Thousands of of people in New Mexico have been told to monitor the forecast as the state prepares to be hit with another flash flood.
The National Weather Service (NWS) said there is a 50 percent chance the ‘watch’ could turn into a warning for at least four counties in the central part of the state, including Albuquerque, until 8:00pm MT
‘A warning is when you must act quickly as flash floods are an imminent threat to you and your family,’ according to the NWS.
A storm is predicted to bring up to two inches of rain per hour, combined with already saturated grounds from rainfall the last two days, and it could lead to excessive runoff and flash flooding.
It marks the 29th Flash Flood Watch for the year, but the state has issued 189 warnings that were followed by the destruction of at least 200 homes and hundreds of people rescued.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued the warning for residents in a portion of central New Mexico , including Albuquerque with more than 560,000 people, until 8:00pm MT
Andrew Mangham, senior service hydrologist, told DailyMail.com: ‘This is going to be an ongoing problem through the monsoon season.
‘[Ruidoso] is facing hurricane level impacts every week, every day.’
He continued to explain that New Mexico is well on its way to beating the 2021 record of Flood Warnings, which was 250.
New Mexico’s monsoon season started on June 15 and will continue until September 30.
But the rainiest months are July and August that see up to 40 percent of the year’s total precipitation.
The National Guard was deployed to New Mexico at the end of June to help rescue residents of Ruidoso, which was under a Flash Flood Emergency Monday.
Soldiers were seen crossing rising waters to evacuate elderly residents in the small town.
Minutes after they were brought to safety, waters rose by six feet and flooded their homes, KOAT reported.
As of now, residents are urged to ‘monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should Flash Flood Warnings be issued.
‘A Flood Watch for flash flooding is in effect this afternoon and evening over and downstream of the burn scars in Lincoln County,’ the NWS Albuquerque shared in an X post.
‘Heavy rainfall and slow storm motions expected. Elsewhere, hot temperatures are in store. Triple-digit heat expected for the plains.’
Evacuations were ordered last month in the New Mexico village of Ruidoso amid wildfire
Since 1959, 65 New Mexicans have lost their lives in flash floods.
The flash flooding is due to heavy rain falling over a burn scar near Brady Canyon and Ruidoso Downs.
A burn scar is left behind by a wildfire, which appears as a charred and barren strip of land, does not absorb precipitation as typical soil and leads to major flooding.
And just a quarter to half an inch of rainfall can lead to major flash flooding on these burn scars.
The last fire broke out in June, leading to an evacuation of Ruidoso.
‘Wildfires are very common in New Mexico, but the latest was particularly fast developing, said Mangham.
The location of the wildfire was problematic. It happened on urban area and situated in a way that ran through Ruidoso.’
He continued to explain that the NWS will be watching radar to estimate rainfall rates, plus ground rate precipitation collectors.
The town experienced another flash flood over the weekend when the National Guarded reported it had rescued or evacuated at least 12 people and two dogs,
‘Once we see rain passes a threshold we will issue a warning,’ Mangham said.
‘When we say there is a flash flood warning, we mean do not go out looking for trouble.
‘When there is an Emergency, it means do not go outside because trouble will find you.’
The flood that hit Ruidoso on Monday collapsed part of the town’s racetrack and created a impromptu dam of debris that blocked a river.
‘I don’t know the extend of clean up, but they are working on that and we can expect to get hit again today,’ said Mangham.
The town experienced another flash flood over the weekend when the National Guarded reported it had rescued or evacuated at least 12 people and two dogs, FOX Weather reported.
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