The National Weather Service office in Albuquerque has issued a Flash Flood Warning, effective from 3:55 PM to 5:00 PM MDT on September 14. A Flash Flood Warning means flooding is already happening or is about to happen very soon – this is not just a possibility, but an active situation requiring immediate attention.
Six county-level areas are covered by the warning: McKinley and Socorro counties in New Mexico; Cochise and Apache counties in Arizona; and San Miguel and Rio Blanco counties in Colorado. If you live in or are traveling through any of these areas, treat this warning seriously, even if the sky above you looks clear.
What you might notice
Flash flooding in the Southwest often follows intense thunderstorms that drop heavy rain in a short time. Water can rise quickly in arroyos, dry creek beds, low-water crossings, underpasses, and poorly drained roads. You may see water flowing across highways, muddy runoff from hillsides, or normally dry washes suddenly running fast and deep. Rain falling miles upstream can send a wall of water into areas where it isn’t raining at all.
What to do right now
First, never drive or walk through floodwater – just six inches of moving water can knock an adult down, and a foot of water can carry away a vehicle. If you encounter a flooded road, turn around. Second, if you are in a low-lying area, near a wash or stream, or in a canyon, move to higher ground immediately. Third, keep your phone charged and alerts enabled, since additional warnings or extensions are possible this evening, and avoid hiking or camping in slot canyons and washes until storms have fully passed.
This warning is currently set to expire at 5:00 PM MDT, though the NWS may extend, expand, or cancel it as conditions evolve.
Data for this alert comes from the National Weather Service (NWS Albuquerque office), part of NOAA.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do right now if I'm in one of these six counties?
Move away from washes, arroyos, low-water crossings, and flooded roads, and head to higher ground if water is rising near you. Never drive through water covering the road – turn around instead.
How long will this warning last?
The warning is in effect until 5:00 PM MDT on September 14, about an hour from issuance. The NWS may extend it if heavy rain continues, so keep weather alerts enabled.
It's not raining where I am – am I still at risk?
Yes. Flash floods can be triggered by storms miles upstream, sending water down dry creek beds and washes into areas with clear skies. That's why the warning covers such a wide region.
Is it safe to drive through the affected areas?
Only with caution and flexibility – be prepared to turn around at flooded crossings. Most flash-flood deaths occur in vehicles, so delay travel through McKinley, Socorro, Cochise, Apache, San Miguel, or Rio Blanco counties until the warning expires if you can.
Keep tracking this:
Source: National Weather Service (NWS)
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Sky & Solar Conditions at the Time
Moon: Waxing Crescent (15% illuminated), in Scorpio.
Notable planetary angles: Sun sextile Mars (60°), Jupiter trine Saturn (124°).
Concurrent space weather: planetary Kp index 2.7; strongest recent solar flare: nothing notable.
This is a factual snapshot, not a claim of cause and effect – researchers are divided on whether lunar, planetary or solar factors influence seismic or weather activity. It’s included so readers can track the pattern for themselves over time.
