Flash Flood — Mckinley, New Mexico

2018-07-15 · near Church Rock, Mckinley, New Mexico

Event narrative

Flood waters running over SR-566 between mile markers 5 and 6.

Wider weather episode

Near record levels of moisture across New Mexico along with weak steering flow and strong afternoon heating led to the development of showers and thunderstorms with locally heavy rainfall. The first thunderstorms of the day developed around the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and resulted in flash flooding on the Ute Park burn scar. Heavy rainfall around Church Rock led to more flooding along State Road 566. The focus for flash flooding shifted into the late evening hours of the 15th when heavy thunderstorms impacted Socorro County. The area around San Antonio was particularly hard hit resulting in the closure of U.S. Highway 380.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (35.5969, -108.5660)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 758474. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.