The National Weather Service recorded most of Bernalillo County west of the Rio Grande receiving 5.5 to 7.5 inches of rain in 2015, and parts of Rio Rancho and eastern Albuquerque receiving as much as 8 to 10 inches in 2018. A monsoon can soak one part of the metro far more than another, so storm checks are made for each building.
Key takeaways
- The National Weather Service reports that most of Bernalillo County west of the Rio Grande received 5.5 to 7.5 inches of rain in 2015.
- The same agency reports that parts of Rio Rancho and eastern Albuquerque received as much as 8 to 10 inches of rain in 2018.
- The 2025 monsoon was weak for most of the metro, with only a few flash flood events, according to the National Weather Service.
- Rainfall in the monsoon is patchy, so one storm can soak one neighborhood and miss the next.
- A quiet season does not make a building safe, because the next storm can be heavy.
- The totals describe the county and the named areas, and each building's risk depends on its ground, roof and drains.
What did the 2015 monsoon bring to Bernalillo County?
The National Weather Service recorded that most of Bernalillo County west of the Rio Grande received 5.5 to 7.5 inches of rain in 2015. That is a large amount of rain for a single season, and it was spread across most of the county on that side of the river.
A total of this size across most of a county means that many buildings took water over the season, through a combination of roof leaks, storm entries and ground water. The figures describe the county as a whole, so an individual building could have taken more or less than the county average.
The 2015 figures are useful as a reminder that the monsoon can bring a heavy season across a wide area. A homeowner who lived through that season is reminded to check the roof, the gutters and the entries every year, not only in the year of a big storm.
What did the 2018 monsoon bring to Rio Rancho and eastern Albuquerque?
The National Weather Service recorded that portions of Rio Rancho and eastern Albuquerque received as much as 8 to 10 inches of rain in 2018. That is the highest figure in the record this guide uses, and it applies to parts of those areas rather than every street.
A total of 8 to 10 inches in parts of an area can overwhelm drains, window wells and yards in the same storm season. Water that cannot run off a lot finds the lowest entry to the house, and a home that sits at that point takes the water even if the next street stays dry.
The 2018 figure is for the parts of the area that received it, and the agency's summary does not say which streets those were. A homeowner in Rio Rancho or eastern Albuquerque should not assume the total applied to their own lot, and should check the lot rather than the figure.
| Year | Area named | Rainfall recorded | What it tells a homeowner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Most of Bernalillo County west of the Rio Grande | 5.5 to 7.5 inches | A wide-area season can load roofs, drains and yards across a county |
| 2018 | Portions of Rio Rancho and eastern Albuquerque | As much as 8 to 10 inches | Parts of an area can take far more rain than the average, so check the lot |
| 2025 | Most of the metro | Weak season with a few flash flood events | A quiet year does not remove the need to check the building |
Why can a monsoon soak one side of the metro more than the other?
Monsoon rain forms in storm cells that can pass over one area and miss the next. A storm can drop heavy rain on one neighborhood while the next one stays dry, and the ground, the drains and the lot decide how much of that water reaches the house.
A storm cell is small compared with a county, and it can stall over one area for a time and move on quickly from another. The same season can therefore bring many heavy storms to one part of the metro and very few to another, and the totals reflect where the cells went.
The ground also matters. A lot that slopes toward a house, a drain that is undersized for a storm, or a roof that sheds water toward one corner can concentrate water even where the rain was not especially heavy. The technician looks at the building for that reason rather than the rainfall figure.
Does a quiet year mean a building is safe?
No. The 2025 monsoon was weak for most of the metro, with a few flash flood events, but a quiet season does not show that a roof, a drain or a window well is in good condition. The next storm can be heavy, and a building that has not been checked is the one most likely to be caught out.
Repairs that were put off during a quiet year often become the cause of a leak in a heavy one. A cracked sealant, a clogged gutter or a worn garage seal is a small problem until a storm finds it, and then it becomes a flood entry or a stained ceiling.
A yearly check before the monsoon season is a practical habit. It covers the roof edges, the flashings, the gutters, the downspouts, the garage door seal, the window wells and any low point of the lot where water collects.
What do the totals mean for a single building?
The totals describe the county and the named areas, not each building. A single building's risk depends on its ground, its roof, its drains and its entries, and two houses a short distance apart can take very different amounts of water in the same storm.
A county total is an average over a large area, so it cannot tell a homeowner how much rain fell on their roof. The figure is a reason to check, and the check itself is the building-specific part.
The technician who responds to a loss records the entry, the water line and the rooms affected. That record shows what the building took in a particular storm, and it is more useful for a later decision than the county figure.
How should a homeowner use this history?
Use the history as a reason to check the building before each monsoon season and after each heavy storm. Record the entries, the drains and the roof edges, and keep a note of where water has come in before, since the same point is often the one that fails again.
Keep a simple record of each storm that brought water: the date, the entry point, the water line and the rooms affected. Over several seasons that record shows the pattern for the building, which is more reliable than any county figure for planning repairs.
Ask a technician or a roofer to look at the points that have failed before. The fix is usually easier and less costly before a storm than after the water is inside.
Where do these figures come from, and how far do they go?
The figures in this guide come from the National Weather Service's summary of the monsoon, which is linked in the sources below. This guide does not add any figure beyond those in the summary, and it does not name the streets that received the rain.
A homeowner who wants to check a particular year or area can use the agency's own pages, which give the county-level and area-level summaries. Those pages are the reference for the totals quoted here.
The figures should be read as a description of the seasons, not as a forecast. A forecast for the coming monsoon is a different product, and the warnings issued during a storm are the place to check the conditions that apply on a given day.
How do rainfall totals differ from flash flood warnings?
A rainfall total records how much rain fell over a period, usually a season. A flash flood warning is issued for a storm that is happening or is expected, and it names the area it covers. The two answer different questions, and a homeowner needs both.
A total tells a homeowner how wet a season was, and it is useful for deciding how often to check the roof, the drains and the entries. It does not say that water will reach a particular house on a particular day, because the storm that brings the rain may fall on another part of the county.
A warning tells a homeowner that conditions for flash flooding exist in a named area right now or are expected soon. It is the signal to check the building and move valuables. The warning is short-lived, and the time to act on it is before the water arrives, not after the next total is published.
Frequently asked questions
Did the 2015 rain fall on the whole county?
The National Weather Service recorded that most of Bernalillo County west of the Rio Grande received 5.5 to 7.5 inches of rain in 2015. That is a description of most of the county on that side of the river, and it does not describe every street or building.
Which part of the metro got 8 to 10 inches in 2018?
The agency recorded that portions of Rio Rancho and eastern Albuquerque received as much as 8 to 10 inches. The summary does not name the streets, so a homeowner should check the lot rather than assume the total applied to their own property.
Was 2025 a safe year?
The 2025 monsoon was weak for most of the metro, with a few flash flood events. A weak season is not a guarantee, and the building should still be checked before the next monsoon.
Does this history predict the next storm?
No. The totals describe past seasons, and they do not forecast a particular storm. The warnings issued during a storm are the place to check the conditions that apply on a given day.
Who should I ask about rain at my address?
The National Weather Service publishes area-level summaries, and a local technician or roofer can look at the points where water has entered a particular building. The record of the building's own storms is more useful than any county figure.
What should I do if my building took water in 2018 or 2015?
Check whether the entry point that let water in is still open, and whether the repair was done. A building that took water before is more likely to take it again at the same point, so the check should start there.
Sources
- National Weather Service Albuquerque, North American monsoon maps
- National Weather Service Albuquerque, flash flood warnings
This guide is general information for Bernalillo County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.