Street Flooding In Carlsbad, NM 9-22-2010.

Very Heavy Rains Produced Street Flooding In Carlsbad, NM On Sept 22nd, 2010. I Took These Photos At 6:36 PM MDT - Two Hours After The Rains Had Fallen. I Recorded .75" Of Rain At My Home In NW Carlsbad, In Ten Minutes. Additional Heavy Rainfall Feel In The City Between 7- 10:00 PM MDT, Which Produced Additional Street Flooding, As Well As Flash Flooding On Dark Canyon Arroyo. My Twenty Four Hour Total Was 2.78" At My Home.

The Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction!

Dark Canyon Floods On 9-23-2010

This Is What Happens When 3.00" - 4.00"+ Of Rain Falls Over The Guadalupe Mountains Southwest And West Of Carlsbad, New Mexico. Normally Dry Dark Canyon Arroyo Flooded To A Depth Of Four Feet. Never Try To Drive Or Walk Across A Flooded Arroyo Like This. Remember - Turn Around, Don't Drown! The Photos Are Courtesy Of Joel Arnwine, The Eddy County New Mexico Emergency Manager.

The Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction!

Flash Flood Watch Today!

Early Rainfall Reports As Of7 4 AM MDT.

(Additional Reports Will Be Available Later Today)

16 S Whites City & 5 Miles West On Co Rd 418 4.00"+

Fort Stanton Raws 4.13"
3 W Carlsbad Arpt 3.32"

Bat Draw Raws - Carlsbad Caverns 2.96"

Dark Canyon Draw Raws 2.82"
3.4 N Downtown Carlsbad 2.78"

2.1 NNW Downtown Carlsbad 2.63"
33.3 WSW Carlsbad - Queen 2.60"
16 S Whites City 2.50"
Queen Raws 2.45"
Downtown Carlsbad - OEM Bldg 2.21"
3 S Hope 2.10"
2.2 N Downtown Carlsbad 2.08"
2.0 N Downtown Carlsbad 1.97"

McKittrick Canyon Raws 1.89"
5 S Artesia - Atoka 1.75"

Carlsbad Arpt 1.70"
Pinery Raws - Pine Springs 1.60"
Indian Basin Gas Plant - 20 WNW Carlsbad 1.48"
Bowl Raws 1.48"

Dog Canyon Raws 1.46"
4.8 SSE Artesia - Atoka 1.33"

5 SE Artesia 1.30"
15.5 S Artesia 1.30"
3.1 SSE Carlsbad 1.27"
0.9 NE Lakewood 1.25"
15.5 NW Carlsbad 1.16"

Caprock Raws 1.14"
8-Mile Draw Raws 1.07"

Smokey Bear Raws - Near Ruidoso 1.07"
Carlsbad Climate 1.02"
Artesia Climate 6 S .95"
Cosmic Raws - Sunspot .93"

Roswell Arpt .93"
Artesia Arpt .85"

High Rolls .80"

The Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction!

Local Year To Date Rainfall Totals

Chaves Co NM	Sept	Year
Elk Climate	2.27	15.89
3.5 WNW Downtown Roswell	1.04	13.87
0.3 SSW Downtown Roswell	0.14	13.29
Roswell Airport	0.87	13.21
7.6 NNW Downtown Roswell	0.22	10.32
Eddy Co NM	Sept	Year
33.3 WSW Carlsbad - Queen	2.27	28.83
0.9 NE Lakewood	0.27	17.78
3.1 SSE Carlsbad	1.92	16.93
Downtown Carlsbad	3.27	16.14
2.0 N Downtown Carlsbad	2.17	15.37
Carlsbad Climate	0.67	14.47
2.1 NNW Downtown Carlsbad	1.49	14.35
15.5 S Artesia	0.47	14.28
Carlsbad Airport	1.94	14.03
2.2 N Downtown Carlsbad	1.65	13.78
19.8 WNE Carlsbad - IBGP	1.05	13.08
15.5 NW Carlsbad	0.38	12.69
3.4 N Downtown Carlsbad	1.18	12.44
17.1 NW Carlsbad	0.57	11.48
Artesia Climate - 6 S	0.67	11.40
4.8 SSE Artesia - Atoka	0.34	10.89
Lea Co NM	Sept	Year
8.0 SSE Hobbs	0.00	14.68
0.4 NNE Downtown Hobbs	0.29	14.57
26.6 WNW Jal	0.63	14.56
0.9 NNW Downtown Lovington	1.46	14.31
8.3 SSE Hobbs	0.33	12.66
1.7 SW Tatum	0.47	10.71
2.1 SSE Hobbs	0.11	10.01
Hobbs Climate	0.73	9.99
Lincoln Co NM	Sept	Year
3.9 NNW Ruidoso	0.95	20.62
Ruidoso Climate	0.81	17.97
Capitan Climate	1.58	12.27
Otero Co NM	Sept	Year
4.9 NE Cloudcroft	1.00	33.81
Cloudcroft Climate	1.07	33.52
0.5 NNW Cloudcroft	1.27	30.89
0.4 ESE Cloudcroft	0.02	30.66
1.8 SW Cloudcroft	0.93	30.59
2.3 S Cloudcroft	1.20	29.63
16 ESE Cloudcroft - Mayhill	1.04	24.60
0.07 N Sunspot	1.76	23.12
5.4 W Cloudcroft	0.81	16.62
Pinon 0.6 S	0.50	12.46

