Blog

The Flash Flood Warning for Cibola County (Grants Area), New Mexico — issued by the National Weather Service in Albuquerque — is reissued and continues until 4:00 PM MDT on Saturday, September 19, 2026. Here is the key development: the heavy rain has ended south of Grants, but flooding impacts continue across the warned area, including the I-40 corridor and surrounding communities. For local restoration teams, this is the handoff moment — the storm is done, and the water-intrusion calls typically start within hours.

This is a live snapshot as of 1:35 PM PDT, Saturday, September 19, 2026. Conditions change fast — always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code before making decisions.

Grants Area — Flash Flood Warning

Issuing office: National Weather Service, Albuquerque, NM. Reissued: 2:18 PM MDT, Saturday, September 19, 2026. Warning continues until: 4:00 PM MDT. NWS alert identifier: urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.d798cc2a81b401fe5777bc01de2fcffcf2e783b3.001.1

The update: “At 218 PM MDT, Doppler radar indicated that the thunderstorms producing heavy rain south of Grants had ended.” Between 1.5 and 2 inches of rain have fallen. “Flooding impacts will continue, but no additional rainfall is expected.” Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

Hazard: Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms. Source: Radar indicated. Severity: Severe. Certainty: Likely. Urgency: Immediate.

Named locations in the warning path: McCartys, Skyline-Ganipa, San Fidel, Cubero, Acomita Lake, Acomita, North Acomita Village, Seama, and Paraje. This includes Interstate 40 between Mile Markers 87 and 107, and the El Malpais Ranger Station recreation area.

Expected impacts: Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas.

Source links: NWS Albuquerque office page. Reissue reference: alert id urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.d798cc2a81b401fe5777bc01de2fcffcf2e783b3.001.1 — verify current status anytime at weather.gov/abq.

Stay safe through the evening

• Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles — never drive through flooded roadways, no matter how familiar the road. Interstate 40 drivers between Mile Markers 87 and 107 should be especially cautious: flash flooding on highways and underpasses is an expected impact of this warning.
• If water enters your home, stay out of standing water where electricity may be present. Avoid the basement until the water recedes and power is confirmed off.
• Photograph everything before cleanup begins. Documentation matters for insurance — water left sitting starts a second wave of damage within a day, and the photos you take now are what protect your claim later.
• Then call a local restoration contractor. With the heavy rain ended but flooding still ongoing, the cleanup clock starts the moment the water recedes.

What this means for restoration teams

This warning is the classic post-rainfall response phase for New Mexico contractors: the rain south of Grants has stopped, but flash flooding is still ongoing across Cibola County, which means water-intrusion jobs are about to land. Between 1.5 and 2 inches of rain fell in a short window — enough to push water into low-lying homes, underpasses, and poor-drainage neighborhoods around Grants, Acomita, Seama, Paraje, Cubero, San Fidel, Skyline-Ganipa, and McCartys. Expect the damage categories local teams handle most: interior water intrusion, saturated drywall and insulation, and — where groundwater and creeks overflow — potential sewage backup in low-lying areas.

The play: Stage drying assets now and keep an on-call rotation through tonight and into Sunday. The mold clock runs 24 to 48 hours from the time materials get wet, and with water still standing, every hour of delay shrinks your margin.

First-call discipline: Capture address + water source + affected areas on the first call, before anything else. Photo-document before mitigation begins, moisture-map every affected room, and keep the homeowner’s payment responsibility clear in writing before work starts. Calls on the I-40 corridor (Mile Markers 87–107) may include stranded-motorist and vehicle-exposure work in addition to structures — water-intrusion calls typically start within hours of the water receding and keep coming for days as people discover damage, so tonight’s intake sets the tone for the whole week.

Local emergency contacts

• Cibola County Office of Emergency Management — (505) 285-2558, 2001 Clif Lear Ave., Grants, NM 87020. Website: cibolacountynm.com/departments/emergency_management. (Verified via the official Cibola County website and the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management county contact list.)
• Non-emergency dispatch: (505) 287-9476. Emergencies: dial 911.
• Local emergency alerts (Hyper-Reach): text “alerts” to 505-209-8309 or say “Alexa, enable Hyper-Reach” to get county emergency notifications — the county’s system for weather hazards, evacuations, and public-health alerts.

FEMA & federal assistance

FEMA Helpline: 1-800-621-3362 (7 a.m.–10 p.m. local time, 7 days a week). Apply for assistance at DisasterAssistance.gov, through the FEMA app, or find recovery centers at fema.gov/drc.

