Severe Storms Threaten New Mexico and West Texas as Flood Watches Cover the Southwest

Severe thunderstorms threaten parts of the US Southwest through the weekend, with forecasters warning of large hail, damaging wind gusts, flash flooding and a few possible tornadoes in New Mexico and far west Texas.

The National Weather Service said moisture streaming north from the Gulf of California will feed storms across the Southwest and the Southern High Plains. Severe thunderstorms are a risk on Saturday, October 24, through the morning of Sunday, October 25, and heavy rain could bring localized flash flooding to parts of the Central and Southern High Plains and the Central and Southern Rockies.

"The hazards associated with these thunderstorms are frequent lightning, severe thunderstorm wind gusts, hail, and a few tornadoes," the weather service said.

Where the risk is highest

The Storm Prediction Center said the storms will extend from the Four Corners area, where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah meet, through to western Texas. The greater risk of hail 2 inches in diameter or larger and of tornadoes runs from south-central and southeast New Mexico into far west Texas. The major cities in the risk area include Albuquerque and Santa Fe in New Mexico and El Paso in Texas.

The center placed parts of New Mexico and west Texas under a slight risk of severe thunderstorms for Saturday. Forecasters said the better chance for stronger storms would develop later in the day across south-central New Mexico into far west Texas, where storms could form supercells before growing into clusters during the evening.

In a status report on its severe weather watch for the region, the Storm Prediction Center said the threat continued across a long list of New Mexico counties, including Bernalillo, Santa Fe, Dona Ana, Lincoln and Otero counties, and across El Paso and Hudspeth counties in Texas. The Albuquerque and El Paso forecast offices are handling the watch.

More than 2 million people were under flood watches on Saturday, October 24. The new storms arrive after rounds of flooding earlier this week, including flooding that forced emergency declarations in northern Arizona and around Pagosa Springs in southern Colorado.

Safety guidance

The National Weather Service advises people in a tornado warning to go to a basement, a safe room, or an interior room away from windows, and to follow tornado drill plans at workplaces and schools by moving quickly to the shelter location and staying away from windows. People outside should seek shelter inside a sturdy building at once if a tornado approaches, since sheds, storage facilities, mobile homes and tents are not safe.

Forecasters said the severe threat runs through Saturday night and into Sunday morning, and residents in the watch area should keep checking local forecasts and weather radio for new warnings as the storms develop.