Flash Flood — Bernalillo, New Mexico

2025-07-23 · near Albuquerque, Bernalillo, New Mexico

Event narrative

A slow-moving thunderstorm dropped an estimated 1 to 1.5 inches of rain in 20 minutes in the North Valley and Los Ranchos de Albuquerque neighborhood of Albuquerque. This resulted in flash flooding on the eastbound lanes of Paseo Del Norte at Rio Grande Blvd and on the westbound frontage road of Paseo Del Norte at Jefferson Street. Additionally, a post on social media reported flood waters entering a business on 4th Street in the Los Ranchos de Albuquerque neighborhood. Finally, a video on social media showed floodwaters in the individual's residence and the family sweeping out the floodwaters from the front entrance of the residence. Property damage cost for the business on 4th street and the residence in the North Valley neighborhood is an estimate.

Wider weather episode

A new multi-day plume of monsoon moisture advected northward into New Mexico between an upper level trough over the southern Baja Peninsula and an upper high over the south-central CONUS. Daily rounds of afternoon thunderstorms producing heavy rain developing over the mountains of New Mexico before moving over surrounding lower elevations through the evening resulted in several events of flash flooding and isolated reports of large hail. Rainfall rates of 4 inches per hour totaling 2 inches in 30 minutes produced flash flooding in Magdalena on July 20th. The Cochiti Golf Course experienced flash flooding July 21st. The highest coverage of thunderstorms during this period occurred July 22nd with thunderstorms moving over the Ruidoso area burn scars just after sunset. Flash flooding and debris flows on and below the South Fork and Salt burn scars resulted in brief road closures. The Albuquerque metro experienced flash flooding from heavy rainfall rates of 2 inches per hour totaling 1 to 1.50 inches in 30 minutes over the North Valley neighborhood. Finally, thunderstorms producing heavy rainfall on July 24th directly over the South Fork burn scar totaling just over 2 inches produced flash flooding and debris flows down Cedar Creek and the Rio Ruidoso to Ruidoso Downs.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (35.1748, -106.5959)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1265884. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.