Basic eligibility: U.S. citizenship or qualified status, identity verification, proof of occupancy or ownership, and unmet needs not covered by insurance. Apply as soon as it is safe to do so — you do not need to wait for a federal disaster declaration for your county to register and be in the system.

Looking ahead

The warning runs until 4:00 PM MDT. After it expires, the hazard does not vanish with the headline: flooded creeks and streams drain on their own schedule, and water already standing in low-lying areas and poor-drainage neighborhoods will take time to recede — especially with saturated ground from 1.5 to 2 inches of rain in a short window. No additional rainfall is expected, which means conditions should steadily improve through this evening, but any renewed thunderstorm activity nearby would hit ground that can absorb very little more.

Demand window: Water-intrusion calls typically start within hours of water receding and keep coming for days as people discover damage. Homeowners in the named communities — McCartys, Skyline-Ganipa, San Fidel, Cubero, Acomita Lake, Acomita, North Acomita Village, Seama, and Paraje — often find the worst of it Sunday and Monday: soaked carpet pads, swelling baseboards, and crawlspaces that never fully drained. For contractors, the next 24–48 hours are the intake window — the mold clock is already running on every wet structure.

No live search-demand measurement was taken for this update post; the demand note above reflects the standing house pattern for post-flash-flood call volume, not a measured Trends reading.

Sources & how to verify

• NWS Albuquerque reissued Flash Flood Warning, September 19, 2026, 2:18 PM MDT — alert id urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.d798cc2a81b401fe5777bc01de2fcffcf2e783b3.001.1; warning continues until 4:00 PM MDT.
• NWS Albuquerque office page (weather.gov/abq) — the authoritative source for this warning’s current status.
• Cibola County Office of Emergency Management — cibolacountynm.com; contact numbers verified against the New Mexico DHSEM county emergency managers list.

To verify for your own county or ZIP: go to weather.gov/abq and check active warnings for your location, or enter your ZIP at weather.gov.

This post is for informational purposes and is not an official weather warning. Always follow instructions from local authorities and the National Weather Service.

Flash Flood Warning active now — West Central Pecos County

A Flash Flood Warning is in effect for West Central Pecos County in southwestern Texas, issued by the National Weather Service in Midland/Odessa at 3:22 PM CDT on Saturday, September 19, 2026, and running until 6:15 PM CDT. This is a live snapshot as of 1:35 PM PDT, Saturday, September 19, 2026. Conditions change fast — always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.

For restoration contractors, this is the kind of warning that converts into the exact interior water-intrusion jobs local teams see most: draw-country flooding that fills low-water crossings, sends runoff racing down county and oil-lease roads, and backs water into structures sitting near normally dry drainages. If you serve West Texas, this is your evening to get ready.

West Central Pecos County — Flash Flood Warning

The National Weather Service in Midland/Odessa issued this Flash Flood Warning at 3:22 PM CDT, Saturday, September 19, 2026, for West Central Pecos County in southwestern Texas. The warning expires at 6:15 PM CDT. The NWS rated the event Severe severity, with Likely certainty and Immediate urgency.

The hazard, in the alert’s own words: flash flooding caused by thunderstorms. The source is radar indicated — Doppler radar has indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area, and flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

Rainfall facts, verbatim from the alert: between 0.5 and 1.5 inches of rain have fallen, and the expected rainfall rate is 2 to 3 inches in 1 hour. Additional heavy rainfall is expected across the warned area.

Locations in the warning path: the alert specifies mainly rural areas of West Central Pecos County, with the named streams and drainages of concern being Barrilla Draw and Coyanosa Draw. This is ranch and oil-field country — scattered structures, long stretches of unpaved county roads, and low-water crossings that go from dry to dangerous in minutes.

Expected impacts, per the alert: flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses, as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas.

The issuing office is the NWS Midland/Odessa forecast office — track this warning and any follow-up statements on the office page at weather.gov/maf. The official instruction inside the alert is direct: “Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles.” Residents are asked to report observed flooding to local emergency services or law enforcement.

Stay safe tonight

The single most important flood rule, and the one the National Weather Service repeats in this very alert: turn around, don’t drown. Never drive through flooded roadways. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles, and it takes only a few inches of fast-moving water to sweep a car off a low-water crossing. On rural Pecos County roads and oil-lease roads — where many crossings have no guardrails and water depth is impossible to judge in fading light — the safe move is always to find another route or wait it out.

