Power Outage in Farmington, NM

An upper level low pressure system deepening over southern California spread deep layer southerly flow over New Mexico beginning on the 6th. Increasing moisture over the area along with afternoon heating led to a band of showers and thunderstorms over western New Mexico. The combination of downburst winds and thunderstorm outflows associated with this line produced wind damage across the Bloomfield and Aztec area. Numerous trees and power lines were blown down across the area producing power outages and damage to homes and vehicles. An isolated thunderstorm over the Raton area also produced strong winds but with no damage.

An upper level wave crossed over the Four Corners region and focused isolated severe thunderstorms over San Juan County during the evening of the 26th. A rapidly developing thunderstorm around Farmington moved quickly northeast and pounded the area from Flora Vista to Aztec shortly after sunset. These storms produced damage to trees and power lines, as well as flash flooding that damaged roads and businesses in the Aztec and Flora Vista areas. The flood waters pushed several homes off their foundations and swept away one propane gas tank. Several schools were impacted by flooding. Police and fire departments responded to 59 fire calls and 51 law enforcement calls about flooding, trapped individuals, power pole fires, and downed trees. Shelters were set up in the area for those impacted by flood waters, though no one had used the facilities. Sandbags were utilized to divert flood waters away from the nearby convention center. The flooding caused all schools to close in Aztec on the 27th and just the Lydia Rippey Elementary school on the 28th. Major damages were also seen at the Aztec Municipal Golf Course at Hidden Valley, which closed until further notice for necessary repairs. Total estimated damages from this isolated severe thunderstorm were in excess of $1 million dollars.

A seven year old boy was swept into Navajo Lake when he was unable to escape from a tent as storm runoff plunged down Cottonwood Canyon. A group of two adults and six children had boated down the lake and set up camp in the dry arroyo. The boy was pulled from the lake and resuscitated, but remained hospitalized several weeks later. Rainfall estimated at 0.60 inch fell upstream about 6 pm and then runoff reached the camp at 1030 pm. The storms had swept across the northern sections of San Juan County between 5 pm and 7 pm with frequent lightning that blasted 13 transformers causing power outages for nearly 4000 people, while also starting numerous grass and tree fires. At least one oil tank was struck and then blew off its top.