Flash Flood Emergencies were issued for parts of New Mexico on Saturday night and Sunday morning after torrential rain and thunderstorms pounded the region. Roads into and out of the Roswell area are now closed.
ROSWELL, N.M. – Rare Flash Flood Emergencies were issued for parts of New Mexico Saturday night and Sunday morning after torrential rain and thunderstorms pounded the region, sending water rushing into homes and surrounding vehicles as first responders raced to rescue trapped residents in Roswell.
The relentless precipitation also broke records in the area, with the National Weather Service office in Albuquerque saying Roswell set an all-time daily rainfall record of 5.78 inches, which breaks the previous record of 5.65 inches set back in November 1901.
Chaves County Sheriff Mike Herrington recorded a video on Sunday morning showing flooding surrounding his police vehicle and urged people to stay home. Rare Flash Flood Emergencies were issued for the area as torrential rain and thunderstorms pounded the region Saturday.
Chaves County Sheriff Mike Herrington took to Facebook early Sunday morning amid the flooding and said he was trapped after water surrounded his vehicle.
“At this time, I am sitting on the roof of my police truck,” he said in a video. “I am completely surrounded by water at this time.”
As Herrington spins the camera around, several other vehicles can be seen surrounded by the flooding as water rushes by.
A video shared from Roswell, New Mexico, shows floodwaters covering roads in the region after the area was blasted by torrential rain and thunderstorms over the weekend.
“There are multiple vehicles,” he said. “Came into this not expecting that much water. And before I knew it, I was swept off into this. Multiple vehicles have been swept away as well. So, to all of you in Chaves County, please, stay home, do not go out.”
New Mexico State Police said on X, formerly Twitter, that all roads leading into and out of the Roswell area had been closed due to the amount of flooding that had taken place. They have not yet offered a timeframe for roads to reopen.
(FOX Weather)
The Flash Flood Emergencies have since expired, but flood alerts remain in effect across portions of eastern New Mexico, including cities like Roswell and Las Vegas.
The NWS said between 4 and 9 inches of rain had fallen in the Roswell area, and many areas have been inundated.
“This is an ongoing dangerous flooding situation,” the NWS warned.
(FOX Weather)
More thunderstorms are also forecast for the area on Sunday, and NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC) placed parts of the region in a Level 2 out of 5 risk on its 5-point severe thunderstorm risk scale.
The SPC said the main threats include torrential rain, large hail and damaging wind gusts. There is also the risk of a few tornadoes.