Rainfall Totals Are Courtesy Of-
Totals- (Sept 1st - Sept 16th & Jan 1st - Sept 16th 2010)

CoCoRaHS

NWS Midland Climate Page

NWS Albuquerque Climate Page

NWS El Paso/Santa Teressa Climate Page

The Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction!

Welcome Rains Fall Across The Pecos Valley.

T-Storm Rolls Across Carlsbad, NM Thursday Afternoon.

A Scud Cloud Is Forming Under The Base Of The Storm.

Selected Rainfall Totals As Of 7 AM MDT

Dark Canyon Raws 1.87"
Bat Draw Raws - Carlsbad Caverns 1.73"
1.9 NW Downtown Carlsbad 1.65"
Downtown Carlsbad - OEM Bld 1.53"
Paduca Raws 1.36"
3.1 SSE Carlsbad 1.16"
2.0 N Downtown Carlsbad 1.15"
2.2 N Downtown Carlsbad .93"
Carlsbad Airport .92"
Dog Canyon Raws .92"

Dunken Raws .83"

Queen Raws .81"

2.1 NNW Downtown Carlsbad .76"
6 S Artesia .63"

33.3 WSW Carlsbad - Queen .60"

McKittrick Canyon Raws .57"
Hope Climate .56"
3.4 N Downtown Carlsbad .48'
4.8 SSE Artesia - Atoka .30"

Artesia Airport .10"

Roswell Airport .10"
0.9 NE Lakewood .02"

Rainfall Totals Are Courtesy Of-

CoCoRaHS

NM Rosa Reports

MesoWest Weather

Weather Underground

The Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction!

Rain Falls West Of The Caprock.

Leaden Skies Drop Rain Over The Area Monday Afternoon/Night.

Selected Rainfall Totals Across SE NM

As Of 7 AM MDT Tue Sept 14, 2010.

Sunspot 0.07 N 1.35"

Wimsatt Located Just East Of Cloudcroft 1.18"

Sierra Blanca Snotel 1.10"

4.9 NE Cloudcroft .97"

Dog Canyon Raws .90"

Dark Ridge Observatory - Weed .86"

Weed - K5TCS .84"

Cloudcroft Fire Stn - On Hwy 82 .78"

3.5 WNW Roswell .77"

Mayhill Raws .76"

1.8 SW Cloudcroft .72"

Bowl Raws - 1/2 N Guadalupe Peak .70"

2.3 S Cloudcroft .69"

5.4 W Cloudcroft .65"

Pinery Raws - Pine Springs .60"

Smokey Bear Raws - Near Ruidoso .59"

McKittrick Canyon Raws .50"

0.6 S Pinon .43"

33.3 WSW Carlsbad - Queen .35"

Guadalupe Pass ASOS .34"

Bat Draw Raws - Carlsbad Caverns .30"

Queen Raws .24"

Dark Canyon Draw Raws .22"

Dunken Raws - 45 W Artesia .17"

Carlsbad Airport .10"

3.4 N Downtown Carlsbad .08"

3.1 SSE Carlsbad .08"

Downtown Carlsbad - OEM Bldg .06"

2.1 NNW Downtown Carlsbad .06"

2.0 N Downtown Carlsbad .05"

Artesia Airport .04"

Indian Bas Gas Plant - 20 WNW Carlsbad .03"

The Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction!

