Flash Flood in New Mexico
Every flash flood event the National Weather Service has filed in New Mexico, year by year, with the most significant episodes. Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
The most significant on the map
The most significant flash flood episodes in New Mexico.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The record
- Events
- 1,751
- Deaths
- 49
- Injuries
- 19
- Damage
- $633 million
Every year
The most significant
Ranked by deaths, injuries, damage and size together.
- Flash Flood in New Mexico, July 14, 1996A woman and three children drowned when the car they were riding was swept off the pavement into Walnut Creek. The normally dry creek was running 4 feet deep over a dip in the road following heavy rain of 2 to 4 inches on the watershed 12 to 18 miles to the west.
- Flash Flooding in New Mexico, July 21, 2022While thunderstorm coverage was not as widespread compared to the previous day, July 21, 2022, was still a very active monsoon day for northern New Mexico in part due to the training of thunderstorms along the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon burn scar.
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in New Mexico, October 18 to 22, 2024An anomalously strong upper low from the west over AZ resulted in shower activity across western NM on October 18th resulting in some high wind gusts across parts of western and central NM.
- Flash Flooding and Debris Flows in New Mexico, June 19 to 23, 2024A burst of monsoon moisture surged into eastern NM the morning of June 19th and surged through the gaps of the central mountain chain bringing high wind gusts of up to 58 miles per hour to parts of the Albuquerque metro that afternoon and evening.
- Flash Flood in New Mexico, July 11, 2008A deep tap of subtropical moisture combined with a weak disturbance aloft to produce heavy rain over Gallup, resulting in flash flooding in the downtown area.
- Flash Flooding and Hail in New Mexico, July 20, 2021It was another active monsoon day across northern and central New Mexico on July 20, 2021.
- Tornado and Flash Flooding in New Mexico, September 10 to 17, 2013A stationary upper level low pressure system that settled into the Great Basin around the 10th provided a steady stream of near record subtropical atmospheric moisture over New Mexico.
- Flash Flooding in New Mexico, July 2 to 3, 2025Another burst of abundant monsoon moisture resulted in localized heavy rainfall July 2nd and overnight into July 3rd. Burn scar flash flooding off the Salt burn scar washed out culverts that then diverted water into the Cherokee Mobile home park near Ruidoso.
- Flash Flood in New Mexico, August 24, 2006A man and his young son drowned when their vehicle was swept down stream trying to cross a flooded arroyo near Church Rock.
- Flash Flood in New Mexico, September 2, 2016A strong thunderstorm developed over the Chuska Mountains and moved northeast toward Tohatchi shortly before sunset. Locally heavy rainfall associated with this storm quickly filled arroyos in the area.
- Flash Flood in New Mexico, September 30, 2017An upper low was lifting out over the Rockies with an 80 knot upper level jet moving|onto the southern plains. A strong surface high was located over the midwest with strong easterly winds keeping Gulf moisture across the region.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in New Mexico, May 30, 2021With a low pressure system centered to the southwest of New Mexico and an anomalously moist air mass being transported into the state, the stage was set for another round of showers and thunderstorms across the area on May 30, 2021.
- Flash Flooding and Hail in New Mexico, August 5, 2016The most significant burst of monsoon moisture and instability so far in the 2016 summer season impacted New Mexico on August 5th. Deep atmospheric moisture and strong afternoon heating led to widespread showers and thunderstorms with torrential rainfall.
- Flash Flooding and Hail in New Mexico, June 27, 2015A backdoor cold front along with northerly flow aloft boosted moisture across northern New Mexico on the 27th. A disturbance within that northerly flow kicked off early morning showers and thunderstorms along and east of the central mountains, moving slowly to the south.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in New Mexico, June 2 to 6, 2025An upper low moved across the desert southwest June 1st into June 2nd helping to pull up higher moisture from former Tropical Storm Alvin in the eastern Pacific.
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Wind in New Mexico, July 4, 2015Abundant moisture allowed for thunderstorms to develop during the afternoon and evening on the 4th across western and central New Mexico. The combination of heavy rains from slow moving storms and antecedent moisture caused flash flooding to occur in parts of western New Mexico.
- Flash Flood in New Mexico, September 13, 2013A deep plume of moisture remained over the region with a low level moisture fetch off of the Gulf of Mexico and a mid and upper level moisture feed off the Gulf of California. Very heavy rains occurred over Sierra County and caused flash flooding which included 1 death.
- Tornado and Flash Flood in New Mexico, August 9, 2017Deep moisture and instability over eastern New Mexico combined with northwest flow aloft to produce scattered strong to severe thunderstorms over the east-central and northeast plains.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flood in New Mexico, May 21, 2018A deep fetch of moisture surged north and west into New Mexico on May 21, 2018 ahead of an upper level low pressure system approaching from Arizona.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in New Mexico, May 24 to 27, 2023Several consecutive days of significant severe weather impacted eastern New Mexico from May 24-26, 2023. Showers and thunderstorms developed along the dryline and east slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains on May 23rd.
- Flash Flooding and Hail in New Mexico, August 1, 2015Strong to severe thunderstorms moved slowly over portions of northern and eastern New Mexico during the afternoon and evening of the 1st.
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Wind in New Mexico, August 8 to 9, 2024A backdoor front pushed through northern and eastern NM during the morning of August 8th, settling along the east slopes of the central mountain chain. This front replenished monsoon moisture across this part of the state.
- Flash Flooding and Hail in New Mexico, September 27 to 28, 2025A troughing pattern from the Pacific brought in a late season monsoon burst of moisture to the Desert Southwest. Strong to severe thunderstorms developed over portions of the state with more locally heavy rainfall events occurring from the abundant monsoon moisture.
- Flash Flood and Lightning Strike in New Mexico, July 4, 2009Monsoonal moisture was responsible for a thunderstorm with heavy rain west of Santa Fe, which resulted in water flowing out of an arroyo at a height of two feet. Lightning from a thunderstorm in Rio Rancho struck and killed a 26 year old man.
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Wind in New Mexico, September 22, 2015Remnant tropical moisture moved into New Mexico on the 21st but lack of heating limited significant rainfall rates and impacts. More heating, more instability and plenty of moisture on the 22nd led to scattered thunderstorms across the state.
More
Sources
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.