Heavy snow developed mainly across west central and north central New Mexico with areas of freezing rain across the eastern plains as a closed upper level low moved in from the west and then slowed as it passed over the state. Amounts ranged from 6 to 18 inches across the western mountains, 5 to 10 across many northern lower elevation areas and up to 20 inches at northern ski resorts, and 4 to 9…
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.
The episode as NWS ABQ wrote it up.
Heavy snow developed mainly across west central and north central New Mexico with areas of freezing rain across the eastern plains as a closed upper level low moved in from the west and then slowed as it passed over the state. Amounts ranged from 6 to 18 inches across the western mountains, 5 to 10 across many northern lower elevation areas and up to 20 inches at northern ski resorts, and 4 to 9 inches near Albuquerque and in nearby Sandia and Manzano Mountains. East central counties saw freezing rain and ice coating reach 3/8 inch. Travel across the state was heavily impacted with long periods of closure on Interstate 40 both east and west of Albuquerque.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Albuquerque, NM wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 18, 2:59 PM MST, 12 hours 1 minute earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 259 PM MST MON DEC 18 2006 .DISCUSSION... EVERYTHING STILL LINING UP FOR A SIGNIFICANT WINTER STORM TO AFFECT NORTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY. MAIN AFFECTS TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING. WENT AHEAD AND LOWERED SNOW GRIDS BY A FEW INCHES...ESPECIALLY MIDDLE AND LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY...SOUTHEAST PLAINS AND GLENWOOD AREA. BOTH NAM AND GFS TRENDING A BIT QUICKER WITH THE UPPER LEVEL LOW PROGRESSION. ALSO...THE THERMAL PROFILE THROUGHOUT THE MAJORITY OF THIS SYSTEM MITIGATES THE SNOW CRYSTAL TYPE THUS LOWERING THE SNOW RATIO AND INCREASING COMPACTION. THIS EVENT...FOR THE MOST PART WILL BE A LOWER SNOW RATIO EVENT...EXCEPT FOR THE UPPER ELEVATIONS AND TOWARDS THE BACK END OF THE SYSTEM /TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY/. THUS A HEAVIER...WETTER SNOW TYPE WHICH WONT RACK UP QUITE AS NICE AS THE FLUFFIER VARIETY. BUT COULD CREATE SOME HAVOC ON THE ROADWAYS ONCE THE ROADWAYS BEGIN TO FREEZE. STRONG EASTERLY WINDS ALONG THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY WILL ALSO TEND TO INCREASE COMPACTION BY BREAKING UP THE SNOW CRYSTALS. LASTLY...LOOKING FOR SOME OF THE FALLING SNOW TO MELT AS IT HITS THE GROUND ACROSS SOME LOWER ELEVATIONS OF THE SOUTHEAST...CENTRAL AND WESTERN AREAS. IT WILL TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO COOL THE GROUND SFC JUST ENOUGH TO START ACCUMULATIONS. HEDGED THAT IN WITH SOME OF THE SNOW AMOUNTS FOR THE WARNING THAT WAS ISSUED EARLIER BUT MAY NEED TO BE RATCHET THOSE TOTALS DOWN A BIT MORE AS TIME GOES ON. IF TIME PERMITS...WILL GO AHEAD AND ADJUST THOSE SNOW NUMBERS BY 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON WITHIN THE WARNING PRODUCT. BOTH NAM AND GFS REALLY COMING MORE IN LINE WITH SPEED AND PATH OF THE SYSTEM...PERHAPS A COMPROMISE FROM WHAT THEY HAD GOING YESTERDAY. AS FAR AS TONIGHT...LARGE SCALE ASCENT/DIFFLUENCE/ RAPIDLY INCREASES AS THE UPPER LOW BEGINS ITS PROGRESSION EAST/NORTHEAST TOWARDS CWFA. THIS WILL COMBINE WITH INCREASING LAYER SATURATION WHICH MODEL SOUNDINGS INDICATE UP TO BETWEEN 600 TO 400 MB DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE LOCATED WITHIN CWFA. LOWER LEVELS OF SATURATION