Rain began clearing over the US Southwest on Monday, but the danger was far from over as massive floodwaters from days of torrential downpours forced hundreds to evacuate, left one person dead and police suspect a second death was weather-related, and kept swift-water rescue teams busy across the region.
Pagosa Springs, Colorado, saw widespread damage after the San Juan River reached 16.81 feet (5.1 metres) late Sunday, below a forecast of more than 20 feet (6.1 metres). An entire home was lifted from its foundation and floated down the river before crashing into a pedestrian bridge. Archuleta County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Vicki Shaffer said a road bridge west of the town buckled under raging waters, and first responders were searching for people who may be stranded, with at least one rescue by helicopter Monday. In a Facebook post, the sheriff's office said: “To put the forecast into perspective, during the devastating 1911 flood that wiped out most of what existed as the town of Pagosa at that time, the San Juan River crested at approximately 17.8 feet.”
But the storm system was not limited to Colorado. Evacuations were ordered along the San Juan River in New Mexico, where officials warned the river was still rising and could crest Tuesday through Wednesday. The village of Chama, New Mexico, was evacuated and cut off by road closures. In Durango, Colorado, police Chief Brice Current said authorities were checking on those who had stayed behind, and added that "there's still a lot of people stranded."
Record rainfall was reported across Arizona. Flagstaff received 5.15 inches (13 centimetres) over two days, making for its wettest November 1 ever recorded. A man was seen falling into floodwaters rushing into a drainage tunnel on Sunday; police identified him as Williams Singavarapu, 73, of New York, and said his body was discovered about 15 blocks away on Monday. A second man was found dead in a drainage area Monday, Flagstaff police said, pending an official determination on the cause of death. In Sedona, floodwaters trapped people in their homes and washed out part of a highway. Swift-water rescues also took place in Tucson, where meteorologist Aaron Hardin of the National Weather Service said “we are getting two or three months of rain in a span of a couple of days.”
In Utah's Navajo Nation near Montezuma Creek, Ryan Benally spent the weekend building dirt berms to divert water from his parents' home. Their small cattle ranch was partly underwater, and Benally, a professor at Utah State University, has been coordinating deliveries of bottled water, boots and other supplies. "These storms have been one after another after another," Benally said. "It's compounding in ways people out here just weren't prepared for."
More than 20 trillion gallons of rain have fallen on the Four Corners states and Nevada in the past two weeks, according to calculations by former National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration chief scientist Ryan Maue. The Colorado Secretary of State's office arranged alternative voting plans for evacuated or stranded residents of Pagosa Springs.
In Durango, Greg Ewing was among about 200 community members who used shovels and skid steers to remove mud in Bradner's neighborhood. “That's the cool thing about Durango. It's a really strong community. Everyone comes together,” Ewing said.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The record rainfall and widespread flooding underscore how climate change and El Niño are intensifying extreme weather in arid regions, with consequences for infrastructure, public safety, and emergency preparedness.
- The event disrupted voting access in Colorado and isolated remote communities, highlighting the civic impact of natural disasters.
- Cleanup and repairs could take weeks, and rivers in New Mexico remain at risk of cresting, prolonging the threat to lives and property.
Background
The US Southwest has been deluged by a series of powerful Pacific storms fueled by El Niño, a warming of Pacific waters that alters weather patterns. Over two weeks, the Four Corners region where Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah meet received more than 20 trillion gallons of rain. Pagosa Springs, Colorado, a town of about 2,000, was nearly destroyed by the San Juan River in a 1911 flood, when the river crested at about 17.8 feet. This week, the river approached that level but did not exceed it. The same storm system produced record November rainfall in Flagstaff, Arizona, and caused flash flooding in normally dry creeks across the state.
What to Watch
- The San Juan River in New Mexico is expected to crest Tuesday or Wednesday, which could force additional evacuations.
- Officials will continue assessing damage to bridges and roads; some remain closed indefinitely.
- More isolated cloudbursts remain possible across the region, potentially complicating recovery efforts.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 2 sources: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe headline says rain cleared while flood risk remained high after destructive storms hit the Southwest.OPB: “Rain was clearing but the risk of flooding remained high on Monday after the latest round of powerful downpours sent a massive amount of water surging through storm-weary parts of the Southwest”
- SupportedThe summary says two men were found dead in Flagstaff.OPB: “Police said the body of Williams Singavarapu, 73, of New York, was discovered Monday about 15 blocks from where he disappeared. A second man was found dead Monday in a drainage area, Flagstaff police said”
- SupportedThe Pagosa Springs river crest was lower than a forecast of more than 20 feet.
- SupportedThe opening says one person died in the floodwaters and police suspect a second death was weather-related.OPB: “One person died in the floodwaters and police suspect a second death was weather-related.”
- SupportedThe opening says hundreds were forced to evacuate and swift-water rescue teams remained busy.OPB: “forcing hundreds to evacuate as swift-water rescue teams kept busy.”
- Partly supportedThe story says a road bridge west of Pagosa Springs buckled, without specifying that only a section buckled.OPB: “A section of a road bridge west of the town “buckled” under raging waters”
- SupportedThe sheriff’s office said the San Juan River crested at approximately 17.8 feet during the 1911 flood.World news | The Guardian: ““To put the forecast into perspective, during the devastating 1911 flood that wiped out most of what existed as the town of Pagosa at that time, the San Juan River crested at approximately 17.8 feet””
- SupportedDurango police Chief Brice Current said, “there's still a lot of people stranded.”OPB: ““There’s still a lot of people stranded,” Current said.”
- SupportedAaron Hardin said, “we are getting two or three months of rain in a span of a couple of days.”OPB: “weather service meteorologist Aaron Hardin said “we are getting two or three months of rain in a span of a couple of days.””
- SupportedRyan Benally said, “These storms have been one after another after another.”OPB: ““These storms have been one after another after another,” Benally said.”
- SupportedRyan Benally said the storms were compounding in ways people there were not prepared for.OPB: ““It’s compounding in ways people out here just weren’t prepared for.””
- SupportedGreg Ewing said, “That's the cool thing about Durango. It's a really strong community. Everyone comes together.”OPB: ““That’s the cool thing about Durango. It’s a really strong community. Everyone comes together,” Ewing said.”