Flash Flood — Curry, New Mexico

2015-05-04 · near Ranchvale, Curry, New Mexico

$3.0M

Property damage

Event narrative

According to local media reports, 65 homes in the Cannon Air Force Base area were impacted by the flooding, including roof damage, weather stripping, carpet, flooring, and sheetrock. Local officials evacuated 33 families from those homes and put them in hotel lodging. The flooding in Clovis forced the closure of U.S. Highway 60/84. Approximately 40 feet of state highway 108 between mile markers 6 and 10 was washed out. Clovis police had to use an armored vehicle to rescue 7 victims stranded by or caught in fast moving waters or flooded streets.

Wider weather episode

An upper level low pressure system lifted northwest out of southern California on the 4th, setting off widespread showers and thunderstorms across New Mexico. The strongest storms developed along and east of the central mountains where a deep pool of moisture and sufficient instability existed. These storms produced anywhere from pea to quarter sized hail along with heavy rains. A train of storms over far eastern New Mexico resulted in rainfall amounts anywhere from an inch to over 5 inches, with 5.4 inches reported at the Cannon Air Force Base in less than 24 hours. The 5.4 inches is likely the heaviest 24-hour total rainfall for May in the Clovis area dating back to 1911, with the previous record of 3.45 inches at the Clovis airport. The all-time 24-hour rainfall record for Clovis is 5.26 inches set on September 7, 1957. This heavy rainfall resulted in flash flooding within the base and in nearby Clovis through the early morning hours on the 5th. Home evacuations and submerged cars resulted from the flash flooding. No injuries or fatalities resulted from the flooding or hail. Temperatures were cold enough farther north in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains where several inches of snow was reported overnight.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (34.4920, -103.2674)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 565368. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.