If water is rising around your property: stay out of standing water where electricity may be present. Avoid the basement or any below-grade room until the water recedes and power is confirmed off. Do not walk through flowing water. If you can do so safely, photograph everything before cleanup begins — documentation matters for insurance, and once water is removed the evidence of what it reached is gone.

Water left sitting starts a second wave of damage within a day — soaked drywall wicks moisture upward, insulation holds it, and microbial growth follows. Get water out and air moving as soon as it is safe to do so, then call a local restoration contractor. After a draw-country flood, watch for damage you can’t see from the driveway: water that came in through a door or foundation seep can travel inside walls and under flooring.

What this means for restoration teams

This is a Saturday-dusk warning in rural draw country, and that timing matters operationally. Flash flooding is expected to be ongoing into the evening, with the warning expiring at 6:15 PM CDT — but the calls rarely come during the storm. They surface Sunday morning, when people walk their property in daylight and find the shop floor wet, the back rooms of a ranch house soaked, or a tenant’s unit sitting on damp carpet.

The damage categories to expect: interior water intrusion at low points — doors, garage aprons, foundation seep lines — saturated drywall and insulation in structures near Barrilla Draw and Coyanosa Draw, and sewage backup where low-lying septic systems and laterals take on floodwater. Rural properties also mean outbuildings, equipment sheds, and well houses: water in a well house or electrical panel area is a no-entry situation until power is confirmed off.

The play tonight: stage equipment now and pre-position drying assets — air movers, dehumidifiers, and extraction gear — so Sunday-morning calls turn into same-day starts instead of same-day quotes. Keep an on-call rotation through Sunday morning and capture address + water source + affected areas on the first call. In draw-country floods the water source matters for the scope: clear rainwater runoff versus water that ran across a pasture or oil-field road changes the contamination category and the tear-out decision.

Field discipline: photo-document before mitigation, moisture-map every affected room — not just the ones with standing water — and keep the homeowner’s or property manager’s payment responsibility clear in writing before work starts. And remember the mold clock: 24 to 48 hours. A job that sits from a Sunday discovery to a Monday start is already inside the window where microbial growth begins, which is exactly why pre-positioning tonight beats scrambling tomorrow.

FEMA & federal assistance

If this storm leaves you with damage that exceeds what insurance covers, federal help is available once it’s safe to apply. The FEMA Helpline is 1-800-621-3362, open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time, 7 days a week. You can also apply at DisasterAssistance.gov, through the FEMA app, or find in-person help at a disaster recovery center via fema.gov/drc.

Basic eligibility covers citizenship or qualified status, identity verification, proof of occupancy or ownership, and unmet needs not covered by insurance. Apply as soon as it’s safe to do so — don’t wait for repairs to be finished. Document damage with photos now; you can apply before the full scope is known.

Looking ahead

The warning expires at 6:15 PM CDT Saturday evening. What to watch overnight: additional rounds of thunderstorms can re-flood the same draws even after the warning ends, and creeks and drainages can keep rising — cresting later — as runoff moves down from higher ground. Monitor the NWS Midland/Odessa office page for updated warnings or statements.

For restoration teams, the demand window is the real story: water-intrusion calls typically start within hours of water receding and keep coming for days as people discover damage. A Saturday-evening flood in a rural county means discovery spreads across Sunday — one property at a time, as owners check fences, pumps, and buildings. Keep the rotation light Sunday night too; the second wave of calls often comes from people who tried to dry it themselves first.

A companion Restoration Intel operator brief for this event — the demand signals, seat-by-seat implications, and the rural draw-country play — is queued and ships with additional operator intel, not as a fast echo of this post.

Sources & how to verify

• NWS alert: Flash Flood Warning, West Central Pecos County TX — issued by NWS Midland/Odessa, 3:22 PM CDT Saturday, September 19, 2026; expires 6:15 PM CDT. Alert ID: urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.534ff19646863351a97cfa3a5c0e7f584159944f.001.1. As-of timestamp for this post: 1:35 PM PDT, Saturday, September 19, 2026.
• Issuing office page: weather.gov/maf (NWS Midland/Odessa).
• How to verify for your own county or ZIP: go to weather.gov, enter your ZIP code, and read the active alerts panel — or open the NWS office page for your region directly.
• Could not verify: a single consistent phone number for Pecos County emergency management — one official county document and a directory listing gave conflicting numbers, so no number is listed here rather than risk printing a wrong one. For immediate danger, dial 911; for non-emergency county business, use co.pecos.tx.us.

