Flash Flood — Santa Fe, New Mexico

2022-07-01 · near Lamy, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Event narrative

Heavy rain near Lamy caused Old Lamy Trail Road to nearly wash out by the Legal Tender Saloon. Three to four feet of water was also reported along the railroad. Damages are estimated.

Wider weather episode

Despite an early onset to the year's monsoon season and significant June rainfall totals, flash flooding and debris flow had not been reported across the largest burn scar in New Mexico likely thanks to steady, stratiform rain that had been occurring since mid-June. However, a more traditional monsoon pattern finally set up on July 1, 2022 as the high pressure to the east of New Mexico allowed for a deep plume of monsoonal moisture. Thunderstorms that developed over the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon burn area were now more convective and prone to producing heavy rainfall rates. This caused the most significant flash flooding so far of the season as multiple reports of flooding and debris flow across the burn scar were received. This prompted evacuations and road closures across western Mora and San Miguel counties.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (35.4800, -105.8800)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1025768. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.