderstorms are forecast, except for dry weather in the lower Pecos River Valley around Roswell. High temperatures will vary from a few to around 10 degrees above normal both today and Friday. && .LONG TERM... (Saturday night through Thursday) Issued at 330 AM MDT Fri Aug 2 2024 Showers and storms across the forecast area gradually wane after sunset with most activity dissipated around midnight. The 597 dam monsoon high nudges a little south and becomes centered near Durango, CO on Sunday. Storm coverage looks to be lower compared to Friday and Saturday with the northern and western mountain ranges being favored for storms. A lower coverage of storms is possible across the Sacramento Mountains, including Ruidoso, due to some drier mid level air moving in from the northeast. PWATs on Sunday will be a touch lower at around 0.7 to 0.9 inches. Storm motion will be slow to the southwest. The monsoon high then elongates towards the south central U.S. Monday and Tuesday maintaining a strength at around 597 to 598 dam and centered somewhere near the Four Corners. Moisture and sensible weather elements will be similar to Sunday. The monsoon high then begins to weaken Wednesday in response to upper level troughing moving into the northern Rockies. Storm coverage/placement and moisture availability on Wednesday looks similar to Monday and Tuesday. The monsoon high then looks to center more over the southern Great Plains late next week. Southerly flow on the western flank of the high could help to increase PWATs to over an inch resulting in better shower and storm coverage across most areas outside of southeast NM. Temperatures will be near to slightly above average with lower elevations generally in the mid 90 to around 100. && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 1121 AM MDT Fri Aug 2 2024 VFR starts the current TAF period with afternoon convection expected to commence over the high terrain over the next hour. In fact, some updrafts have already started over the southern Sangre de Cristo's. Scattered to numerous storms will slowly drift over surrounding lower elevations late day and this evening. TEMPO and PROB30 groups are included for this. A few showers/storms are possible along the northwestern edge of the Caprock, and a PROB30 is at KTCC for this. An east canyon wind is again likely at KSAF and KABQ this evening from convective outflow boundaries. Conditions clear overnight heading into Saturday morning. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 330 AM MDT Fri Aug 2 2024 Critical fire weather conditions will remain at bay under an active monsoon thunderstorm pattern over the next 7 days. The center of high pressure in the mid levels will vary its position around the Four Corners region today through the middle of next week, then models suggest it may shift east of NM. Much of the forecast area has a chance for showers and thunderstorms today through Saturday, then the focus will be over climatologically favored western and north central areas next week. High temperatures will generally vary from a few to around 9 degrees above normal each afternoon. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Farmington...................... 67 96 67 96 / 30 20 20 20 Dulce........................... 51 93 52 93 / 30 40 30 50 Cuba............................ 59 89 58 89 / 60 60 40 50 Gallup.......................... 57 90 58 90 / 40 60 30 50 El Morro........................ 59 85 58 85 / 60 80 50 80 Grants.......................... 62 89 61 89 / 60 80 40 70 Quemado......................... 60 88 59 86 / 60 90 40 80 Magdalena....................... 65 88 64 89 / 40 50 20 40 Datil........................... 59 85 58 84 / 50 70 30 70 Reserve......................... 58 93 58 91 / 40 70 30 70 Glenwood........................ 68 98 68 97 / 30 60 20 50 Chama........................... 51 85 52 85 / 30 60 30 60 Los Alamos...................... 63 87 63 88 / 50 70 30 60 Pecos........................... 60 86 58 87 / 50 80 30 40 Cerro/Questa.................... 51 86 52 88 / 40 50 20 50 Red River....................... 