20% -30% Chance For A T-Storm Today.

Red Sky In The Morning - Sailors Take Warning.

Maybe...That Saying Doesn't Always Apply In The Desert SW.

You May Get Wet Today.

A couple of upper level disturbances will zip overhead today in the southwesterly flow aloft, as the Western US upper level trough of low pressure, swings across northern New Mexico. Enough low level moisture, atmospheric instability, and convergence along the dryline, will kick up a few scattered thunderstorms today. Locally heavy rain, small hail, and gusty winds will be possible with the stronger of the storms.

The Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction!

Falls Starts While La Nina Strengthens.

Click On The Photos/Maps To Enlarge Them.

Looking SW From The Junction Of Dark Canyon Rd & St Hwy 137.

I Haven't Seen The Grass This Tall & Thick In This Country In Years.

The 95-100 Degree Temps We Have Seen Lately Is Turning The Grass Brown.

Harmony & Thunder Romping Around In It In The Top Photo.

One Of The Wettest/Greenest Summers In A Long Time.

We went up to Queen, NM yesterday to cut firewood. I could not help but notice how lush and tall the grass is, everywhere. It's been a long time since I have seen this country look this good. This comes as no surprise given the heavy rains that have fallen this summer. The bad news is that this grass is already drying out and turning brown. With the current La Nina getting stronger with time, conditions will be ripe this fall into next spring, for unusually high fire danger conditions across the area.

The Cloudcroft Climate Coop Station has recorded 32.45" of rainfall so far this year. Cloudcroft's long term yearly rainfall average is about 26". Eddy County Skywarn Spotter Daymond Wright, has recorded 27.78" of rain so far this year in Queen. Their long term yearly rainfall average is probably about 16". My brother has recorded 17.48" of rainfall at his ranch/farm in Lakewood so far this year. So far this year I have recorded 13.51" here at our home in Carlsbad, NM. Our long term average here in the Pecos Valley is about 12".

I posted some local yearly totals on yesterdays blog. Just go to the right hand sidebar, and scroll all the way down until you come to "Blog Archives", then open it up, and click on yesterdays date. The CoCoRaHS Web Page is a great place to view current and past rainfall totals in the area.

The Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction!

2010 Rainfall Totals Continue To Add Up.

Selected SE NM 2010 Rainfall Totals

(For Sep & Jan 1st - Sep 3rd, 2010)

Chaves County

Elk Climate Sep .18" Yr 13.80"

0.3 SSW Downtown Roswell Sep .11" Yr 13.26"

Roswell Airport Sep .60" Yr 12.94"

7.6 NNW Downtown Roswell Sep .00" Yr 10.10"

Eddy County

33.3 WSW Carlsbad-Queen Sep .92" Yr 27.48"

0.9 NE Lakewood Sep .25" Yr 17.76"

3.1 SSE Carlsbad Sep .39" Yr 15.40"

Downtown Carlsbad Sep 1.54" Yr 14.38"

2.0 N Downtown Carlsbad Sep .97" Yr 14.17"

Carlsbad Climate Sep .37" Yr 14.17"

2.1 NNW Downtown Carlsbad Sep .65" Yr 13.51"

Carlsbad Airport Sep .85" Yr 12.94"

IBGP-20 WNW Carlsbad Sep .75" Yr 12.78"

Artesia Climate Sep .00" Yr 10.73"

Lea County

0.4 NNE Downtown Hobbs Sep .00" Yr 14.28"

26.6 WNW Jal Sep .00" Yr 13.93"

0.9 NNW Lovington Sep .00" Yr 12.85"

8.3 SSE Hobbs Sep .00" Yr 12.33"

1.7 SW Tatum Sep .00" Yr 10.46"

Hobbs Climate Sep .00" Yr 9.26"

Lincoln County

4.4 NW Ruidoso Sep .00" Yr 22.07"

Ruidoso Climate Sep .00" Yr 16.63"

12.5 NW Capitan Sep .00" Yr 14.55"

Otero County

4.9 NE Cloudcroft Sep .01" Yr 32.82"

Cloudcroft Climate Sep .00" Yr 32.45"

0.4 ESE Cloudcroft Sep .00" Yr 30.64"

1.8 SW Cloudcroft Sep .00" Yr 29.66"

0.5 NNW Cloudcroft Sep .00" Yr 29.62"

2.3 S Cloudcroft Sep .00" Yr 28.43"

4.0 E Cloudcroft Sep .00" Yr 27.32"

16 ESE Cloudcroft-Mayhill Sep .00" Yr 23.56"

0.07 N Sunspot Sep .00" Yr 21.36"

Rainfall Totals Are Courtesy Of-

CoCoRaHS

NWS Midland Climate Data

NWS Albuquerque Climate Data

The Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction!

