A flood watch is in effect across New Mexico through Tuesday night as moisture from Hurricane Polo and remnants of Tropical Storm Odalys increase the risk of heavy rain and flash flooding.
Polo is expected to make landfall in Baja California on Monday before its remnants move toward New Mexico. The system is forecast to strengthen monsoonal moisture across the state, adding another period of heavy rainfall after recent storms left some areas saturated.
Hurricane Polo reached 180 mph winds and 892 mb pressure, putting pressure triggers on Mexico’s $175 mn Pacific hurricane catastrophe bond under scrutiny.
Moisture from Odalys was already spreading across Arizona on Monday and moving toward western New Mexico. Showers and thunderstorms were expected to increase from Farmington to Gallup before moving through Albuquerque, northern New Mexico and eventually into eastern parts of the state by Tuesday morning.
Flash flooding is possible Monday evening into Tuesday morning. Additional moisture associated with Polo is then expected to reach New Mexico on Tuesday, bringing heavy rain to some areas hit by flooding during recent days.
Flood watch covers all of New Mexico
The flood watch includes northern and central New Mexico, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, the Rio Grande Valley and areas along and west of the central mountains.
Heavy rainfall could produce excessive runoff into creeks, streams and other flood-prone locations. Roads and low-water crossings are also exposed to flooding as repeated rounds of rain move through the state.
Conditions are more sensitive after heavy rainfall and flooding during the previous week. Saturated ground means additional storms could generate runoff faster, increasing the chance of flash flooding where thunderstorms produce intense rain.
Burn scar areas face added flood risk because heavy rainfall can move water, mud and debris rapidly across damaged terrain. Areas that have already recorded flooding in recent days also face renewed exposure as moisture from Polo moves north.
Eastern New Mexico also faces runoff threat
Northeastern and east-central New Mexico could see additional flooding as runoff from new rainfall combines with water left by previous storms. Creeks, streams and low-lying areas are among the locations most exposed to another round of flash flooding.
Some waterways could approach or exceed their banks if heavier rainfall develops. The combination of Odalys moisture followed by Polo is expected to produce several rounds of showers and thunderstorms rather than a single period of rain.
The flood watch remains in effect through Tuesday night as the two tropical systems send moisture into New Mexico.
A hurricane watch is in effect for Hawaii’s Big Island as Tropical Storm Nolo strengthens south of the island chain, threatening heavy rainfall, flooding and damaging winds through the weekend.
Nolo had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph early Thursday and was about 285 miles south of South Point on Hawaii Island, according to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center.
The storm is expected to strengthen into a hurricane and has the potential to reach major hurricane intensity as it approaches the state this weekend.
The hurricane watch covers Hawaii County, where hurricane conditions are possible as Nolo moves closer. Flood watches also remain in effect through Saturday afternoon for the Big Island, Maui, Lanai, Molokai and Kahoolawe.
