The Tanques Wildfire was a lightning started fire within the Santa Fe National Forest beginning July 18th, located 27 miles north of Cuba, NM. The fire became a managed wildfire reaching 5,800 acres by July 26th.
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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.
The Tanques Wildfire was a lightning started fire within the Santa Fe National Forest beginning July 18th, located 27 miles north of Cuba, NM. The fire became a managed wildfire reaching 5,800 acres by July 26th. The fire burned in remote wilderness and caused no damage to any structures.
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 Jul 18, 5:06 AM MST, 3 hours 24 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Albuquerque NM 606 AM MDT Thu Jul 18 2024 ...New AVIATION... .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 210 AM MDT Thu Jul 18 2024 A Flood Watch is in effect again today for storms producing locally heavy rainfall. Burn scar areas will be at risk first where storms develop over the mountains, before generally moving south and spreading out over surrounding lower elevations late afternoon and evening. This general weather pattern will persist each day well into next week, threatening flash flooding where locally heavy rainfall occurs. && .SHORT TERM... (Today through Friday) Issued at 210 AM MDT Thu Jul 18 2024 A weak surface boundary draped across northeast NM early this morning with stronger northerly flow aloft has allowed a few storms to become strong at times. Coverage is likely to decrease thru sunrise across the entire area. A near-repeat in storm coverage is likely today but with a more well- defined N/NW to S/SE steering flow areawide. Remnant mid level cloud cover across the region this morning, and even some low stratus over eastern NM, may delay storm initiation closer to 1pm. The latest WPC ERO has a large Slight Risk from the central mt chain eastward to the nearby highlands. The 00Z HREF showed 24-hr max ensemble QPF values btwn 2 and 3" within this area so the Flash Flood Watch has been expanded into parts of eastern NM. Heavy rainfall may impact the Santa Fe and ABQ metros later in the afternoon and evening, however confidence is not high enough to issue a watch for those zones attm. Models keep rainfall going well into the night once again south of the U.S. 60 corridor. Friday will be another near-repeat of today but with slightly faster storm motions and perhaps more north/south. The threat for locally heavy rainfall will be in similar areas to today and the WPC ERO already shows the Slight Risk in the vicinity of the central mt chain and nearby highlands. Another Flash Flood Watch is likely. && .LONG TERM... (Friday night through Wednesday) Issued at 210 AM MDT Thu Jul 18 2024 Friday night's convection will continue well into Thursday morning, steadily progressing southward. Global model solutions are in fairly good agreement the area with the most persistent heavy rainfall will focus through the central highlands southward toward Lincoln County and the South-Central Mountains near Ruidoso Friday night. The overall synoptic setup Saturday will feature a 597dm H5 monsoon high over the Great Basin with an H5 low over western IA. Subtle shortwave troughs will squeeze southward, embedded within the northerly flow aloft between the monsoon high and the H5 low. One such perturbation will send down a backdoor frontal boundary into eastern NM Saturday. Forecast high temperatures fall 3F to 5F from Friday's forecast highs. The replenishment of moisture and easterly upslope flow riding up the east slopes of the central mountain chain and diffluent flow aloft will again allow for numerous storms to develop over the high terrain by midday. Early afternoon thunderstorms will generally track southward, spreading out over surrounding highland and lower elevation areas. A soupy 1.00" to 1.20" PWAT will continue to support storms being water rich threatening flash flooding again. Another round of afternoon storms developing over the high terrain, then moving southward and spreading over the surrounding lower elevations is favored Sunday. Storm coverage looks to expand further over the eastern plains toward the TX border compared to Saturday given the closer proximity of another upper level shortwave wrapping around the western side of the H5 low near Kansas City. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday's thunderstorm activity will be similar, favoring more central and western areas. Thunderstorms producing locally heavy rainfall threatening flash flooding, especially over recent burn scars and urban areas will be present each afternoon and evening. WPC forecast rainfall totals through Wednesday morning feature areas along and just east of the central mountain chain receiving 3 to 5 inches. Locally higher amounts are possible where the heaviest storms track over the same areas. The recent burn scars of Hermit's Peak/Calf Canyon and the burn scars near Ruidoso will be at a high risk of flash flooding each afternoon where storms begin to form. This risk will generally shift to urban areas later in the afternoon and evening as storms move toward these lower elevation areas like Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and perhaps even as far out as Clovis. After several days of repeated rounds of numerous to widespread thunderstorm activity, rises on area streams and rivers is likely by the weekend. Have ways to receive Flash Flood Warnings, and practice sound judgment when encountering swift moving waters. Turn around, don't drown. && .AVIATION... (12Z TAFS) Issued at 546 AM MDT Thu Jul 18 2024 A couple SHRA/TS still lingering over parts of the area will taper off after sunrise. There are also some small patches of MVFR low cigs along the east slopes of the central mt chain and nearby highlands of eastern NM. SHRA/TS will redevelop over the higher terrain by 1pm then move south/southeast thru the afternoon and evening hours. Direct hits will be capable of producing brief IFR with torrential rainfall, gusty winds, and small hail. The focus areas will be along and east of the Cont Divide. Rainfall will linger over eastern NM for much of tonight with a more widespread area of MVFR cigs possible before sunrise. