Historic rainfall leads to deadly flooding in New Mexico: a timeline of emergency alerts
The village of Ruidoso and other parts of New Mexico have received more warnings in the past few years as catastrophic wildfires have left vast swaths of once forested land without enough vegetation to absorb and hold back storm runoff.
If a storm lingers over one of these burn scars, it doesn't take much to create trouble. Ruidoso, a popular summer retreat in the mountains of southern New Mexico, was the recipient this time, getting what officials called historic rainfall that caused the death of three people and left dozens of homes damaged.
The Associated Press reviewed a database of the National Weather Service's emergency alerts. Here's a look at the warnings that preceded the deadly flooding:
2:15 p.m.
The NWS in Albuquerque sent a Wireless Emergency Alert to cellphones in the Ruidoso area announcing a flash flood warning. It cited the South Fork burn scar, saying flash flooding was expected to begin shortly and would affect areas along the Rio Ruidoso and downstream of Ruidoso Downs.
WEA alerts are targeted to cellphones in a geographic area. They can appear as the pop ups on our phones and or text messages. The language differs based on the cellphone capabilities, but each initial alert communicated the need to avoid flooded areas.
2:47 p.m.
The NWS triggered another wireless alert, upgrading the situation to a flash flood emergency for Ruidoso. At this point, Rio Ruidoso remained at just under 1.5 foot (0.45 meters) high. However, the alert emphasized a 'particularly dangerous situation' and those in areas in and around the South Fork scar should 'seek higher ground now' and evacuate.
The Lincoln County Office of Emergency Services followed up shortly after with an alert warning that flash flooding was imminent in the Cedar Creek area and warned people to 'move to higher ground immediately.'
Two more alerts followed, one from the NWS and another from Ruidoso Emergency Management, which stated that flash flooding had been observed along the Rio Ruidoso just before 3 p.m.
3:30 p.m.
A U.S. Geological Survey gauge along the Rio Ruidoso, located just north of a commercial district along U.S. Highway 70, recorded a water level increase from 1.5 feet (0.45 meters) to nearly 6 feet (1.8 meters).
Minor flooding can occur at 10 feet (3 meters) at that location, per the USGS data.
At the same time, Lincoln County emergency officials sent an alert to cellphones regarding imminent flash flooding in the Ruidoso Downs area, just east of the USGS river gauge.
3:55 p.m.
Rio Ruidoso rose to more than 20 feet (6 meters), according to preliminary data recorded by the USGS gauge.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
an hour ago
- Axios
NYC under flash flood warning, NJ declares emergency amid heavy rains
Widespread heavy rainfall along the I-95 corridor in the Mid-Atlantic Monday night prompted flash flood warnings and watches in New York City, the D.C. area and across the region. The big picture: Heavy rains and flash floods Tri-State Area prompted water rescues and train delays in NYC and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy to declare an emergency due to flooding rains. Flash flood warnings were in effect for all five NYC boroughs and parts of N.J. Driving the news: " A moisture-rich Summer-time airmass remains in place ahead of a quasi-stationary frontal boundary draped from the Northeast southwest through the Ohio/Middle Mississippi Valleys and into the southern Plains/Texas," per a National Weather Service forecast discussion. The storm system that's impacting central Texas, where rescuers paused their search for victims of the catastrophic Fourth of July flooding, was "continuing to promote widespread daily thunderstorm development with heavy rainfall," according to the NWS. Situation report: New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said on X she's closely monitoring flooding in the Hudson Valley and that road conditions were "serious" in Rockland and Westchester, where several rescues had taken place after at least 5-7" was reported to have fallen in a short time. She urged New Yorkers to "stay alert" and watch for debris. Meanwhile, the FAA declared ground stops at NYC's John F. Kennedy International and LaGuardia airports, Newark Liberty International Airport in N.J. and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in D.C. due to the inclement weather. Zoom out: In New Mexico, the Village of Ruidoso reported on Facebook that rapidly rising floodwaters in the Brady Canyon area. A state of emergency was declared for the region last week over deadly flooding. There was greater risk of flooding in central and south-central Texas on Monday following a series of thunderstorm, according to the weather agency. Heavy rainfall and a flash flooding threat was expected in Florida through Tuesday.
