NEWS
Albuquerque arroyo rescue, Los Lunas landspout: Weather impacts region
Forecast shows a move from rain showers to dry, hot weather throughout state over weekend
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New Mexico State Police officers on Thursday rescued a person from a Northeast Albuquerque arroyo filled by afternoon rain.
Lt. Jason Fejer, spokesperson for Albuquerque Fire Rescue, said firefighters were dispatched around 5:20 p.m. after learning a person had been swept away in an arroyo near Carlisle and Embudo/North Diversion Channel just north of Interstate 40.
鈥淲e went to all of our designated launch flood channel response locations and then we got reports that State (Police) had actually made contact with an individual right here west of Carlisle,鈥� Fejer said, pointing toward the arroyo where the person was found.
Two State Police officers went to rescue the person, who was not identified Thursday evening, after a witness alerted officers to the situation, Fejer said. The person was transported to a hospital in stable condition, he said.
State Police were not present during the news conference, though Fejer said the officers said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 all about saving lives and that鈥檚 what we鈥檙e here for.鈥�
鈥淭hey鈥檙e not equipped for flood channel rescue like we are, and they improvised and actually tied off a section of fire hose and went into the arroyo to effect a rescue,鈥� he said.
Fejer credited officers for conducting a rescue without proper equipment.
鈥淭hey worked with what they had and actually got that individual out of the arroyo, which is difficult with all the proper gear, and they made it work without any of the right stuff,鈥� he said.
Landspout in Los Lunas
While rain showers proved dangerous in Albuquerque, Los Lunas experienced a small landspout that whipped dust and debris into the air.
Social media videos showed the landspout near Main Street, just off Interstate 25, spinning before throwing debris into an electrical line. Videos showed multiple vehicles in a parking lot with broken windows, damaged bumpers and other wreckage.
鈥淭hese are not particularly uncommon,鈥� said Matt DeMaria, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Albuquerque. 鈥淥ftentimes, they鈥檙e out in the plains, and it鈥檚 not a huge deal, but this one was in an urban area, and so they can do damage.鈥�
DeMaria said landspouts are considered 鈥渓ower-end鈥� tornadoes that move at 100 mph or slower. The weather phenomenon is more common in places like east Texas.
Aftermath of the f1 tornado 馃尓锔� in Los Lunas
Weekend weather
Going forward, the weekend will bring 鈥渁 pretty stark pattern change,鈥� DeMaria said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be dry and windy weather, so more typical of what we would see in early June and late May,鈥� he said.
Southwesterly winds are expected to sweep through the state, bringing in high temperatures with minimal rainfall, DeMaria said. Albuquerque temperatures are forecast to reach the mid-90s, while places like Roswell may reach 100 to 105 degrees.
Santa Fe will have slightly lower temperatures reaching between the upper 80s and low 90s on Saturday and Sunday.
Although the state is in monsoon season, critical fire weather conditions remain prevalent. DeMaria warned against sparking campfires and throwing cigarette butts outside.
Nakayla McClelland covers crime and breaking news. Reach her at nmcclelland@abqjournal.com or at 505-823-3857.
