Roswell and Chaves County saw flooding, street closures and some property damage Friday, after heavy rain fell in the area.
In all, 2 to 3 inches fell in the Roswell area Thursday and overnight, according to Clay Anderson, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Albuquerque.
The rain comes as Chaves County and New Mexico’s 32 other counties have been under flood watches all week. Total rainfall amounts in Chaves County have ranged from 4 to 5 inches since Tuesday, Anderson said. This includes 4.56 inches near downtown Roswell and an estimated 5.19 inches in Lake Arthur.
Significant rainfall was reported Thursday began in Roswell between 6 and 8 p.m., resumed at midnight and continued until at least 5:28 a.m., Friday, Anderson added.
“So, it was pretty widespread, soaking rainfall across the county,” Anderson said. The amounts that fell after midnight had not been measured as of Friday morning.
Across the city on Friday water was seen on the streets, collecting at intersections. Roswell Police rescued at least one stranded motorist after midnight Friday at the intersection of South Main and East Poe streets, according to Todd Wildermuth, public information officer for the Roswell Police Department.
“The woman got out and she is okay. The vehicle remained at the intersection until the water receded further,” Wildermuth said.
City departments were preparing their equipment and vehicles for the possible rescues. That included the Roswell Fire Department’s light medium tactical vehicle designed for high-water rescues. Members of the city’s Swiftwater Rescue Team, composed of personnel from the Roswell police and fire departments, held briefings to prepare for the storms, Wildermith said.
Elsewhere, the city collaborated with the Red Cross to possibly open a shelter, which Wildermuth said was ultimately not needed. Sandbags were also distributed.
No city property was damaged, though private property owners were not as fortunate. A canopy above the gas pumps at an Allsup’s at the corner of Southeast Main and East Hobbs had collapsed overnight. A store employee said the structure fell because of the heavy rain.
Alex Ross | Roswell Tribune
The rain and the muddy conditions it created also kept the Roswell Landfill closed as efforts are underway to restore some of the roads, according to a post on the city’s Facebook page.
Residents in surrounding communities were also impacted by the showers.
Most low-water crossings along the Felix River, Berrendo Creek and Zuber Draw, had to be closed. Assessments of the damage were not completed as of late Friday morning, but Alex Palomino, Chaves County public service director, said that damage so far had been minimal, with only a few spots on Old YO Road and some rural areas experiencing minor road washouts.
Water was also flowing over the bridge on Morgan Road near Hagerman that extends over a section of the Felix River. Palomino said because of this, motorists traveling in or out of Hagerman should avoid Morgan Road.
Lake Arthur Municipal Schools was the only school district in the county to cancel classes Friday, citing the road conditions produced by the rain.
Rain is still expected Friday and Friday night as Chaves County remains under a flood watch until midnight. The National Weather Service has forecast a 30% chance of rain for Friday after 3 p.m. until midnight, with the potential for more flooding.
Sunny weather is expected over the weekend, but showers and thunderstorms are expected for the area between Monday, Sept. 28, and Thursday, Oct. 1, with the chance of precipitation ranging anywhere from 20% to 70%.
