Jul. 28—Many parts of New Mexico can expect rain over the next few days, including Ruidoso, which is preparing for more flooding.
Ruidoso could receive up to 2 inches of rain in an hour on Tuesday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service of Albuquerque.
“It’s stressful, but you just got to do what you can do,” village spokesperson Kerry Gladden said. “We know it’s going to happen. We know it’s going to continue to happen for the next 3 to 5 years.”
To prepare, Gladden said swift water and street crews will be ready to go. It will be important for people to be aware of their surroundings and to get to higher ground, she said.
This month, Ruidoso experienced multiple days of flooding, including on July 8 when a man and two children were killed.
Farther north in the state, Albuquerque could see a half-inch to an inch of precipitation. The best chances for rain will be in the afternoons and evenings, NWS meteorologist Carter Greulich said.
A flood watch will be in effect in the city from noon until 9 p.m. Tuesday, according to NWS.
So far in July, the Albuquerque International Sunport has received 1.20 inches of precipitation, which is 0.23 inches below the normal of 1.43 inches, Greulich said.
“It is very possible we may hit or go above that number,” he said.
Despite the precipitation, most of the state is in a drought, including Bernalillo County, which was in severe and extreme drought as of Thursday. In Albuquerque, much of the Rio Grande has run dry. The driest part of the state is in the southwest where most places are in an exceptional drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
“These areas will need to see more significant, consistent rain,” to put a dent in the drought, Greulich said.