Residents of New Mexico are advised to exercise caution as various natural disaster warnings are in effect across the state. Flash flooding has been reported, particularly around Fort Sumner, Wheatland, and areas along the Curry/Quay County border, though the heaviest rains have subsided. Additionally, critical fire weather conditions with strong winds and low humidity levels threaten west-central NM and the Middle Rio Grande Valley, with red flag warnings indicating a high risk of rapid fire spread. Visibility is severely reduced in Union County and sections of Highways 64/87 and 54 due to dense fog. High wind warnings are also in place, forecasting damaging southwest winds with gusts up to 65 mph, particularly impacting the Central Highlands and Johnson and Bartlett Mesas, including Raton Pass, which may lead to downed trees, power lines, and difficult driving conditions. Residents are urged to avoid any outdoor burning and to prepare for potential power outages and travel disruptions.
At 558 PM MDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 8 miles southwest
of Taiban, or 9 miles southeast of Fort Sumner, moving east at 25
mph.
HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and half dollar size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage
to roofs, siding, and trees.
Locations impacted include...
Fort Sumner, Taiban and Tolar.
This includes Highway 60 between Mile Markers 323 and 348.
At 527 PM MDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 15 miles north of
Bitter Lake Wildlife Refuge, or 20 miles north of Roswell, moving
east at 15 mph.
HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage
to roofs, siding, and trees.
Locations impacted include...
Mainly rural areas of North Central Chaves County.
This includes Highway 285 between Mile Markers 121 and 139.
FFWABQ
The National Weather Service in Albuquerque has issued a
* Flash Flood Warning for...
Central De Baca County in east central New Mexico...
* Until 845 PM MDT.
* At 447 PM MDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing
heavy rain near Yeso and Fort Sumner. Between 1 and 2 inches of
rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are
possible in the warned area. This heavy rain is falling over
saturated grounds from heavy rains last night. Flash flooding is
ongoing or expected to begin shortly.
HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban
areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as
other poor drainage and low-lying areas.
* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
Fort Sumner and Yeso.
This includes Highway 60 between Mile Markers 296 and 331.
This includes the following recreation areas...
Fort Sumner State Monument.
* WHAT...Southwest winds 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 60 mph
expected.
* WHERE...Sacramento Mountains, and Eastern Black Range Foothills.
* WHEN...From 11 AM to 8 PM MDT Sunday.
* IMPACTS...Damaging winds will blow down trees and power lines.
Widespread power outages are expected. Travel will be difficult,
especially for high profile vehicles.
* WHAT...For the Blowing Dust Advisory, visibility between
one-quarter and one mile in blowing dust expected. For the High
Wind Warning, southwest winds 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 60 mph
expected.
* WHERE...Rio Grande Valley of New Mexico, Southwest Desert/Mimbres
Basin, West Central Tularosa Basin/White Sands, East Central
Tularosa Basin/Alamogordo, and Eastern/Central El Paso County.
* WHEN...From 11 AM to 8 PM MDT Sunday.
* IMPACTS...Hazardous driving conditions due to reduced visibility.
Damaging winds will blow down trees and power lines. Widespread
power outages are expected. Travel will be difficult, especially
for high profile vehicles.
* WHAT...For the Blowing Dust Advisory, visibility between
one-quarter and one mile in blowing dust expected. For the High
Wind Warning, southwest winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 60 mph
expected.
* WHERE...Western El Paso County.
* WHEN...From 11 AM to 8 PM MDT Sunday.
* IMPACTS...Hazardous driving conditions due to reduced visibility.
Damaging winds will blow down trees and power lines. Widespread
power outages are expected. Travel will be difficult, especially
for high profile vehicles.
* WHAT...Southwest winds 35 to 40 mph with gusts up to 60 mph
expected.
* WHERE...Middle Rio Grande Valley including the Albuquerque Metro
Area.
* WHEN...From noon to 8 PM MDT Sunday.
* IMPACTS...Damaging winds will blow down tree limbs. Power outages
are possible. Travel will be difficult, especially for high
profile vehicles.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Areas of blowing dust may reduce visibility
to three miles or less at times.
* WHAT...Southwest winds 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 60 mph
expected.
* WHERE...Portions of central, north central, northeast, and
southeast New Mexico.
* WHEN...From noon to 8 PM MDT Sunday.
* IMPACTS...Damaging winds will blow down tree limbs. Power outages
are possible Travel will be difficult, especially for high profile
vehicles.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Areas of blowing dust may limit to three
miles or less at times, especially in the lower Rio Grande and
Upper Tularosa Valleys.
* WHAT...Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible.
* WHERE...A portion of east central New Mexico, including the
following counties, Curry County, De Baca County and Quay County.
* WHEN...From 1 PM this afternoon to 9 PM MDT this evening.
* IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers,
creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.
Area creeks and streams are running high and could flood with more
heavy rain.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
- Another round of heavy rain producing storms is forecast this
afternoon and early evening across the East Central Plains of
New Mexico. Grounds are saturated from yesterday's heavy
rains and very little additional rainfall is needed to cause
flash flooding.
