Ruidoso Flash Flooding - Record Crest for the Rio Ruidoso River

A slow-moving monsoonal thunderstorm developed over the burn scars from last year’s South Fork and Salt wildfires west of Ruidoso. In a short period of time, .5-2.5" of rain fell as these thunderstorms wrung out 2.5 inches of rain directly over the burnt terrain, producing rapid runoff.

The Rio Ruidoso rose explosively, jumping nearly 19 ft within minutes and cresting at a staggering 20.24 ft, approximately 5 ft above the previous record of 15.86 ft set on July 20, 2024.

Ruidoso is a tourist town but the area has been plagued with active wildfires, in past years and these scarred terrain lead to flash flooding due to lack off vegetation, significantly reducing soil absorption and boosting surface runoff. Flood watches remain in place for the day today as more afternoon monsoonal storms are expected to develop in the area.