Flash Flood — Catron, New Mexico

2013-08-11 · near Luna, Catron, New Mexico

Event narrative

Spotter one-half mile west of Luna reported intense heavy rainfall with ditches around home overflowing. Reported they were trapped at home and unable to use road to leave. Power outage also reported.

Wider weather episode

A complex of thunderstorms that remained stationary over southeastern Roosevelt County produced very heavy rainfall during the very early morning hours of August 11th. After an initial round of heavy rainfall diminished another series of storms set up over the area during the predawn hours resulting in radar-derived precipitation amounts between 5 and 8 inches. Observers in the area verified extremely heavy rainfall amounts of 3 to 5 inches. Later this same day, a stationary complex of thunderstorms near Luna produced flash flooding in ditches, creeks, and drainages leading into the San Francisco River.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (33.8207, -108.9415)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 459603. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.