T-Storms Will End This Morning - Cooler Today.

Downtown Carlsbad Receives 1.51" Of Rain Overnight.

Most Intersections Flooded With 4" - 6" of Water, Curb To Curb At 6:52 AM.

High Temperatures Yesterday-

Paduca Raws Near WIPP 104

NW Hobbs - KM5BS 102

8-Mile Draw Raws 102

Caprock Raws 101

2.1 NNW Downtown Carlsbad 101

Roswell Airport 100

2 SW Tatum 100

Carlsbad Airport 100

Artesia Airport 97

Bat Draw Raws - Carlsbad Caverns 94

Queen Raws 87

Smokey Bear Raws - Near Ruinous 86

Mayhill Raws 85

Cloudcroft Climate 75

Cosmic Raws - Sunspot 74

Rainfall Totals As Of 8 AM MDT-

Queen Raws 1.75"

Bat Draw Raws - Carlsbad Caverns 1.66"

McKittrick Canyon Raws 1.64"

Downtown Carlsbad - OEM Bldg 1.51"

2.0 N Downtown Carlsbad .97"

33.3 WSW Carlsbad - Queen .92"

Dark Canyon Rd Raws .88"

Carlsbad Airport .85"

1.9 NW Downtown Carlsbad .78"

Indian Basin Gas Plant - 20 WNW Carlsbad .75"

2.2 N Downtown Carlsbad .68"

Pinery Raws - Pine Springs .67"

2.1 NNW Downtown Carlsbad .65"

3.4 N Downtown Carlsbad .62"

Roswell Airport .60"

3.1 SSE Carlsbad .39"

Carlsbad Climate .37"

Bowl Raws .33"

0.9 NE Lakewood .25"

Dog Canyon Raws - SW of Queen .20"

5.4 SSE Carlsbad .18"

Roswell Climate .10"

Hobbs Climate .10"

Artesia Airport .02"

4.8 SSE Artesia - Atoka Trace

Rainfall Totals Are Courtesy Of-

CoCoRaHS

MesoWest Weather

NWS Midland Climate

NM NWS Rosa Reports

The Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction!

Severe T-Storms Ahead Of Cold Front Today!

40% Chance For Spotter Activation Around 4 PM MDT.

Strong Cold Front Arrives Tonight.

Another hot day is on tap for the area today with our afternoon high temps forecast to reach up into the upper 90's to near 100. A strong cold front will plow southward through SE NM tonight. Much cooler temps are forecast on Friday, with most locations only seeing highs in the 70's. The 90's will return for the weekend.

Scattered T-Storms will develop this afternoon. With forecast wind shear values around 20 knots, and surface based cape values of 1000+ j/kg, some of these T-Storms will become severe. The main severe weather hazards will be large hail, damaging thunderstorm wind gusts in excess of 60 mph, and deadly frequent cloud to ground lightning. Locally heavy rainfall may also produce localized flash flooding with some of the stronger storms.

A Look Back In Local Weather History

On September 1, 1983, at 5:50 P.M.

A tornado touched down on

South First street in Artesia, NM

and causes $250,000 in damages. The tornado was rated an F0 and was ten yards wide. It blows roofs off of homes, downs trees, power lines, and blows out many windows in nearby homes. The Save More Gas Station canopy was blown in the cemetery east of gas station. The I beams supporting the canopy were twisted like pretzels. A local restaurant had its roof lifted up and then slammed down again while filled with customers. Witnesses said that the tornado was white in color and sounded like a swarm of bees but was barley visible because it was wrapped up in the rain and hail.

September 2nd, 1972- 2.20" of rain fall in Artesia, NM.

September 2nd, 1972- 2.26" of rain falls at the Carlsbad, NM Airport.

September 2nd, 1899- Roswell's high temp 63 after a morning low of 40.

The Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction!