Flash Flood — Cibola, New Mexico

2025-08-26 · near San Rafael, Cibola, New Mexico

Event narrative

Slow moving thunderstorms resulted in flash flooding and rushing water across NM Highway 117 near El Malpais National Monument. The highway was temporarily closed during this time until flood waters fully receded.

Wider weather episode

Higher moisture moved into eastern and central New Mexico behind a backdoor front resulting in a greater coverage of showers and thunderstorms across the middle Rio Grande Valley, central mountain chain, and northeast New Mexico. Repeated round of thunderstorms resulted in flash flooding on the Ruidoso area burn scars, State Highway 117 in central Cibola County south of Grants and downstream of the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon burn scar on State Highways 58 and 434 just north of Cleveland and Mora, respectively, in Mora County. Highway 434 in Mora County were closed down for a couple of days to allow for extensive repairs.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (35.0190, -107.8246)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1279763. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.