Flash Flood in Socorro County, New Mexico

Pictures on social media show floodwaters covering I-25 NB at mile marker 178 with one lane blocked. Floodwaters containing debris was also observed flowing across State Highway 116.

A backdoor front moved into eastern NM on October 6th. This front along with southeast return flow resulted in some isolated strong to severe storms across east central NM during the evening hours with one storm producing nickel size hail near Puerto de Luna. The front and higher moisture behind it pushed through the gaps of the central mountain chain into central New Mexico late October 6th into early October 7th. This backdoor front along with the higher moisture in place set the stage for the development of severe thunderstorms across the middle Rio Grande Valley and south central highlands during the late afternoon through mid evening hours on October 7th. These storms produced large hail across far northern Socorro County along with flash flooding across Interstate 25 and State Highway 116 in Bernardo. Storms moved into east central and southeast New Mexico during the overnight hours and morning hours of October 8th resulting in some flash flooding near the Rio Felix south of Roswell.