Alert archive / New Mexico / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 49, NWS Albuquerque, NM

May 22, 1997Chaves County, New Mexico

NWS Albuquerque, NM issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 22, 1997, 3:50 PM MDT for Chaves County, New Mexico. It was in force for 60 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 22, 1997, 3:50 PM MDT (21:50 UTC)
Expired
May 22, 1997, 4:50 PM MDT
In force
60 min
Issued by
NWS Albuquerque, NM
Area
Whole counties

County Chaves County, NM

The radar

The Holloman AFB radar (KHDX), 157 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:49 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Midland Regional, TX (KMAF), launched 12:00Z, 9.8 hours before the alert went out and 264 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Midland Regional, TX at 12:00Z on 1997-05-22Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 97 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Midland Regional, TX at 12:00Z on 1997-05-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 47 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
97 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-151 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1297 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
24 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
47 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
58 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KABQ 222147
SVRABQ
NMC005-222250-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM
350 PM MDT THU MAY 22 1997

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ALBUQUERQUE HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 450 PM MDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...

IN SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO

   ...SOUTHCENTRAL CHAVES COUNTY
 
AT 344 PM MDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS INDICATED BY DOPPLER RADAR
17 MILES WEST OF VILLA SOLANO SCHOOL OR 30 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
ROSWELL MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 17 MPH.

SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM ARE...VILLA SOLANO SCHOOL.

WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING...PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A
STRONG BUILDING. DO NOT STAND BY WINDOWS. DO NOT USE TELEPHONES OR
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY UNTIL THE STORM HAS
PASSED. MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE INTO LOW WATER CROSSINGS.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 22, 10:15 AM MDT, 5 hours 35 minutes before
NMZ001>021-026- 230200-
SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTHERN TWO THIRDS OF NEW MEXICO
1015 AM MDT THU MAY 22 1997

THIS OUTLOOK PERTAINS TO THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN NEW MEXICO:

BERNALILLO     GUADALUPE        RIO ARRIBA        SOCORRO
CATRON         HARDING          ROOSEVELT         TAOS
CHAVES         LINCOLN          SANDOVAL          TORRANCE
CIBOLA         LOS ALAMOS       SAN JUAN          QUAY
COLFAX         MCKINLEY         SAN MIGUEL        UNION
CURRY          MORA             SANTA FE          VALENCIA
DE BACA

SYNOPSIS:  DEWPOINTS OVR EASTERN NEW MEXICO CURRENTLY RANGE FROM NEAR
50 FAR NORTHEAST TO NEAR 60 FAR SOUTHEAST.  FLOW WILL REMAIN MOSTLY
SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST DURING DAY MAINTAINING HIGH DEWPOINTS OVER THE EAST.
LOW CLOUDINESS ALREADY SHOWING SIGNS OF DISSIPATING SO THAT AMPLE
SUNSHINE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON TO HELP DESTABILIZE AIRMASS WITH BEST
HEATING OVER EASTCENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST.  UPPER LEVEL TROUGH/VORT MAX
OVER NORTHEAST TODAY WITH LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE OVER ALL OF THE EAST
CREATING DECENT SHEAR ESPECIALLY OVER THE NORTHEAST.  THUS THERE WILL
BE A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE EAST THIS AFTERNOON
INTO THE EVENING.

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY OVER THE EAST THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

MM
Special weather statement, May 22, 10:18 AM MDT, 5 hours 32 minutes before
NMZ001>021-026- 230200-
SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTHERN TWO THIRDS OF NEW MEXICO
1015 AM MDT THU MAY 22 1997

THIS OUTLOOK PERTAINS TO THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN NEW MEXICO:

BERNALILLO     GUADALUPE        RIO ARRIBA        SOCORRO
CATRON         HARDING          ROOSEVELT         TAOS
CHAVES         LINCOLN          SANDOVAL          TORRANCE
CIBOLA         LOS ALAMOS       SAN JUAN          QUAY
COLFAX         MCKINLEY         SAN MIGUEL        UNION
CURRY          MORA             SANTA FE          VALENCIA
DE BACA

SYNOPSIS:  DEWPOINTS OVR EASTERN NEW MEXICO CURRENTLY RANGE FROM NEAR
50 FAR NORTHEAST TO NEAR 60 FAR SOUTHEAST.  FLOW WILL REMAIN MOSTLY
SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST DURING DAY MAINTAINING HIGH DEWPOINTS OVER THE EAST.
LOW CLOUDINESS ALREADY SHOWING SIGNS OF DISSIPATING SO THAT AMPLE
SUNSHINE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON TO HELP DESTABILIZE AIRMASS WITH BEST
HEATING OVER EASTCENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST.  UPPER LEVEL TROUGH/VORT MAX
OVER NORTHEAST TODAY WITH LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE OVER ALL OF THE EAST
CREATING DECENT SHEAR ESPECIALLY OVER THE NORTHEAST.  THUS THERE WILL
BE A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE EAST THIS AFTERNOON
INTO THE EVENING.

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY OVER THE EAST THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

MM
Special weather statement, May 22, 1:26 PM MDT, 2 hours 24 minutes before
NMZ001>005-009-010-231800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE  ALBUQUERQUE NM
130 PM MDT THU MAY 23 1997

RECENT RAINFALL COMBINED WITH SNOW MELT RUNOFF FROM THE MOUNTAINS
HAS RESULTED IN HIGH WATER AND FAST FLOWS IN THE RIVERS AND STREAMS
ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHERN NEW MEXICO.  WITH WARMER TEMPERATURES AND
IMPROVING WEATHER CONDITIONS EXPECTED FOR MOST AREAS THIS HOLIDAY
WEEKEND...THOSE OF YOU WITH PLANS TO SPEND TIME OUTDOORS ALONG THE
RIVERS AND STREAMS NEED TO BE AWARE OF THE DANGERS OF THE FAST
MOVING WATERS.

