Bonito Lake Flash Flooding - 8-5-2020.

Courtesy Of National Weather Service Office Albuquerque On Twitter.
Photos of flash flooding near Bonito Lake nearby Ruidoso earlier this afternoon. Loads of debris from an older burn scar was washed over the roadway. #nmwx #TurnAroundDontDrown.

National Weather Service Santa Teresa/El Paso Doppler Radar Rainfall Estimates.

Holloman AFB Radar Estimated Rainfall.

NWS MesoWest Estimated Rainfall Totals.

Lone Thunderstorm Dumps On Bonito Lake.

     A lone thunderstorm unloaded on the Bonito Lake area this afternoon prompting a Flash Flood Warning. Conservative estimates from local radar come in around 2.50" to 3.00" and may be as high as 4.00". Although I suspect that the 4.00" totals indicated on the Holloman and El Paso radars were too high possibly due to hail contamination. The MesoWest rainfall estimate came in at 2.79". 

    

     Anyway, the heaviest rains fell over the burn scar at Bonito Lake which quickly produced flash flooding on the Rio Bonito River downstream of the lake. Very heavy localized rainfall often falls in New Mexico during August. As usual, the mountains often get this heavy rainfall and flash flooding. Of particular concern, this time of the year are the mountains and the associated burn scar areas caused from forest fires the past 10-15 years. 

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