Evacuations underway as Southwest flooding threatens dam failure
Tropical moisture from Hurricane Polo and a pair of other weather systems are fueling dangerous flooding from the Southwest into the Plains, with more rounds of heavy rain expected through Friday.
As floodwaters surged over the top of a 20-foot-tall earthen dam in Garfield, New Mexico, emergency evacuations were ordered in case of a complete failure.
Floodwaters breached a 20-foot dam wall in southern New Mexico on Tuesday, sending water into Garfield as tropical moisture fueled dangerous flooding across the Southwest.
Video captured flooding in the community after the breach, marking a sharp escalation in a flooding emergency that had already prompted residents near McLeod Dam to evacuate.
Earlier Tuesday, the National Weather Service issued a flash flood emergency after dam operators and county officials reported that failure was imminent. The warning covered rural areas between Garfield and Salem, including portions of Highways 187 and 390 and nearby canals and drainage ditches.
“At 2:01 PM MDT, dam operators and county officials reported the imminent failure of McLeod Dam,” according to the NWS warning.
Those in rural areas between Garfield and Salem were told to get to higher ground immediately.
The emergency unfolded amid a broader round of Southwest flooding as moisture from Pacific hurricanes fueled heavy rain, dangerous road conditions and water rescues.
Flooding in Laughlin, Nevada, on Sept. 29, 2026. (Image credit: RocDrAdventures/X)
Hurricane Polo made its second landfall in Mexico on Tuesday, while deep tropical moisture connected to the storm streamed northward into the United States. Flash flooding was reported in parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada as roads filled with fast-moving water.
The village of Ruidoso, New Mexico, issued a voluntary evacuation notice for those in Upper Canyon beyond Main and Fox roads due to the risk of landslides. A shelter is open at Gateway Church.
In Doña Ana County, New Mexico, floodwater inundated a roadway on Sept. 28 following heavy rain. Video showed some motorists stopping as surging water crossed the road, while others attempted to drive through.
Farther west in Deming, New Mexico, multiple vehicles became trapped Tuesday as widespread flooding closed roads. Firefighters helped push at least one stalled vehicle from the floodwater.
Video shows firefighters pushing a vehicle through deep water in Deming, New Mexico. Multiple vehicles became trapped as widespread street flooding led to road closures on Sept. 29.
Flooding also created hazardous travel in southern Nevada. Video from Laughlin showed drivers navigating water-covered roads as swift-moving runoff pushed debris onto the pavement.
In Henderson, Nevada, firefighters pulled one person to safety Monday after a vehicle became stranded in about 2 feet of water near Paradise Hills Drive and Interstate 11.
The Henderson, Nevada, Fire Department Technical Rescue team pulled a person to safety during flooding on Sept. 28, 2026. (Image credit: Henderson Fire Department)
What's fueling the multi-day flood threat?
The flooding is part of a much larger, three-pronged weather setup that AccuWeather meteorologists say could produce dangerous conditions across more than a dozen states.
A combination of leftover moisture from former Hurricane Odalys, moisture streaming north from Polo and a storm system moving in from the West is creating what forecasters describe as a three-pronged flood threat.
“In some places, especially in New Mexico, this may be the most dangerous flash flooding risk in the last five years or more,” AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter said.
Rain and thunderstorms are expected to continue across parts of the Southwest, South Central states and Plains through Friday. Some areas could receive 4-8 inches of rain, with locally higher amounts possible where thunderstorms repeatedly move over the same locations or terrain enhances rainfall. The AccuWeather Local StormMax™ is 18 inches.
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