New Mexico Severe Flood Watch | Effective 09/22/2026 00:02

* WHAT...Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues to be possible. * WHERE...Portions of east central, north central, northeast, northwest, and west central New Mexico, including the following areas, in east central New Mexico, Quay County. In north central New Mexico, Far Northwest Highlands, Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Tusas Mountains Including Chama and Upper Rio Grande Valley. In northeast New Mexico, Johnson and Bartlett Mesas Including Raton Pass and Union County. In northwest New Mexico, Chuska Mountains and Northwest Plateau. In west central New Mexico, San Francisco River Valley and West Central Plateau. * WHEN...From noon MDT today through Wednesday afternoon. * IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Creeks and streams may rise out of their banks. Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas. Low-water crossings may be flooded. Storm drains and ditches may become clogged with debris. Extensive street flooding and flooding of creeks and rivers are possible. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - A dangerous surge of monsoon moisture will arrive today and Wednesday with widespread heavy rain. Scattered occurrences of flash flooding are likely, and there will probably be some main stem river and tributary flooding, as the most likely rain amount by Wednesday afternoon exceeds 1.5 inches many locations along and east of the central mountain chain, and 1 inch in many locations westward to around Dulce, Gallup, and Glenwood. Stronger storms will produce torrential rainfall at rates over 2 inches per hour, and storms will train repeatedly in succession over some locations, with locally heavier rain amounts reaching over 4 inches over portions of southern, central, and eastern New Mexico. Heavy rain will likely continue Wednesday night over north-central and eastern New Mexico, then showers and storms with locally heavy rainfall are forecast to return to much of the state again on Thursday. - Rapid runoff and flash flooding will be most likely in complex terrain, below recent burn scars, low-lying areas, urban areas, normally dry arroyos, and near rivers and streams. As the event unfolds, locations with saturated ground will also become prone to rapid runoff and flash flooding from additional rounds of storms. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood