More than two inches of rain fell across Santa Fe in just hours Monday night. That’s almost 15 percent of New Mexico’s annual rainfall. During storms like this roads can be just as dangerous as arroyos.
So, imagine you’re driving, it’s raining. Suddenly, there are several inches of water under your car and it becomes a shallow-water-submarine. If you are not yet floating or being carried away by a current, pull over and wait it out.
“Trying to navigate through you know flooded roads, flooded intersections is just a recipe for disaster and you want to avoid that at all costs,” said the National Weather Service's Kerry Jones. Patience is the best advice, he said, and waiting 20 to 30 minutes can greatly improve conditions.
Most of New Mexico is expected to be hit hard again throughout the week – severe thunderstorms, heavy rain, hail, damaging winds and the potential for flash floods.