This post is for informational purposes and is not an official weather warning. Always follow instructions from local authorities and the National Weather Service.

Active Flash Flood Warning for Northeastern Cibola County, NM — issued by NWS Albuquerque NM at 1:01 PM MDT, in effect until 4:00 PM MDT (3:00 PM PDT).

Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1 and 2 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 0.25 to 0.75 inches are possible in the warned area. This is exactly the profile that produces the interior-flooding jobs restoration teams see most: water finding its way into homes and businesses through every low point, drainage systems overwhelmed, and saturated ground that keeps feeding the damage long after the rain stops.

This is a live snapshot as of 1:16 PM PDT. Conditions change fast — always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.

Northeastern Cibola County, NM — Flash Flood Warning

The NWS Albuquerque NM issued this Flash Flood Warning at 1:01 PM MDT, in effect until 4:00 PM MDT. Coverage: northeastern Cibola County in west central New Mexico.

What the radar shows: Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1 and 2 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 0.25 to 0.75 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

HAZARD: Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

SOURCE: Radar indicated.

IMPACT: Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas.

Locations that will experience flash flooding: McCartys, Skyline-Ganipa, San Fidel, Cubero, Acomita Lake, Acomita, North Acomita Village, Seama and Paraje — including Interstate 40 between Mile Markers 87 and 107.

The warning names a long list of pueblo communities plus Interstate 40 between Mile Markers 87 and 107 — a 20-mile stretch of interstate in the warned area.

Primary sources: the NWS alert and the NWS Albuquerque NM forecast office page.

Stay safe right now

Turn around, don’t drown. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles — never drive through flooded roadways. Six inches of fast-moving water can knock an adult down; a foot of water can float most cars; two feet can carry away a truck. If you encounter a flooded road, find another route.

If water enters your home: stay out of standing water where electricity may be present; avoid the basement until the water recedes and the power is confirmed off; photograph everything before any cleanup — that documentation is what an insurance claim runs on — then call a local restoration contractor. Water left sitting starts a second wave of damage within a day: saturated materials breed mold, warp finishes, and wick up walls far beyond the visible waterline.

Heed the warning’s own instructions: Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.

What this means for restoration teams

The first of the day’s three Cibola County warnings, and the busiest named-location list of the set: McCartys, Skyline-Ganipa, San Fidel, Cubero, Acomita Lake, Acomita, North Acomita Village, Seama, and Paraje — pueblo communities strung along the Rio San Jose corridor — plus a 20-mile stretch of Interstate 40 (Mile Markers 87–107). In a pueblo corridor like this, flash flooding means water in low-lying homes and businesses, impacts to the interstate, and a call pattern that favors local contractors who can reach multiple communities fast.

The damage profile of a flash flood warning like this is the bread and butter of water-mitigation work: interior water intrusion through doors, vents, and low walls; saturated drywall and insulation that won’t dry on its own; mold risk inside 24–48 hours if wet materials sit; sewage or stormwater backup where drainage is overwhelmed; and in hilly country, undermined driveways, culverts, and access roads that turn a simple extraction call into a logistics problem.

The play: stage equipment now rather than after the first call. Pre-position air movers, dehumidifiers, and extraction gear toward the warned corridor; keep an on-call rotation through the evening because water-intrusion calls typically start within hours of the water receding and keep coming for days as people discover damage — the tenant who finds a soaked closet, the vacation-rental manager doing post-weekend checks, the homeowner who thought the carpet would dry on its own.

Field discipline: photo-document everything before mitigation starts; moisture-map every affected room (water migrates farther than the eye line suggests); capture the address, the water source, and the affected areas on the very first call; and keep the homeowner’s payment responsibility clear in writing before work starts. In a fast-moving multi-call afternoon, the first-call notes are what keep a clean job clean.

FEMA & federal assistance

If your home or business takes water damage, federal help may be available once the immediate danger passes. The FEMA Helpline is 1-800-621-3362 (7 a.m.–10 p.m. local time, 7 days a week). You can also apply at DisasterAssistance.gov, through the FEMA mobile app, or find a local Disaster Recovery Center at fema.gov/drc.

Basic eligibility generally requires U.S. citizenship or qualified non-citizen status, identity verification, proof of occupancy or ownership of the damaged property, and unmet needs not covered by insurance. Apply as soon as it’s safe to do so — federal assistance timelines move faster when applications are in early.