ACROSS THE SOUTH WHERE SOME UPPER LEVEL DRY SLOTTING TAKES PLACE. ISENTROPIC LIFT WILL TAKE PLACE ACROSS THE EAST AS OVERUNNING DEEPENS. UPSLOPE FLOW WILL ALSO DEEPEN PROVIDING SOME NICE OROGRAPHIC PRECIPITATION ACROSS PORTIONS OF EASTERN AND CENTRAL AREAS AS WELL AS THE JEMEZ MTS. LASTLY...LOOKING FOR STEEPENING LAPSE RATES...ESPECIALLY WEST OF THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY CORRESPONDING WITH A DEVELOPING SIGNIFICANT LOW TO MID LEVEL CONVERGENCE ZONE AS THE EASTERLY WIND EVENT UNFOLDS. AS MENTIONED THE EARLIER AFD. NOT LOOKING FOR A TRUE OVERTOPPING EVENT. PERHAPS COULD GET SOME DUCTING OF THE STRONG 700 MB FLOW /40 TO 50 KNOTS/ ALONG SOME LOWER ELEVATED CANYONS ORIENTATED SOUTHEAST TO NORTHWEST. PREVIOUS OVERTOPPING EVENTS EITHER POINT TOWARDS DEEP EASTERLY FLOW...SAY 500 TO 400 MB WHICH WE DONT HAVE AND/OR A STABLE RIDGETOP LAYER WHICH WE ALSO DONT PRESUMABLY HAVE. REGARDLESS...STILL GOING WITH A VERY STRONG GAP OR PARTIAL GAP WIND EVENT FOR THE CENTRAL VALLEY/WEST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS WITH 35 TO 45 MPH SUSTAINED AND GUSTS UP TO 65 MPH. HIGH END WIND ADVISORY TYPE WINDS FROM THE VALLEY WESTWARD TOWARDS THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE BUT DIMINISHING AS YOU GO WEST. A MIXTURE OF SLEET/SNOW AND FREEZING RAIN WILL ALSO KEEP THINGS INTERESTING ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS. FORECAST SOUNDINGS INDICATE A WARM TONGUE OF 2 TO 4 DEGREES CELSIUS CENTERED AROUND 650 MB WITH FREEZING TO NEAR FREEZING TEMPS NEAR TO THE SFC. MODELS REALLY BEGIN TO RAPIDLY PROGRESS THE UPPER LEVEL LOW EAST/NORTHEASTWARD TUESDAY INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. WHILE SIGNIFICANT OROGRAPHIC AND ISENTROPIC PRECIPITATION CONTINUES ACROSS THE EASTERN HALF...MID TO UPPER LEVEL DYNAMICS BEGIN TO FOCUS A SIGNIFICANT BAND OF PRECIPITATION FROM FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE WESTERN HALF OF CWFA. THE BOUNDARY LAYER WIND FIELD POINTS TOWARDS THE CONVERGENCE LINE SHIFTING EASTWARD AS THE MAIN BAROCLINIC BAND PROGRESSES EASTWARD AND THE EASTERLY WINDS BEGIN TO DIMINISH ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY DURING THE AFTERNOON. NEGATIVE EPV WITH CORRESPONDING LAYER SATURATION AND SOME WEAK FRONTOGENESIS ALSO BEGINS TO INCREASE ACROSS CENTRAL AND EASTERN AREAS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. THIS WILL BE THE PERIOD OF THE HEAVIEST SNOW ACCUMULATIONS. PRONOUNCED DRY SLOTTING WILL TAKE ITS TOLL ON LAYER SATURATION ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST THIRD TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND PROGRESS EAST AND NORTHEASTWARD TUESDAY NIGHT. EVEN WITH THAT BEING SAID...SEEDER/FEEDER MECHANISMS AND INSTABILITY SHOWERS WILL KEEP THINGS GOING ALONG THE WESTERN SLOPES ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL AREAS MID AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING. THE ABQ METRO AREA WILL SEE THE BEST POTENTIAL FOR SNOW ACCUMULATIONS MID TUESDAY AFTERNOON TO EARLY EVENING AS THIS BAND WORKS ITS WAY ACROSS THE AREA. MODEL FORECAST SOUNDINGS POINT TO AN ALL FROZEN OR SNOW PROFILE BY 6Z 20TH OR TUESDAY EVENING ACROSS MOST OF THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS. THE PRECIPITATION EVENT IS EXPECTED TO RAPIDLY TREND DOWN AFTER MIDNIGHT ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA DUE TO THE AFOREMENTIONED DRY SLOTTING. NORTHERN AND NORTHEAST AREAS WILL MOST LIKELY STILL SEE SOME ACCUMULATING SNOW POTENTIAL EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING WITH WRAP AROUND AFFECTS CONTINUING DURING THE DAY ON WEDNESDAY ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL AREAS. LOWERED WEDNESDAY/S TEMPERATURES DOWN A BIT THANKS TO SOME SNOW COVER AND MELTING. HOWEVER...IF WE CAN SEE ENOUGH MELTING...LOOK FOR LOW CLOUD AND FOG DEVELOPMENT THURSDAY MORNING ACROSS PORTIONS OF CWFA. DIDNT PUT THIS TYPE OF WORDING IN THE GRIDS YET...NEED TO SEE HOW MUCH SNOW FALLS AND WHERE WITH THE UPCOMING EVENT. LEFT MUCH OF THE EXTENDED ALONE WITH NEXT SYSTEM TABBED TO AFFECT CWFA LATER IN THE WEEK AND ON SATURDAY. