Extreme Rains Inundate Four Corners Region, Causing Flooding and Reservoir Spikes

According to NASA News Releases, the Four Corners region of the U.S. experienced inundation from successive extreme rainfall in late October and early November 2026. These storms resulted in river levels reaching record or near-record heights in some areas, which triggered damaging floods, even as they alleviated short-term drought conditions in the Southwest.

Data from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers indicates that the lake in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado increased by almost 60 feet (18 meters) during this period. On November 7, the reservoir was at its highest level since August 2019 and at 108 percent of its average capacity for that date, contrasting with September 20 when it held only 60 percent of its average capacity. (Note that the Bureau of Reclamation decreased releases from Navajo Dam on September 16 and 17.) The lake saw minimal growth in the spring due to a snow drought across the West during the winter of 2025-26, a time when snowmelt typically raises water levels. (Note that the Bureau of Reclamation decreased releases from Navajo Dam on September 16 and 17.)

The San Juan, Piedra, and other rivers swelled with runoff during the wet weather. (Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes (2026, October 28) CW3E Event Summary: 21-23 October 2026.) Pagosa Springs, Colorado, a town situated about 40 miles (64 kilometers) northeast of the lake along the San Juan River, was particularly affected by flooding. (The Gazette (2026, October 24) Pagosa Springs experiencing once-a-century flooding.) In the initial round of rain, 5.05 inches (12.8 centimeters) fell in the town, and the river reached major flood stage on October 23. (Accessed November 10, 2026.) Following additional rainfall, the river surged again on November 1, nearly reaching the record level established in 1911 during a severe flood. News reports stated that officials issued evacuation orders and responders rescued numerous individuals while water covered streets and damaged property.

Heavy rain and flooding were widespread across northwest New Mexico, southwest Colorado, southeast Utah, and northern Arizona in recent weeks. From early September until early November, precipitation amounts in the Four Corners region were two to four times the average, an area previously struggling with long-term drought that was worsened by high temperatures and snow drought in 2026.

While the downpours presented hazards to communities along various rivers, they did offer relief from drought across the region. The U.S. Drought Monitor's November 3 summary indicated that short-term drought had concluded for the Southwest and Great Basin, although long-term drought remains in certain locations.

Experts noted that the low-pressure system that brought heavy rainfall in the autumn of 2026 was located at a low latitude for that time of year and drew energy from unusually high ocean temperatures. (Weather West (2026, October 30) As unusual low-latitude storm approaches SoCal and threatens serious Four Corners flood risk once again, record-warm and record-high ocean conditions persist along CA coast amid still-strengthening El Niño.) Wet weather in the Southwest is frequently linked to El Niño events, which involve the eastward strengthening of the segment of the jet stream near the equatorial Pacific. El Niño patterns, such as the one currently occurring, can increase the probability of moisture-laden storms moving across the Southwest interior.