Looking ahead

The warning is scheduled to expire at 4:00 PM MDT (3:00 PM PDT), but expiring warnings don’t mean the water disappears on schedule. In flash-flood terrain, creeks and low crossings can crest after the warning lifts, and a second round of storms can re-trigger flooding over ground that’s already saturated — the later Texas and New Mexico warnings today show exactly how one afternoon can stack multiple rounds.

Watch the NWS Albuquerque NM office page through the evening for updates, extensions, or a new warning polygon, and keep an eye on radar for training storms over the same area. For restoration teams, the demand window opens as the water recedes: the first calls come from people standing in it, the longer tail comes from people who discover it — and the second wave of calls after a flash flood can run for days.

Sources & how to verify

• NWS alert (issued 1:01 PM MDT, expires 4:00 PM MDT) — read 1:16 PM PDT
• NWS Albuquerque NM forecast office — read 1:16 PM PDT

To verify for your own county or ZIP: go to weather.gov, enter your ZIP, or open the forecast-office page for your area and check the current watches, warnings, and advisories.

This post is for informational purposes and is not an official weather warning. Always follow instructions from local authorities and the National Weather Service.

Active Flash Flood Warning for Southeastern Cumberland County, TN — issued by NWS Nashville TN at 2:01 PM CDT, in effect until 4:00 PM CDT (2:00 PM PDT).

Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 2 and 3 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 0.5 to 1 inch are possible in the warned area. This is exactly the profile that produces the interior-flooding jobs restoration teams see most: water finding its way into homes and businesses through every low point, drainage systems overwhelmed, and saturated ground that keeps feeding the damage long after the rain stops.

This is a live snapshot as of 1:16 PM PDT. Conditions change fast — always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.

Southeastern Cumberland County, TN — Flash Flood Warning

The NWS Nashville TN issued this Flash Flood Warning at 2:01 PM CDT, in effect until 4:00 PM CDT. Coverage: southeastern Cumberland County in Middle Tennessee.

What the radar shows: Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 2 and 3 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 0.5 to 1 inch are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

HAZARD: Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

SOURCE: Radar indicated.

IMPACT: Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas.

Locations that will experience flash flooding: Crab Orchard, Cumberland Mountain State Park and Lake Tansi.

2–3 inches already fallen makes this the heaviest rainfall total of the day's warnings — and the locations include a state park and a large lake community.

Primary sources: the NWS alert and the NWS Nashville TN forecast office page.

Stay safe right now

Turn around, don’t drown. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles — never drive through flooded roadways. Six inches of fast-moving water can knock an adult down; a foot of water can float most cars; two feet can carry away a truck. If you encounter a flooded road, find another route.

If water enters your home: stay out of standing water where electricity may be present; avoid the basement until the water recedes and the power is confirmed off; photograph everything before any cleanup — that documentation is what an insurance claim runs on — then call a local restoration contractor. Water left sitting starts a second wave of damage within a day: saturated materials breed mold, warp finishes, and wick up walls far beyond the visible waterline.

Heed the warning’s own instructions: Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles.

What this means for restoration teams

This is the day’s heaviest-totals warning: 2 to 3 inches of rain already on the ground in southeastern Cumberland County, with up to another inch possible. The named locations tell a story a restoration operator reads instantly — Crab Orchard, Cumberland Mountain State Park, and Lake Tansi. State parks mean campgrounds, cabins, and park structures; Lake Tansi means a large vacation-home and resort community. Both mean transient occupants who may not know the local low spots, and rental properties where damage gets discovered days later by the next guest or the property manager.

The damage profile of a flash flood warning like this is the bread and butter of water-mitigation work: interior water intrusion through doors, vents, and low walls; saturated drywall and insulation that won’t dry on its own; mold risk inside 24–48 hours if wet materials sit; sewage or stormwater backup where drainage is overwhelmed; and in hilly country, undermined driveways, culverts, and access roads that turn a simple extraction call into a logistics problem.

The play: stage equipment now rather than after the first call. Pre-position air movers, dehumidifiers, and extraction gear toward the warned corridor; keep an on-call rotation through the evening because water-intrusion calls typically start within hours of the water receding and keep coming for days as people discover damage — the tenant who finds a soaked closet, the vacation-rental manager doing post-weekend checks, the homeowner who thought the carpet would dry on its own.

Field discipline: photo-document everything before mitigation starts; moisture-map every affected room (water migrates farther than the eye line suggests); capture the address, the water source, and the affected areas on the very first call; and keep the homeowner’s payment responsibility clear in writing before work starts. In a fast-moving multi-call afternoon, the first-call notes are what keep a clean job clean.

