...SATURATED SOIL CONDITIONS AND ADDITIONAL POSSIBLE HEAVYRAINFALL WILL KEEP FLASH FLOODING POTENTIAL HIGH OVER THEGILA REGION AND SOUTHERN SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS

....MOISTURE WILL REMAIN OVER THE AREA AS PART OF A SOUTHEAST FLOW.A COLD FRONT PUSHING INTO THE REGION WILL PROVIDE EXTRA LIFT ANDINSTABILITY TO PRODUCE SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...ESPECIALLY IN THE MOUNTAINS. PREVIOUS HEAVY RAINS HAVE SATURATEDTHE GROUND. STREAMS AND NORMALLY DRY WASHES CONTINUE TO FLOW. ANYFURTHER MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINFALL WILL RESULT IN QUICK AND EXCEPTIONAL RUNOFF LEADING TO FLASH FLOODING.

UPPER GILA RIVER VALLEY-SOUTHERN GILA HIGHLANDS/BLACK RANGE-SOUTHERN GILA FOOTHILLS/MIMBRES VALLEY-EASTERN BLACK RANGE FOOTHILLS-WEST SLOPES SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS BELOW 7500 FEET-SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 7500 FEET-

EAST SLOPES SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS BELOW 7500 FEET-INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...GILA HOT SPRINGS...BUCKHORN...MULE CREEK...CLIFF...SILVER CITY...LAKE ROBERTS...KINGSTON...FORT BAYARD...MIMBRES...FAYWOOD...HURLEY...GRANT COUNTY AIRPORT...HILLSBORO...WINSTON...MESCALERO...MOUNTAIN PARK...TIMBERON...CLOUDCROFT...SUNSPOT...APACHE SUMMIT...MAYHILL...SACRAMENTO...PINON

622 AM MDT FRI SEP 20 2013...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM NOON MDT TODAY THROUGH THIS EVENING

...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN EL PASO TX/SANTA TERESA HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR A PORTION OF NM...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS...EAST SLOPES SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS BELOW 7500 FEET...EASTERN BLACK RANGE FOOTHILLS...SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 7500 FEET...SOUTHERN GILA FOOTHILLS/MIMBRES VALLEY... SOUTHERN GILA HIGHLANDS/BLACK RANGE...UPPER GILA RIVER VALLEY AND WEST SLOPES SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS BELOW 7500 FEET.

* FROM NOON MDT TODAY THROUGH THIS EVENING

* SATURATED CONDITIONS FROM RECENT HEAVY RAIN WITH ADDITIONAL SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINFALL THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A FEW STORMS MAY BRING 1 TO 3 INCHES OF ADDITIONAL RAINFALL.

* QUICK AND EXCEPTIONAL RUNOFF WILL BRING STREAMS AND CREEKS OUT OF THEIR BANKS. HEAVY FLOWS WILL CAUSE EROSION WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF ROAD DAMAGE AND SINKHOLES. ROAD CLOSURES LIKELY DUE TO FLOWING WATER. POSSIBLE FLOODING OF RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEADTO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTIONSHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.