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... FARMINGTON...................... 29 34 22 35 / 60 70 50 20 GALLUP.......................... 25 31 14 31 / 70 70 40 5 GRANTS.......................... 28 33 13 34 / 70 80 40 5 GLENWOOD........................ 29 40 18 42 / 70 70 20 0 CHAMA........................... 18 28 8 24 / 70 90 80 30 LOS ALAMOS...................... 23 29 14 29 / 60 80 80 20 RED RIVER....................... 9 19 5 19 / 70 80 80 40 TAOS............................ 24 33 13 29 / 60 70 80 30 SANTA FE........................ 25 31 15 28 / 60 80 70 20 SANTA FE AIRPORT................ 27 33 17 30 / 40 60 70 20 ESPANOLA........................ 31 37 19 34 / 30 70 70 20 ALBUQUERQUE HEIGHTS............. 32 36 23 37 / 20 70 50 0 ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY.............. 30 36 20 39 / 20 70 50 0 ALBUQUERQUE FOOTHILLS........... 31 35 21 36 / 30 70 60 5 ALBUQUERQUE WEST MESA........... 33 36 23 37 / 20 70 60 5 SOCORRO......................... 31 41 23 40 / 20 50 40 0 SANDIA PARK/CEDAR CREST......... 26 31 16 33 / 80 90 80 5 MORIARTY/ESTANCIA............... 24 28 17 32 / 80 90 80 5 CARRIZOZO....................... 27 41 24 40 / 40 80 50 5 RUIDOSO......................... 22 35 22 36 / 60 80 60 0 RATON........................... 20 29 15 33 / 60 90 80 20 LAS VEGAS....................... 19 28 13 31 / 80 90 80 10 ROY............................. 20 26 18 35 / 50 90 80 20 CLAYTON......................... 20 29 19 33 / 40 90 80 20 SANTA ROSA...................... 28 30 20 39 / 60 80 80 5 TUCUMCARI....................... 27 28 20 40 / 60 80 80 5 FORT SUMNER..................... 28 32 21 44 / 60 80 80 0 CLOVIS.......................... 26 32 27 45 / 70 80 80 5 PORTALES........................ 27 33 25 47 / 70 80 80 5 ROSWELL......................... 33 35 28 50 / 60 80 60 0 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 5 AM MST WEDNESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ003-005>007-009>013-015>017-026. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 5 PM MST WEDNESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ001-002-004. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 11 PM MST TUESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ008-014. ICE STORM WARNING FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 5 AM MST WEDNESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ018>021. && 50
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 551 AM MST MON DEC 18 2006 NMZ001>021-026-191300- NORTHWEST PLATEAU-NORTHWEST MOUNTAINS INCLUDING JEMEZ- UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY-SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS- NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS-HARDING COUNTY-FAR NORTHEAST PLAINS- WEST CENTRAL MOUNTAINS- MIDDLE RIO GRANDE VALLEY/ALBUQUERQUE METRO AREA- SANDIA/MANZANO MOUNTAINS-CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS/ESTANCIA VALLEY- CONCHAS LAKE/GUADALUPE COUNTY-QUAY COUNTY- SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS/UPPER GILA REGION-LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY- LINCOLN