FEMA & federal assistance

If your home or business takes water damage, federal help may be available once the immediate danger passes. The FEMA Helpline is 1-800-621-3362 (7 a.m.–10 p.m. local time, 7 days a week). You can also apply at DisasterAssistance.gov, through the FEMA mobile app, or find a local Disaster Recovery Center at fema.gov/drc.

Basic eligibility generally requires U.S. citizenship or qualified non-citizen status, identity verification, proof of occupancy or ownership of the damaged property, and unmet needs not covered by insurance. Apply as soon as it’s safe to do so — federal assistance timelines move faster when applications are in early.

Looking ahead

The warning is scheduled to expire at 4:00 PM CDT (2:00 PM PDT), but expiring warnings don’t mean the water disappears on schedule. In flash-flood terrain, creeks and low crossings can crest after the warning lifts, and a second round of storms can re-trigger flooding over ground that’s already saturated — the later Texas and New Mexico warnings today show exactly how one afternoon can stack multiple rounds.

Watch the NWS Nashville TN office page through the evening for updates, extensions, or a new warning polygon, and keep an eye on radar for training storms over the same area. For restoration teams, the demand window opens as the water recedes: the first calls come from people standing in it, the longer tail comes from people who discover it — and the second wave of calls after a flash flood can run for days.

Sources & how to verify

• NWS alert (issued 2:01 PM CDT, expires 4:00 PM CDT) — read 1:16 PM PDT
• NWS Nashville TN forecast office — read 1:16 PM PDT

To verify for your own county or ZIP: go to weather.gov, enter your ZIP, or open the forecast-office page for your area and check the current watches, warnings, and advisories.

This post is for informational purposes and is not an official weather warning. Always follow instructions from local authorities and the National Weather Service.

Active Flash Flood Warning for The Lee Burn Scar, Northeastern Rio Blanco County, CO — issued by NWS Grand Junction CO at 1:29 PM MDT, in effect until 4:30 PM MDT (3:30 PM PDT).

Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain over the Lee Burn Scar. Between 0.25 and 0.75 inches of rain have fallen. The expected rainfall rate is 1 to 3 inches in 1 hour; additional rainfall amounts of 0.25 to 0.5 inches are possible in the warned area. This is exactly the profile that produces the interior-flooding jobs restoration teams see most: water finding its way into homes and businesses through every low point, drainage systems overwhelmed, and saturated ground that keeps feeding the damage long after the rain stops.

This is a live snapshot as of 1:16 PM PDT. Conditions change fast — always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.

The Lee Burn Scar, Northeastern Rio Blanco County, CO — Flash Flood Warning

The NWS Grand Junction CO issued this Flash Flood Warning at 1:29 PM MDT, in effect until 4:30 PM MDT. Coverage: northeastern Rio Blanco County in northwestern Colorado, in and around the Lee Burn Scar.

What the radar shows: Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain over the Lee Burn Scar. Between 0.25 and 0.75 inches of rain have fallen. The expected rainfall rate is 1 to 3 inches in 1 hour; additional rainfall amounts of 0.25 to 0.5 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

HAZARD: Life threatening flash flooding. Thunderstorms producing flash flooding in and around the Lee Burn Scar.

SOURCE: Radar indicated.

IMPACT: Life threatening flash flooding of areas in and around the Lee Burn Scar.

Locations that will experience flash flooding: Mainly rural areas of northeastern Rio Blanco County, in and around the Lee Burn Scar.

The alert calls out debris flows explicitly: excessive rainfall over the warning area will cause mud slides near steep terrain — mud slides can consist of rock, mud, vegetation and other loose materials. CONSIDERABLE damage threat, Imminent Threat WEA push.

Primary sources: the NWS alert and the NWS Grand Junction CO forecast office page.

Stay safe right now

Turn around, don’t drown. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles — never drive through flooded roadways. Six inches of fast-moving water can knock an adult down; a foot of water can float most cars; two feet can carry away a truck. If you encounter a flooded road, find another route.

If water enters your home: stay out of standing water where electricity may be present; avoid the basement until the water recedes and the power is confirmed off; photograph everything before any cleanup — that documentation is what an insurance claim runs on — then call a local restoration contractor. Water left sitting starts a second wave of damage within a day: saturated materials breed mold, warp finishes, and wick up walls far beyond the visible waterline.

Heed the warning’s own instructions: This is a life threatening situation. Heavy rainfall will cause extensive and severe flash flooding of creeks, streams and ditches in the Lee Burn Scar. Severe debris flows can also be anticipated across roads. Roads and driveways may be washed away in places. If you encounter flood waters — climb to safety. Turn around, don't drown.

