On Friday, October 10, 2025, flash flooding in San Juan County, New Mexico, swept away at least one vehicle and forced a dramatic rescue of a Jeep — underscoring the danger of arroyo crossings in the Southwest. The incident occurred in a rural area of the county, where heavy rains caused sudden flooding in a desert wash. Fire and Rescue authorities reported that the Jeep was pushed several hundred yards down the running water after attempting to cross.

The driver exited and held onto the hood until rescuers arrived.

No injuries were reported. In a social media post, San Juan County Fire & Rescue noted: “Yes, you can go anywhere in a Jeep… but sometimes you shouldn’t.” The flooding was triggered by remnant tropical moisture from post-tropical Storm Priscilla, which brought heavy rains over parts of northern New Mexico. Forecasts also show that additional moisture from what was Tropical Storm Raymond — now a remnant system — could bring more heavy rainfall and potential flash flooding through early next week. As of now, no large-scale evacuations or major infrastructure damage have been confirmed.

The affected road was temporarily closed for assessment. The episode underscores how even rugged vehicles like Jeeps can be overmatched by sudden surges in desert washes.

Local officials remind residents to avoid attempting to cross flooded roads and to monitor weather alerts as more rain approaches.