Forecasters warn of 2 to 3 inches of rain per hour Sunday, with a risk of flooding on burn scars and just east of the mountains.

As residents and businesspeople in Ruidoso assess the damage caused by heavy and dangerous flooding, others can find ways to help. Here is what to know.

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham was in Ruidoso on Thursday, July 10, 2025, where she reported federal funding will be coming.

The summer rainy season in New Mexico usually brings daily alerts about the potential for flooding around the arid state.

Sandbags protect a building in Ruidoso, New Mexico after floods swept through town in July of 2024. This week's floods rose significantly higher. Photo: The Washington Post

Severe thunderstorms will head east by Saturday, impacting eastern Michigan and parts of northern Indiana. Rain from 1 to 2 inches is possible as the system tracks east, but some areas could see isolated amounts of 3 to 5 inches through the weekend.

A Flash Flood Emergency is in effect for Ruidoso, New Mexico, as rapid rainfall rates cause flooding in burn scars from the South Fork Fire.

RUIDOSO – Days after the most destructive flood in Ruidoso’s history, New Mexico’s U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Lujan were given a tour of the worst-affected areas, from the Upper Canyon to Ruidoso Downs Racetrack.