Southern New Mexico saw above average rainfall this monsoon season. Here's a look at the totals.

Leah Romero, Las Cruces Sun-News
·2 min read
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Irrigated pecan trees get a drizzling of rain south of Las Cruces, N.M. on Tuesday, June 21, 2022.
Irrigated pecan trees get a drizzling of rain south of Las Cruces, N.M. on Tuesday, June 21, 2022.

LAS CRUCES – Monsoon season was especially rainy this year compared to recent decades, according to numbers from the New Mexico state climatologist.

New Mexico’s monsoon, or rainy season came to a close at the end of September. David DuBois, New Mexico climatologist, said southern New Mexico collection points documented above normal totals.

Normal totals were identified by taking the average rainfall numbers between 1991 and 2020.

Between June 15 and Sept 30, 2022, rainfall totals included:

  • New Mexico State University campus: 5.58 inches (5.33 inches normal)

  • El Paso International Airport: 5.85 inches (5.27 inches normal)

  • White Sands National Park: 8.70 inches (5.43 inches normal)

  • Deming: 7.04 inches (5.48 inches normal)

  • Ruidoso: 17.61 inches (12.41 inches normal)

  • Sierra Blanca: 24.40 inches (16.54 inches normal)

The Sierra Blanca Mountain Range in Lincoln and Otero counties saw the highest amount of precipitation and largest increase from the normal rainfall.

Numbers also varied throughout Las Cruces and surrounding areas:

  • NMSU: 5.3 to 5.9 inches

  • Mesilla: 4.52 inches

  • Las Alturas: 7 to 7.5 inches

  • Talavera: 7.8 to 9.65 inches

  • East Mesa along U.S. 70: 5.4 to 10.65 inches

  • Southwest Las Cruces: 3 to 5 inches

  • North of Picacho: 3.4 to 4.3 inches

  • Toward Mesquite: 6.4 inches

  • Santa Teresa: 6 to 7 inches

  • Chaparral: 8.1 inches

  • White Sands Missile Range: 10.59 to 10.95 inches

  • Fort Seldon: 7 inches

  • East of Hatch: 9.3 to 9.4 inches

Rainfall since Sept. 30 is not considered part of the monsoon season. The cooler, rainy weather systems of recent weeks are part of the normal pattern seen during the fall.

While the monsoonal rains were beneficial to the dry desert of southern New Mexico, the state is still experiencing drought. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Doña Ana County is “Abnormally Dry,” the ranking just above no drought. Much of southern New Mexico falls into this category, save for a few areas experiencing Moderate Drought.

Eastern New Mexico is the driest portion of the state with Extreme to Exceptional Drought levels documented.

Weather is expected to be relatively dry this fall through winter season. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted La Niña weather patterns this year, meaning warm, dry conditions in the southwest.

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Leah Romero is the trending reporter at the Las Cruces Sun-News and can be reached at 575-418-3442, LRomero@lcsun-news.com or @rromero_leah on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Monsoon season brought above average rainfall to southern New Mexico