Flash Flood — Loving, Texas

2014-09-19 to 2014-09-20 · near Mentone, Loving, Texas

Event narrative

Heavy rain fell across Loving County and produced flash flooding in Mentone and along the Pecos River. State Highway 302 was reported to be closed in Loving County. The Pecos River was reported to be flooded 16 inches deep over State Highway 302 a half a mile on either side of the river near Mentone. The cost of damage is a very rough estimate.

Wider weather episode

The remains of Tropical Storm Odile were moving across the region as they rotated around the circulation of an upper ridge. A circulation was also located over the central Permian Basin which was allowing rain to move across the same areas. There was plentiful moisture across the area from Odile as well as from tropical storm Polo. Good upper level lift was also present from Odile. Heating from breaks in the cloud cover allowed for instability to increase. This moisture, lift and instability allowed for rain and thunderstorms to continue moving over the same areas leading to more flash flooding for West Texas and southeast New Mexico.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (31.6670, -103.6327)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 540216. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.