Lightning — Rio Arriba, New Mexico

2015-08-01 · near Tusas, Rio Arriba, New Mexico

Direct deaths

$3K

Property damage

Event narrative

A lightning strike led to a fatal motorcycle crash along U.S. Highway 64 near Hopewell Lake. The victim was 37-year old Juan Trujillo.

Wider weather episode

Strong to severe thunderstorms moved slowly over portions of northern and eastern New Mexico during the afternoon and evening of the 1st. The strongest of these storms rolled through the Santa Rosa area, dropping quarter size hail and producing damaging wind gusts up to 60 mph that caused roof damage to several buildings. The 1.5 to 2 inches of rain that accompanied the storm also caused flash flooding that resulted in one road being closed due to being submerged in water. Between 1.5 and 3.35 inches of heavy rain also fell near Santa Fe, leading to flash flood waters between 1 and 1.5 feet high making a road impassable. No other significant flooding as a result of heavy rains was reported.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (36.7200, -106.2500)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 585583. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.