SMALL STREAMS MAY WELL BE CARRYING TWO TO THREE TIMES THE AMOUNT OF
WATER NORMALLY ENCOUNTERED THIS TIME OF YEAR.  LARGER WATERWAYS LIKE
THE ANIMAS RIVER ABOVE FARMINGTON AND THE RIO GRANDE...BOTH ABOVE
AND BELOW COCHITI RESERVOIR...ARE RUNNING HIGHER AND FASTER THAN
LAST YEAR.  WATER RELEASES FROM NAVAJO RESERVOIR HAVE ALSO INCREASED
RECENTLY TO NEAR 5000 CUBIC FEET PER SECOND IN THE SAN JUAN RIVER.

THE FORCES GENERATED BY FAST FLOWING WATER SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN
LIGHTLY...ESPECIALLY WHEN COMPARED TO LAST YEAR.  AT THIS TIME LAST
YEAR STREAM AND RIVER FLOW WAS MINIMAL DUE TO LACK OF WINTER SNOW OR
SPRING RAINS...ONLY THE FIRE DANGER WAS HIGH.

EAP
Special weather statement, May 22, 1:27 PM MDT, 2 hours 23 minutes before
NMZ001>005-009-010-231800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE  ALBUQUERQUE NM
130 PM MDT THU MAY 22 1997

RECENT RAINFALL COMBINED WITH SNOW MELT RUNOFF FROM THE MOUNTAINS
HAS RESULTED IN HIGH WATER AND FAST FLOWS IN THE RIVERS AND STREAMS
ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHERN NEW MEXICO.  WITH WARMER TEMPERATURES AND
IMPROVING WEATHER CONDITIONS EXPECTED FOR MOST AREAS THIS HOLIDAY
WEEKEND...THOSE OF YOU WITH PLANS TO SPEND TIME OUTDOORS ALONG THE
RIVERS AND STREAMS NEED TO BE AWARE OF THE DANGERS OF THE FAST
MOVING WATERS.

SMALL STREAMS MAY WELL BE CARRYING TWO TO THREE TIMES THE AMOUNT OF
WATER NORMALLY ENCOUNTERED THIS TIME OF YEAR.  LARGER WATERWAYS LIKE
THE ANIMAS RIVER ABOVE FARMINGTON AND THE RIO GRANDE...BOTH ABOVE
AND BELOW COCHITI RESERVOIR...ARE RUNNING HIGHER AND FASTER THAN
LAST YEAR.  WATER RELEASES FROM NAVAJO RESERVOIR HAVE ALSO INCREASED
RECENTLY TO NEAR 5000 CUBIC FEET PER SECOND IN THE SAN JUAN RIVER.

THE FORCES GENERATED BY FAST FLOWING WATER SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN
LIGHTLY...ESPECIALLY WHEN COMPARED TO LAST YEAR.  AT THIS TIME LAST
YEAR STREAM AND RIVER FLOW WAS MINIMAL DUE TO LACK OF WINTER SNOW OR
SPRING RAINS...ONLY THE FIRE DANGER WAS HIGH.

EAP
Special weather statement, May 22, 1:30 PM MDT, 2 hours 20 minutes before
NMZ001>005-009-010-231800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE  ALBUQUERQUE NM
130 PM MDT THU MAY 22 1997

RECENT RAINFALL COMBINED WITH SNOW MELT RUNOFF FROM THE MOUNTAINS
HAS RESULTED IN HIGH WATER AND FAST FLOWS IN THE RIVERS AND STREAMS
ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHERN NEW MEXICO.  WITH WARMER TEMPERATURES AND
IMPROVING WEATHER CONDITIONS EXPECTED FOR MOST AREAS THIS HOLIDAY
WEEKEND...THOSE OF YOU WITH PLANS TO SPEND TIME OUTDOORS ALONG THE
RIVERS AND STREAMS NEED TO BE AWARE OF THE DANGERS OF THE FAST
MOVING WATERS.

SMALL STREAMS MAY WELL BE CARRYING TWO TO THREE TIMES THE AMOUNT OF
WATER NORMALLY ENCOUNTERED THIS TIME OF YEAR.  LARGER WATERWAYS LIKE
THE ANIMAS RIVER ABOVE FARMINGTON AND THE RIO GRANDE...BOTH ABOVE
AND BELOW COCHITI RESERVOIR...ARE RUNNING HIGHER AND FASTER THAN
LAST YEAR.  WATER RELEASES FROM NAVAJO RESERVOIR HAVE ALSO INCREASED
RECENTLY TO NEAR 5000 CUBIC FEET PER SECOND IN THE SAN JUAN RIVER.

THE FORCES GENERATED BY FAST FLOWING WATER SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN
LIGHTLY...ESPECIALLY WHEN COMPARED TO LAST YEAR.  AT THIS TIME LAST
YEAR STREAM AND RIVER FLOW WAS MINIMAL DUE TO LACK OF WINTER SNOW OR
SPRING RAINS...ONLY THE FIRE DANGER WAS HIGH.

EAP

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in New Mexico, 1997Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1997

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.