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 210 AM MDT Thu Jul 18 2024 There are no critical fire weather conditions forecast for the next 7 to 10 days. Locally heavy rainfall each day will continue the risk for flash flooding, especially around burn scars. Steering flow will be generally from north/northwest to south/southeast thru early next week. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Farmington...................... 94 65 95 65 / 20 30 20 20 Dulce........................... 89 51 89 48 / 60 50 70 40 Cuba............................ 87 56 89 55 / 50 60 60 60 Gallup.......................... 90 56 90 55 / 60 60 60 40 El Morro........................ 84 56 84 55 / 70 70 80 70 Grants.......................... 87 58 88 57 / 70 70 80 70 Quemado......................... 87 58 87 57 / 80 70 90 70 Magdalena....................... 86 62 86 62 / 60 60 80 70 Datil........................... 83 57 83 57 / 80 70 90 60 Reserve......................... 91 57 90 56 / 90 60 90 60 Glenwood........................ 95 67 93 67 / 90 60 90 70 Chama........................... 80 49 80 48 / 70 50 90 50 Los Alamos...................... 83 60 82 60 / 80 60 80 60 Pecos........................... 82 56 85 57 / 80 70 90 70 Cerro/Questa.................... 82 46 84 44 / 70 60 90 50 Red River....................... 73 46 73 45 / 80 60 90 50 Angel Fire...................... 75 43 77 42 / 80 60 90 40 Taos............................ 84 51 87 51 / 60 50 70 40 Mora............................ 79 51 81 50 / 80 60 90 50 Espanola........................ 90 59 92 58 / 50 50 60 60 Santa Fe........................ 83 59 85 60 / 60 60 80 70 Santa Fe Airport................ 86 59 88 58 / 50 60 60 70 Albuquerque Foothills........... 90 66 89 66 / 40 60 70 80 Albuquerque Heights............. 92 65 91 65 / 30 60 40 70 Albuquerque Valley.............. 94 65 93 65 / 20 60 30 70 Albuquerque West Mesa........... 92 66 92 65 / 30 60 40 70 Belen........................... 94 64 94 62 / 30 60 40 70 Bernalillo...................... 93 64 92 64 / 30 60 40 70 Bosque Farms.................... 94 62 93 62 / 30 60 40 70 Corrales........................ 93 64 93 65 / 30 60 40 70 Los Lunas....................... 94 63 93 63 / 30 60 40 70 Placitas........................ 90 63 89 63 / 40 60 50 70 Rio Rancho...................... 92 65 92 65 / 30 60 40 70 Socorro......................... 96 67 97 67 / 40 60 60 60 Sandia Park/Cedar Crest......... 84 59 83 60 / 40 60 60 80 Tijeras......................... 89 60 88 60 / 40 60 60 80 Edgewood........................ 88 57 88 55 / 50 60 60 80 Moriarty/Estancia............... 87 54 89 53 / 50 60 60 80 Clines Corners.................. 82 55 83 55 / 60 70 70 70 Mountainair..................... 86 58 87 56 / 40 70 60 80 Gran Quivira.................... 85 58 87 56 / 50 70 70 80 Carrizozo....................... 88 63 89 63 / 60 60 70 60 Ruidoso......................... 79 56 80 57 / 80 60 80 60 Capulin......................... 79 55 82 55 / 60 40 70 40 Raton........................... 84 55 88 55 / 70 30 60 30 Springer........................ 84 56 87 56 / 70 40 70 40 Las Vegas....................... 79 54 82 54 / 80 70 80 60 Clayton......................... 85 61 90 61 / 40 40 30 40 Roy............................. 82 59 84 59 / 70 50 50 50 Conchas......................... 89 64 92 63 / 50 70 30 60 Santa Rosa...................... 86 62 89 61 / 50 70 30 60 Tucumcari....................... 88 63 92 63 / 40 50 10 50 Clovis.......................... 87 66 92 66 / 40 60 10 50 Portales........................ 87 65 92 67 / 40 60 10 40 Fort Sumner..................... 89 66 92 65 / 30 60 20 50 Roswell......................... 93 70 96 71 / 30 50 20 40 Picacho......................... 87 63 89 62 / 70 50 50 50 Elk............................. 84 59 85 59 / 80 40 70 50 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flood Watch from noon MDT today through late tonight for NMZ211- 212-214-215-222>224-226-228-229-231>234-237-239. && SHORT TERM...42 LONG TERM....24 AVIATION...42
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Albuquerque NM
349 AM MDT Thu Jul 18 2024
NMZ230-181015-
Union County-
349 AM MDT Thu Jul 18 2024
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHEASTERN UNION COUNTY
THROUGH 415 AM MDT...
At 348 AM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Seneca, moving south at 25 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.
Locations impacted include...
Clayton, Clayton Lake State Park, Seneca, and Moses.
This includes Highway 64 between Mile Markers 421 and 429.
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.
Frequent dangerous cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this
storm. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a
safe shelter inside a building or vehicle.
&&
LAT...LON 3650 10304 3636 10304 3639 10338 3680 10325
3680 10300 3650 10300
TIME...MOT...LOC 0948Z 358DEG 21KT 3652 10310
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
GuyerThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
A lightning start wildfire 27 miles north of Cuba that was managed to 5,800 acres.
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, July 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: 1189117.