Monsoon moisture brings flash flood risk to New Mexico

Monsoon moisture is moving over New Mexico this week, bringing daily chances for showers and thunderstorms and the potential for flash flooding. The National Weather Service planned to issue a Flood Watch on Tuesday for parts of Grant County and western Sierra County because of the risk of locally heavy rainfall.

Showers and storms were forecast to develop across New Mexico, southwest Colorado and the Albuquerque metro through the afternoon and evening on Monday. “Locally heavy rainfall cannot be ruled out of the forecast each day, especially as the soil becomes more saturated throughout the week,” the National Weather Service reported.

Light rain fell across the Albuquerque metro during the morning, with some breaks of blue sky appearing late in the morning over Albuquerque and west central New Mexico. The wet pattern was expected to bring cooler temperatures to most of the state after a record-setting Sunday, when highs climbed into the 80s, 90s and 100s. Albuquerque hit its 100th day of the year at 90 degrees or warmer, well above the average of 64 such days in a year.

Highs on Monday were forecast in the 80s and 90s across New Mexico, with a forecasted high around 80 degrees in Albuquerque by Thursday.