Flash Flood — Grant, New Mexico

2017-09-30 · near Silver City, Grant, New Mexico

Event narrative

Widespread rainfall amounts of 2 inches to almost 3.5 inches occurred around Silver City in the early morning hours. A water rescue was necessary in Tyrone. One vehicle was swept away in the Pinos Altos Creek low water crossing on East 19th Street. The vehicle became wedged in culvert running under US 180, but the driver and occupant were washed downstream. One body was recovered about 0.8 miles downstream near the confluence with Silva Creek. A second body was recovered about 1.2 miles downstream in the Silver City big ditch reach of San Vicente Arroyo near the Broadway Street bridge.

Wider weather episode

An upper low was lifting out over the Rockies with an 80 knot upper level jet moving

onto the southern plains. A strong surface high was located over the midwest with strong easterly winds keeping Gulf moisture across the region. Nocturnal thunderstorms developed in the early morning hours of September 30 and trained over the Silver City area with up to 3.45 inches of rain reported just north of town. This heavy rain lead to flash flooding which resulted in 2 fatalities in the Pinos Altos Creek area.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (32.8232, -108.3087)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 722189. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.