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
New Jersey Flash Flooding Sparks State of Emergency: What We Know
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Flash flooding hit portions of New Jersey on Monday as Democratic Governor Phil Murphy issued a state of emergency, calling on residents to avoid unnecessary travel and to stay indoors. Newsweek reached out to the National Weather Service (NWS) via email for comment. Why It Matters The declaration marks a critical response to a pattern of increasingly frequent and severe weather events impacting the Northeast, including blistering heat waves. Murphy's decision to declare the state of emergency enables emergency agencies to deploy resources more rapidly and coordinate across jurisdictions. The declaration came after the NWS issued multiple flash flood warnings for areas across the state, highlighting the risks posed by sudden heavy rainfall. Regional emergency declarations are part of a broader trend across the United States this summer, as extreme weather events have produced catastrophic flooding in states including Texas and New Mexico. What To Know Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) is under a ground stop until 10 p.m. ET due to the thunderstorms, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said Monday. LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in New York is also under a ground stop due to the inclement weather. Both Essex and Union County in northern New Jersey are under a flash flood warning until 10 p.m. The NWS said on its website: "At 823 PM EDT, local law enforcement reported thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 4.5 and 5.5 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 0.2 to 0.5 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is already occurring." The cities that could experience the flash flooding include: Newark, Elizabeth, Plainfield, Linden, Orange, Summit, Millburn, Caldwell, Clark, Fairfield, Union, East Orange, Irvington, West Orange, Montclair, Westfield, Livingston, Rahway, Maplewood and Scotch Plains. Burlington County in southern New Jersey is also under a flash flood warning until 11:45 p.m. ET, while Monmouth County and Middlesex County in central New Jersey are under a warning until 11:15 p.m. ET, the NWS says. Bergen County is under a flash flood warning until 9:45 p.m., as is Hudson County. Videos of the flooding in the Garden State have taken over social media as the weather event unfolds. This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Flood watch in NJ as high heat, humidity looms. When will rain start? How hot is it today?
The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for many New Jersey counties with heavy rains expected to drench the state later today, July 14 in the first of several rounds of storms this week as high heat and humidity make a comeback. The risk of torrential rains and severe storms are possible every day this week, NWS forecasters say, with the heat index, or how it feels outside, soaring into the 100s by later this week. Here's what you need to know about the high heat and rain risks in the Garden State. A flash flood watch is in effect for many New Jersey counties until 2 a.m. on Tuesday, July 15. North Jersey: Sussex, Passaic, Bergen, Warren, Morris, Essex, Hudson, Union Central and South Jersey: Hunterdon, Somerset, Middlesex, Mercer, Monmouth, portions of Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Salem Showers and thunderstorms are capable of producing locally heavy rainfall Monday afternoon, July 14, overnight through Tuesday morning, July 15. More storms and rain are forecasted through most of the week. Rainfall rates may exceed 2 inches per hour due to slow-moving thunderstorms Localized rainfall amounts could reach 3 to 5 inches, with flooding in urbanized and poor drainage areas, small streams and creeks Areas at the greatest risk for numerous flash floods include the western areas of NJ, from lower Sussex County down to Salem County. Some isolated severe storms may cause damaging winds Showers and thunderstorms are possible every day this week, with a marginal risk for flash flooding and severe storms, according to NOAA. On Tuesday, July 14 through Wednesday, July 15, widespread showers and scattered thunderstorms are expected again, mainly in South Jersey, with the possibility of more flash flooding. Flood watches will again be possible, NWS forecasters said. More showers and thunderstorms are expected Wednesday, July 16 — 50-70% possibility in inland areas — with tropical downpours again a threat in the region. The "active stormy pattern" is expected to continue through Friday, July 18, NWS forecasters said. New Jersey will experience above average heat and humidity this week, particularly Wednesday, July 16 through Friday, July 18, according to NWS forecasters. Heat index values, or how it feels outside, are expected to reach into the mid-90s to 105 degrees in some areas. Temperatures are expected to return closer to average on Saturday, July 19. Lori Comstock is a New Jersey-based journalist with the Mid-Atlantic Connect Team. This article originally appeared on Flood watch issued in NJ, heat, humidity to rise; how hot will it get?