48 77 48 78 / 40 60 20 50 Angel Fire...................... 43 80 40 81 / 40 60 20 30 Taos............................ 52 90 54 91 / 40 40 20 20 Mora............................ 53 84 53 85 / 40 70 20 30 Espanola........................ 61 95 62 96 / 50 40 30 30 Santa Fe........................ 63 88 63 90 / 60 60 40 30 Santa Fe Airport................ 62 91 61 93 / 50 40 30 20 Albuquerque Foothills........... 69 94 69 95 / 60 40 40 30 Albuquerque Heights............. 68 96 69 97 / 50 20 30 10 Albuquerque Valley.............. 68 98 68 99 / 50 20 30 5 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 68 96 68 97 / 40 20 30 10 Belen........................... 66 96 67 97 / 40 20 30 10 Bernalillo...................... 67 97 67 98 / 50 20 30 10 Bosque Farms.................... 66 96 66 97 / 50 20 30 10 Corrales........................ 67 98 67 99 / 50 20 30 10 Los Lunas....................... 68 96 66 97 / 50 20 30 10 Placitas........................ 65 93 66 94 / 50 40 30 20 Rio Rancho...................... 68 96 68 97 / 50 20 30 10 Socorro......................... 69 98 69 99 / 30 20 20 10 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 61 88 61 89 / 50 50 30 30 Tijeras......................... 63 90 63 91 / 50 50 30 30 Edgewood........................ 59 90 59 91 / 50 50 30 20 Moriarty/Estancia............... 57 92 57 92 / 50 40 30 10 Clines Corners.................. 58 87 58 88 / 50 50 30 10 Mountainair..................... 60 88 60 90 / 40 40 30 10 Gran Quivira.................... 60 88 61 90 / 40 40 20 10 Carrizozo....................... 66 91 67 94 / 30 20 10 5 Ruidoso......................... 60 84 60 86 / 20 30 10 20 Capulin......................... 56 85 56 87 / 40 30 10 5 Raton........................... 56 90 56 92 / 30 20 5 10 Springer........................ 57 91 57 91 / 40 30 10 5 Las Vegas....................... 56 87 56 88 / 40 60 20 20 Clayton......................... 64 91 63 92 / 30 20 10 0 Roy............................. 61 88 61 89 / 40 30 10 0 Conchas......................... 66 97 66 97 / 50 20 20 0 Santa Rosa...................... 65 93 65 93 / 30 20 20 0 Tucumcari....................... 66 96 66 97 / 30 20 20 0 Clovis.......................... 70 98 68 98 / 20 20 10 0 Portales........................ 70 98 67 98 / 20 20 10 0 Fort Sumner..................... 68 97 68 99 / 30 10 10 0 Roswell......................... 73 101 72 102 / 10 0 0 0 Picacho......................... 65 94 66 96 / 10 5 5 5 Elk............................. 61 92 62 94 / 10 10 5 20 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flood Watch until 8 PM MDT this evening for NMZ211-214-215-226- 229. && SHORT TERM...44 LONG TERM....71 AVIATION...24
The Holloman AFB radar (KHDX), 52 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:50 UTC.
3 flash flood, 2 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
The local Fire Department reported flooding near the junction of Alpine Village Road and NM Highway 48 just south of Alto, NM.
Flash flooding and debris flows on the Rio Ruidoso in the Upper Canyon area along Main Road was relayed by Emergency Management and was seen on a USGS camera. Debris piled up and clogged some culverts along Main Road in Ruidoso. Another debris flow from this same heavy rain event resulted in the closure of Gavilan Canyon Bridge near Hollywood. Overall, the debris flows stayed within the banks of the Rio Ruidoso and did not overwhelm any of the main bridges in Ruidoso. Damage cost is an estimate based on cleanup costs of the clogged culverts.
The Melrose Gunnery Range station recorded a peak wind gust of 72 mph and sustained winds of 53 mph from a wet microburst.
Local law enforcement reported flash flooding just outside of the Hermit's Peak/Calf Canyon burn scar along NM 434 at mile marker 3 that closed the road.
The Clovis Municipal Airport AWOS measured a peak thunderstorm wind gust of 58 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, August 2024
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: 1189351, 1189342, 1189343, 1189587, 1189591, 1189588.