Flash Flood — Taos, New Mexico

2021-08-15 · near Ojo Caliente, Taos, New Mexico

Event narrative

Heavy rain in Ojo Caliente resulted in flash flooding. Flood waters reportedly entered at least one mobile home, and debris and water covered many secondary roads east of U.S. Highway 285. The extent of damage to the mobile home is unknown, and damages are a rough estimate.

Wider weather episode

An abundant amount of moisture in place over northern and central New Mexico led to another active monsoon day on August 15, 2021. With southerly flow at the surface and northerly flow aloft, shear profiles were more supportive for stronger thunderstorms and heavy rainfall. Thunderstorms initially formed over the high terrain of Colorado and New Mexico by early afternoon before propagating southward through the evening hours. Thunderstorms that tracked southward through Colorado and into northern New Mexico were the strongest thunderstorms of the day and produced the heaviest rainfall amounts of one to two inches. Flash flooding was reported near Aztec where fast-moving water over a roadway made it impassable. Flash flooding was also reported in Ojo Caliente where flood waters reportedly entered a mobile home.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (36.3000, -106.0400)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 966912. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.