- http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood
...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM TO 7 PM MDT TODAY FOR
WEST-CENTRAL NM AND THE MIDDLE RIO GRANDE VALLEY DUE TO STRONG
WINDS, LOW HUMIDITY, AND HIGH FIRE DANGER...
...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 9 PM MDT SUNDAY FOR
ALL OF NORTHERN, CENTRAL, AND WESTERN NM DUE TO STRONG WINDS, LOW
HUMIDITY, AND HIGH FIRE DANGER...
.Strong south-southwest winds with very low humidity will lead to
critical fire weather today along and west of the Middle Rio
Grande Valley. Widespread critical fire weather will then spread
to nearly all of northern, central, and western NM Sunday when the
strongest winds are expected. Gusts up to 60 mph are likely with
single digit humidity along the central mountain chain Sunday with
extreme fire weather conditions expected.
* AREA AND TIMING...West Central Mountains (Zone 105), Middle Rio
Grande Valley (Zone 106), and the West-Central Basin and Range
(Zone 109) this afternoon and again Sunday afternoon and early
evening.
* 20 FOOT WINDS...South-southwest 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 40
mph today. Southwest 25 to 40 mph with gusts up to 45 mph
Sunday.
* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...Minimum values 6 to 10 percent.
* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.
Outdoor burning is not recommended.
...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM TO 7 PM MDT TODAY FOR
WEST-CENTRAL NM AND THE MIDDLE RIO GRANDE VALLEY DUE TO STRONG
WINDS, LOW HUMIDITY, AND HIGH FIRE DANGER...
...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 9 PM MDT SUNDAY FOR
ALL OF NORTHERN, CENTRAL, AND WESTERN NM DUE TO STRONG WINDS, LOW
HUMIDITY, AND HIGH FIRE DANGER...
.Strong south-southwest winds with very low humidity will lead to
critical fire weather today along and west of the Middle Rio
Grande Valley. Widespread critical fire weather will then spread
to nearly all of northern, central, and western NM Sunday when the
strongest winds are expected. Gusts up to 60 mph are likely with
single digit humidity along the central mountain chain Sunday with
extreme fire weather conditions expected.
* AREA AND TIMING...Northwest Plateau (Zone 101), North Central
Mountains and Sangre de Cristo Mountains (Zones 120 and 122),
Upper Rio Grande and Lower Chama River Valley (Zone 121),
Sandia and Manzano Mountains (Zone 124), Northeast and Central
Highlands (Zones 123 and 125) Sunday afternoon and early
evening.
* 20 FOOT WINDS...Southwest 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 55 mph.
* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...Minimum values 6 to 10 percent.
* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.
Outdoor burning is not recommended.
...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM TO 7 PM MDT TODAY FOR
WEST-CENTRAL NM AND THE MIDDLE RIO GRANDE VALLEY DUE TO STRONG
WINDS, LOW HUMIDITY, AND HIGH FIRE DANGER...
...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 9 PM MDT SUNDAY FOR
ALL OF NORTHERN, CENTRAL, AND WESTERN NM DUE TO STRONG WINDS, LOW
HUMIDITY, AND HIGH FIRE DANGER...
.Strong south-southwest winds with very low humidity will lead to
critical fire weather today along and west of the Middle Rio
Grande Valley. Widespread critical fire weather will then spread
to nearly all of northern, central, and western NM Sunday when the
strongest winds are expected. Gusts up to 60 mph are likely with
single digit humidity along the central mountain chain Sunday with
extreme fire weather conditions expected.
* AREA AND TIMING...West Central Mountains (Zone 105), Middle Rio
Grande Valley (Zone 106), and the West-Central Basin and Range
(Zone 109) this afternoon and again Sunday afternoon and early
evening.
* 20 FOOT WINDS...South-southwest 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 40
mph today. Southwest 25 to 40 mph with gusts up to 45 mph
Sunday.
* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...Minimum values 6 to 10 percent.
* IMPACTS...Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.
Outdoor burning is not recommended.
...CRITICAL TO EXTREME FIRE DANGER FOR SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO AND
FAR WEST TEXAS ON SUNDAY...
.An upper-level low will move through the Great Basin on Sunday,
which will steer the jet stream across New Mexico during the
afternoon. Meanwhile, a surface low will develop over eastern
Colorado increasing winds across the area. These strong winds
will combine with very low relative humidity values at all
elevations and very dry fuels to create critical to extreme fire
weather conditions Sunday afternoon.
* AFFECTED AREA...Texas Fire Weather Zone 055 El Paso County,
Fire Weather Zone 110 Southwest Mountains/Gila NF/Apache
NF/GLZ, Fire Weather Zone 111 Southwest Deserts and
Lowlands/Las Cruces BLM/GLZ, Fire Weather Zone 112 South
Central Lowlands and Southern Rio Grande Valley/BLM/GLZ and
Fire Weather Zone 113 Capitan and Sacramento Mountains/Lincoln
NF/LNZ.
* TIMING...From 11 AM To 9 PM Sunday
* WINDS...Southwest 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 60 mph.
* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 5 percent.
* EXPERIMENTAL RFTI...6 to 8, Critical to Extreme.
* IMPACTS...any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.
Outdoor burning is not recommended.
SNOFLO