Flash Flood — Chaves, New Mexico

2025-09-28 · near Lake Arthur, Chaves, New Mexico

Event narrative

Repeated rounds of moderate to heavy rainfall resulted in standing water estimated up to a foot deep over an estimated one tenth of a mile stretch of highway along NM 13 at mile marker 29 approximately six miles west of U.S. Highway 285.

Wider weather episode

A 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 flooding was observed in several locations ranging from near El Malpais south of Grants, NM, in Navajo Nation west of Crownpoint, and in Tijeras east of Albuquerque. One woman was reportedly swept away from flash flooding south of Gallup near Red Rock.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (33.0824, -104.5725)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1288539. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.