What this means for restoration teams

The most dangerous warning of the day: a burn scar under an expected 1-to-3-inches-per-hour rainfall rate, with the warning explicitly calling out debris flows — mud slides of rock, mud, vegetation and loose material that can wash away roads and driveways. Debris-laden water changes the restoration calculus: ash, mud, and vegetation in the water mean contamination, which means more tear-out, not less. Anyone downstream of the Lee Burn Scar is in the life-threatening zone until this expires.

The damage profile of a flash flood warning like this is the bread and butter of water-mitigation work: interior water intrusion through doors, vents, and low walls; saturated drywall and insulation that won’t dry on its own; mold risk inside 24–48 hours if wet materials sit; sewage or stormwater backup where drainage is overwhelmed; and in hilly country, undermined driveways, culverts, and access roads that turn a simple extraction call into a logistics problem.

The play: stage equipment now rather than after the first call. Pre-position air movers, dehumidifiers, and extraction gear toward the warned corridor; keep an on-call rotation through the evening because water-intrusion calls typically start within hours of the water receding and keep coming for days as people discover damage — the tenant who finds a soaked closet, the vacation-rental manager doing post-weekend checks, the homeowner who thought the carpet would dry on its own.

Field discipline: photo-document everything before mitigation starts; moisture-map every affected room (water migrates farther than the eye line suggests); capture the address, the water source, and the affected areas on the very first call; and keep the homeowner’s payment responsibility clear in writing before work starts. In a fast-moving multi-call afternoon, the first-call notes are what keep a clean job clean.

FEMA & federal assistance

If your home or business takes water damage, federal help may be available once the immediate danger passes. The FEMA Helpline is 1-800-621-3362 (7 a.m.–10 p.m. local time, 7 days a week). You can also apply at DisasterAssistance.gov, through the FEMA mobile app, or find a local Disaster Recovery Center at fema.gov/drc.

Basic eligibility generally requires U.S. citizenship or qualified non-citizen status, identity verification, proof of occupancy or ownership of the damaged property, and unmet needs not covered by insurance. Apply as soon as it’s safe to do so — federal assistance timelines move faster when applications are in early.

Looking ahead

The warning is scheduled to expire at 4:30 PM MDT (3:30 PM PDT), but expiring warnings don’t mean the water disappears on schedule. In flash-flood terrain, creeks and low crossings can crest after the warning lifts, and a second round of storms can re-trigger flooding over ground that’s already saturated — the later Texas and New Mexico warnings today show exactly how one afternoon can stack multiple rounds.

Watch the NWS Grand Junction CO office page through the evening for updates, extensions, or a new warning polygon, and keep an eye on radar for training storms over the same area. For restoration teams, the demand window opens as the water recedes: the first calls come from people standing in it, the longer tail comes from people who discover it — and the second wave of calls after a flash flood can run for days.

Sources & how to verify

• NWS alert (issued 1:29 PM MDT, expires 4:30 PM MDT) — read 1:16 PM PDT
• NWS Grand Junction CO forecast office — read 1:16 PM PDT

To verify for your own county or ZIP: go to weather.gov, enter your ZIP, or open the forecast-office page for your area and check the current watches, warnings, and advisories.

This post is for informational purposes and is not an official weather warning. Always follow instructions from local authorities and the National Weather Service.

Active Flash Flood Warning for Southwestern Mesa County, CO — issued by NWS Grand Junction CO at 1:38 PM MDT, in effect until 4:45 PM MDT (3:45 PM PDT).

Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Thunderstorms producing heavy rain are in progress; the expected rainfall rate is 1 inch in 30 minutes. The expected rainfall rate is 1 inch in 30 minutes — an intense short-burst rate. This is exactly the profile that produces the interior-flooding jobs restoration teams see most: water finding its way into homes and businesses through every low point, drainage systems overwhelmed, and saturated ground that keeps feeding the damage long after the rain stops.

This is a live snapshot as of 1:16 PM PDT. Conditions change fast — always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.

Southwestern Mesa County, CO — Flash Flood Warning

The NWS Grand Junction CO issued this Flash Flood Warning at 1:38 PM MDT, in effect until 4:45 PM MDT. Coverage: southwestern Mesa County in west central Colorado.

What the radar shows: Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Thunderstorms producing heavy rain are in progress; the expected rainfall rate is 1 inch in 30 minutes. The expected rainfall rate is 1 inch in 30 minutes — an intense short-burst rate. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

HAZARD: Flash flooding. Thunderstorms producing flash flooding.