COUNTY HIGH PLAINS/HONDO VALLEY- CAPITAN/NORTHERN SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS-DE BACA COUNTY- CHAVES COUNTY PLAINS-ROOSEVELT COUNTY-CURRY COUNTY- GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS OF CHAVES COUNTY- 551 AM MST MON DEC 18 2006 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A WINTER STORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE POTENTIAL OF A SIGNIFICANT WINTER STORM TACKING OVER NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO STARTING LATE MONDAY. SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE POSSIBLE ESPECIALLY OVER THE WESTERN AND NORTHERN MOUNTAINS AND ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND EASTERN HIGHLANDS. VERY STRONG EAST WINDS OVER THE WESTERN SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND RIO GRANDE VALLEY WILL START MONDAY NIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY A WINTER STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO THROUGH LATE TUESDAY AND EARLY WEDNESDAY. A STRONG WINTER STORM WILL TRACK OVER NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO PRODUCING SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATION ESPECIALLY OVER THE WESTERN AND NORTHERN MOUNTAINS AND ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND EASTERN HIGHLANDS. VERY STRONG EAST WINDS OVER THE WESTERN SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY. WEATHER CAN CHANGE VERY RAPIDLY. ALWAYS USE THE LATEST FORECASTS... WATCHES AND WARNINGS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. 23
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM
912 PM MST MON DEC 18 2006
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0850 PM NON-TSTM WND GST ALBUQUERQUE 35.12N 106.62W
12/18/2006 M63 MPH BERNALILLO NM TRAINED SPOTTER
BASE OF TRAM
&&
KD14 heavy snow, 4 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Six to twelve inches of snow fell near Ruidoso.
Five to ten inches of snow fell in many areas with mountain peaks and ski resorts estimated at 10 to 15 inches.
Five to ten inches of snow fell in many areas with mountain ridges and peaks between Chama and Los Alamos recording 15 to 20 inches.
Six to ten inches of snow fell in many areas with several reports in northern Catron County of 15 and 18 inches.
Isolated reports of 2 to 6 inches heavy snow with satellite cover estimates 6 to 10 inches in mountainous areas of southern Catron County and western Socorro County.
Three to six inches of snow across Socorro County impacted Interstate 25 travel.
One to five inches of snow fell north of Santa Fe through Espanola.
Heavy snow of 4 to 7 inches developed across Albuquerque affecting city travel.
Six to twelve inches of snow fell across the Sandia and Manzano Mountains impacting travel throughout the east mountain communities.
Heavy ice coatings of 1/4 to 3/8 inch.
Heavy ice coatings of 1/4 to 3/8 inch.
Heavy ice coatings of 1/4 to 3/8 inch.
Heavy ice coatings of 1/4 to 3/8 inch.
Four to eight inches of snow fell in the Estancia Valley.
Four to ten inches of snow fell across Colfax, Mora and San Miguel Counties.
Four to ten inches of snow fell across western and northwest Union County.
Four to eight inches of snow fell across Guadalupe County impacting Interstate 40.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2006Every state in 2006This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, December 2006
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: 9653, 9661, 9663, 9667, 9669, 9670, 9671, 9673, 9693, 9694, 9687, 9688, 9689, 9690, 9676, 9680, 9681, 9682.