New Mexico, 1998

High Wind in New Mexico, February 24, 1998

February 24, 1998 · NWS ABQ · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

High winds gusting 45 to 65 mph spread northeast during the afternoon from south central New Mexico into northeast areas of the state. A peak gust of 79 mph was recorded at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory west of Socorro.

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$150,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS ABQ wrote it up.

High winds gusting 45 to 65 mph spread northeast during the afternoon from south central New Mexico into northeast areas of the state. A peak gust of 79 mph was recorded at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory west of Socorro. Power lines were broken in Valencia County which triggered a rash of wind-fanned brush fires. A number of roofs and porch coverings were ripped away in Santa Fe, Las Vegas and Springer.

Event by event

6 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Central High Plains/Estancia Valley County / Se Santa Fe / W San Miguel / Torrance Except X W / E Socorro

When
February 24, 12:30 PM MST to 5:30 PM MST
Where
Central High Plains/Estancia Valley County / Se Santa Fe / W San Miguel / Torrance Except X W / E Socorro forecast zone
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)

High Wind, Lower Rio Grande Valley / Part of C and E Socorro

When
February 24, 12:30 PM MST to 5:30 PM MST
Where
Lower Rio Grande Valley / Part of C and E Socorro forecast zone
Measured
69 kt (79 mph)

High Wind, Middle Rio Grande Valley / X Sc Sanduval / Valencia Except X E / X E Cibola / Bernalillo Except E and X Nw

When
February 24, 12:30 PM MST to 5:30 PM MST
Where
Middle Rio Grande Valley / X Sc Sanduval / Valencia Except X E / X E Cibola / Bernalillo Except E and X Nw forecast zone
Property damage
$25,000

High Wind, Northeast Highlands / All But X W and X Se Colfax / All But X W Mora / C San Miguel / X Nw Union

When
February 24, 12:30 PM MST to 5:30 PM MST
Where
Northeast Highlands / All But X W and X Se Colfax / All But X W Mora / C San Miguel / X Nw Union forecast zone
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage
$100,000

High Wind, Sandia/Manzano Mountains / Most of W Santa Fe / E Bernalillo / X Se Sanduval / X W Torrance / E Valencia / Part of E Socorro

When
February 24, 12:30 PM MST to 5:30 PM MST
Where
Sandia/Manzano Mountains / Most of W Santa Fe / E Bernalillo / X Se Sanduval / X W Torrance / E Valencia / Part of E Socorro forecast zone
Measured
65 kt (75 mph)

High Wind, Sangre de Cristo Mountains / Taos / X W Mora / X Se Rio Arriba / Ne Santa Fe / X W Colfax / X Nw San Miguel

When
February 24, 12:30 PM MST to 5:30 PM MST
Where
Sangre de Cristo Mountains / Taos / X W Mora / X Se Rio Arriba / Ne Santa Fe / X W Colfax / X Nw San Miguel forecast zone
Property damage
$25,000

What these are

High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in New Mexico in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, February 1998

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5628118, 5628119, 5628120, 5628121, 5628122, 5628254.