SOURCE: Radar indicated.

IMPACT: Flash flooding of creeks and streams.

Locations that will experience flash flooding: Gateway and the Turner Gulch burn scar area.

The Gateway/Turner Gulch burn scar is named in the warning path — burn scars flood far more easily than unburned ground, and this warning carries a CONSIDERABLE damage threat with an Imminent Threat WEA push.

Primary sources: the NWS alert and the NWS Grand Junction CO forecast office page.

Stay safe right now

Turn around, don’t drown. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles — never drive through flooded roadways. Six inches of fast-moving water can knock an adult down; a foot of water can float most cars; two feet can carry away a truck. If you encounter a flooded road, find another route.

If water enters your home: stay out of standing water where electricity may be present; avoid the basement until the water recedes and the power is confirmed off; photograph everything before any cleanup — that documentation is what an insurance claim runs on — then call a local restoration contractor. Water left sitting starts a second wave of damage within a day: saturated materials breed mold, warp finishes, and wick up walls far beyond the visible waterline.

Heed the warning’s own instructions: Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles.

What this means for restoration teams

This is the day’s burn-scar warning: Gateway and the Turner Gulch burn scar area in southwestern Mesa County. Burn scars are a known force multiplier — hydrophobic soils shed water instead of absorbing it, so even modest rainfall runs off fast. Here the rate isn’t modest at all: the warning cites 1 inch in 30 minutes, an intense short-burst rate. That combination — burn scar plus inch-in-30-minutes — is exactly the profile that produces ash- and debris-laden water, choked culverts, and washouts on rural roads.

The damage profile of a flash flood warning like this is the bread and butter of water-mitigation work: interior water intrusion through doors, vents, and low walls; saturated drywall and insulation that won’t dry on its own; mold risk inside 24–48 hours if wet materials sit; sewage or stormwater backup where drainage is overwhelmed; and in hilly country, undermined driveways, culverts, and access roads that turn a simple extraction call into a logistics problem.

The play: stage equipment now rather than after the first call. Pre-position air movers, dehumidifiers, and extraction gear toward the warned corridor; keep an on-call rotation through the evening because water-intrusion calls typically start within hours of the water receding and keep coming for days as people discover damage — the tenant who finds a soaked closet, the vacation-rental manager doing post-weekend checks, the homeowner who thought the carpet would dry on its own.

Field discipline: photo-document everything before mitigation starts; moisture-map every affected room (water migrates farther than the eye line suggests); capture the address, the water source, and the affected areas on the very first call; and keep the homeowner’s payment responsibility clear in writing before work starts. In a fast-moving multi-call afternoon, the first-call notes are what keep a clean job clean.

FEMA & federal assistance

If your home or business takes water damage, federal help may be available once the immediate danger passes. The FEMA Helpline is 1-800-621-3362 (7 a.m.–10 p.m. local time, 7 days a week). You can also apply at DisasterAssistance.gov, through the FEMA mobile app, or find a local Disaster Recovery Center at fema.gov/drc.

Basic eligibility generally requires U.S. citizenship or qualified non-citizen status, identity verification, proof of occupancy or ownership of the damaged property, and unmet needs not covered by insurance. Apply as soon as it’s safe to do so — federal assistance timelines move faster when applications are in early.

Looking ahead

The warning is scheduled to expire at 4:45 PM MDT (3:45 PM PDT), but expiring warnings don’t mean the water disappears on schedule. In flash-flood terrain, creeks and low crossings can crest after the warning lifts, and a second round of storms can re-trigger flooding over ground that’s already saturated — the later Texas and New Mexico warnings today show exactly how one afternoon can stack multiple rounds.

Watch the NWS Grand Junction CO office page through the evening for updates, extensions, or a new warning polygon, and keep an eye on radar for training storms over the same area. For restoration teams, the demand window opens as the water recedes: the first calls come from people standing in it, the longer tail comes from people who discover it — and the second wave of calls after a flash flood can run for days.

Sources & how to verify

• NWS alert (issued 1:38 PM MDT, expires 4:45 PM MDT) — read 1:16 PM PDT
• NWS Grand Junction CO forecast office — read 1:16 PM PDT

To verify for your own county or ZIP: go to weather.gov, enter your ZIP, or open the forecast-office page for your area and check the current watches, warnings, and advisories.

This post is for informational purposes and is not an official weather warning. Always follow instructions from local authorities and the National Weather Service.