Record snows measuring in feet instead of the usual inches developed across central and northeastern New Mexico as an upper level closed low remained nearly stationary for about 36 hours over southwest areas of the state. Long sweeping bands of moderate to heavy snow then repeated across the south central and southeast counties and north into the Interstate 40 corridor including the Albuquerque…
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.
Record snows measuring in feet instead of the usual inches developed across central and northeastern New Mexico as an upper level closed low remained nearly stationary for about 36 hours over southwest areas of the state. Long sweeping bands of moderate to heavy snow then repeated across the south central and southeast counties and north into the Interstate 40 corridor including the Albuquerque area which saw over a foot of heavy snow in many sections of the city and two feet along the foothills of the Sandia Mountains. The storm eventually broke free and drifted northeast creating long periods of heavy snow from Albuquerque north over the northern mountains and into the Interstate 25 corridor to Raton. The storm finally ended following a period of blizzard conditions at Clayton and over the adjacent northeast plains. Many of the ski resort areas of the north received nearly 30 inches with Angel Fire reporting an extreme amount of 58 inches for a 48 hour storm total. The localized high winds of near 40 mph combined with 30 inches of snow to produce drifts of 9 to 12 feet across Union County and Harding Counties where widespread road closures stranded travelers and prevented ranchers from reaching cattle with feed for nearly 5 days afterwards. In one case a local ranch family hosted about 40 stranded motorists for over 48 hours in their small rural home. Travel along both Interstate 25 and Interstate 40 to the north and east of Albuquerque was plagued by extended closures as the New Year's Holiday began and then blowing snow followed the storm into New Year's Day.
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 28, 9:09 PM MST, 1 hour 51 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 909 PM MST THU DEC 28 2006 .UPDATE...HAVE UPDATED ZONES TO REFLECT CURRENT SNOW TRENDS OVER THE SANDIAS ANDCENTRAL HIGH PLAINS. BOOSTED THEM INTO A WINTER STORM WARNING. ALREADY REPORTS OF AROUND 4 INCHES AROUND 7000 FEET. ALSO INCREASED POPS OVER THE EC PLAINS WHERE STEADY AREA OF RAIN AND SNOW CONTINUES TO MOVE NORTH. BEEFED UP SNOW AMOUNTS OVER THE NE A BIT AS THIS MOISTURE PLUME RUNS INTO THE COLDER AIR. CHJ && .PREV DISCUSSION...300 PM MST THU DEC 28 2006... RUNNING A BIT LATE SO THIS WILL BE BRIEF. RECONFIGURED WINTER HIGHLIGHTS TO BETTER REFLECT FORECAST TIMING OF ADVERSE WEATHER. STRONG JET ON BACK SIDE OF LOW THIS MORNING WOULD SEEM TO DIG THE UPPER LOW EVEN MORE. VORT LOBE SWINGING ACROSS AREA TODAY HAS PRODUCED MOSTLY LIGHT PCPN BUT HAVENT HEARD OF TOO MUCH IN THE WAY OF SNOW STICKING OR SIGNIFICANTLY ACCUMULATING ALTHOUGH SOME LOCAL AREAS OF LOW VSBYS REPORTED. COLD POOL ALOFT TO BE OVERHEAD TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...SOME ISOLATED CONVECTION POSSIBLE...THEREFORE SOME BURSTS OF HVY SNOW POSSIBLE. WORST WEATHER LOOKS TO BE OVER NORTHEAST NEW MEXICO IF MODELS ARE CORRECT...FRIDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT AND INTO SATURDAY. EXPECT SNOWFALL TO TAPER OFF UP THERE BY SATURDAY...BUT WITH THE INTENSIFYING SFC/UPPER LOW...WINDS COULD CONTINUE TO CREATE WHITE OUT TYPE CONDITIONS INTO SATURDAY BEFORE THE LOW EXITS INTO OK. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... FARMINGTON...................... 26 39 20 38 / 80 50 30 30 GALLUP.......................... 22 38 13 39 / 60 60 10 10 GRANTS.......................... 20 39 12 37 / 70 70 50 30 GLENWOOD........................ 27 49 20 50 / 60 50 30 20 CHAMA........................... 17 33 14 33 / 90 70 50 40 LOS ALAMOS...................... 23 33 18 35 / 90 50 50 40 RED RIVER....................... 18 27 9 27 / 90 60 70 40 TAOS............................ 20 32 14 32 / 90 50 60 50 SANTA FE........................ 22 34 16 33 / 80 50 60 50 SANTA FE AIRPORT................ 24 38 20 36 / 80 50 50 40 ESPANOLA........................ 24 39 18 36 / 80 50 50 50 ALBUQUERQUE HEIGHTS............. 30 42 27 41 / 60 40 50 40 ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY.............. 28 43 24 42 / 60 40 40 40 ALBUQUERQUE FOOTHILLS........... 27 38 23 37 / 60 40 50 40 ALBUQUERQUE WEST MESA........... 27 42 25 41 / 60 40 40 40 SOCORRO......................... 27 42 24 45 / 50 20 40 30 SANDIA PARK/CEDAR CREST......... 21 35 21 36 / 80 50 40 40 MORIARTY/ESTANCIA............... 19 37 18 39 / 80 50 40 30 CARRIZOZO....................... 24 42 22 42 / 30 50 40 20 RUIDOSO......................... 23 39 22 43 / 40 50 50 10 RATON........................... 22 32 17 35 / 90 80 60 30 LAS VEGAS....................... 21 35 18 36 / 80 60 60 50 ROY............................. 26 34 17 35 / 80 60 50 30 CLAYTON......................... 28 37 18 34 / 80 90 60 50 SANTA ROSA...................... 30 39 22 42 / 80 40 40 30 TUCUMCARI....................... 30 41 25 40 / 80 60 60 40 FORT SUMNER..................... 29 44 25 44 / 40 30 60 50 CLOVIS.......................... 32 45 27 40 / 60 40 60 40 PORTALES........................ 31 45 28 42 / 60 40 50 30 ROSWELL......................... 33 48 31 50 / 30 20 40 30 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 AM MST SATURDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ002>007-010-011. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 5 PM MST FRIDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ001. SNOW ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM MST SATURDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES... NMZ009-015>017. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 5 PM MST FRIDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ008-014. WINTER STORM WATCH FROM 5 AM MST FRIDAY THROUGH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ012-013-018-021. && 40
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 556 AM MST THU DEC 28 2006 NMZ001>021-026-291300- 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- 556 AM MST THU DEC 28 2006 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT EXPECT RAIN CHANGING TO SNOW THIS MORNING...FIRST OVER HIGHER ELEVATIONS...WITH SNOW LEVELS LOWERING TO VALLEYS BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON. EXPECT SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW BY TONIGHT FOR ALL BUT THE SOUTHEAST PORTION OF THE STATE...AND THIS SNOW WILL FALL OVER FROZEN RAINS FROM EARLIER IN THE DAY...WITH RAPID DETERIORATION OF DRIVING CONDITIONS THROUGH TONIGHT. BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES WILL BECOME SLICK THIS AFTERNOON...WITH ROADS BECOMING ICY AND SNOW COVERED OVERNIGHT. WINTER STORM WARNINGS AND WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR MUCH OF WESTERN NEW MEXICO FOR TODAY...AND FOR MUCH OF NORTHERN NEW MEXICO BEGINNING THIS EVENING. EXPECT LOCALLY HEAVY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS AND POOR VISIBILITIES IN LOCAL BLOWING SNOW. A WINTER STORM WATCH EFFECTIVE THIS AFTERNOON IS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL AND EASTERN NEW MEXICO. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY WINTER STORM WARNINGS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS WESTERN NEW MEXICO THROUGH FRIDAY...AND ACROSS NORTHERN AND NORTHEAST NEW MEXICO THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. AS SNOW TAPERS OFF LATE FRIDAY NIGHT OVER EASTERN AND NORTHEASTERN NEW MEXICO...BLOWING SNOW WILL CONTINUE UNTIL SATURDAY MORNING. DECREASING WINDS SATURDAY AFTERNOON WILL EASE THE WINTER WEATHER DANGER BY SATURDAY EVENING. NO SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED FOR SUNDAY AND MONDAY...WITH ANOTHER WINTER STORM ARRIVING OVER NEW MEXICO ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. WEATHER CAN CHANGE VERY RAPIDLY. ALWAYS USE THE LATEST FORECASTS... WATCHES AND WARNINGS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SNOWFALL AMOUNTS THROUGH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE WEB SITE OR BY CALLING 1.888.386.7637. SHY
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM
915 PM MST THU DEC 28 2006
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0425 PM SNOW 15 S ANGEL FIRE 36.17N 105.28W
12/28/2006 M5.8 INCH MORA NM PUBLIC
0440 PM SNOW 2 NW SEDILLO 35.12N 106.32W
12/28/2006 M1.0 INCH BERNALILLO NM CO-OP OBSERVER
0515 PM SNOW FARMINGTON 36.75N 108.19W
12/28/2006 M1.5 INCH SAN JUAN NM PUBLIC
NORTH SIDE OF TOWN
0730 PM SNOW 2 NE EDGEWOOD 35.10N 106.15W
12/28/2006 M3.0 INCH SANTA FE NM TRAINED SPOTTER
SNOW FELL IN 2 HOURS
0745 PM SNOW SANDIA PARK 35.17N 106.36W
12/28/2006 M4.0 INCH BERNALILLO NM PUBLIC
0745 PM SNOW 5 E SANDIA PARK 35.17N 106.28W
12/28/2006 M2.5 INCH BERNALILLO NM PUBLIC
FELL IN 2.5 HOURS
0910 PM SNOW 15 SSW SANTA FE 35.48N 106.06W
12/28/2006 M6.5 INCH SANTA FE NM PUBLIC
CERRILLOS HILLS 6200 FEET
&&
CJONESPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM
955 PM MST THU DEC 28 2006
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0925 PM SNOW 2 SE EDGEWOOD 35.06N 106.15W
12/28/2006 M5.0 INCH SANTA FE NM TRAINED SPOTTER
0945 PM SNOW ALBUQUERQUE 35.12N 106.62W
12/28/2006 E2.0 INCH BERNALILLO NM NWS EMPLOYEE
NEAR TRAMWAY AND MONTGOMERY
&&
CJONESPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM
1001 PM MST THU DEC 28 2006
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0955 PM SNOW W EDGEWOOD 35.08N 106.18W
12/28/2006 M6.0 INCH SANTA FE NM TRAINED SPOTTER
3 INCHES OF NEW SNOW SINCE LAST REPORT
&&
CJONESPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM
1056 PM MST THU DEC 28 2006
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0955 PM SNOW CLAYTON 36.45N 103.18W
12/28/2006 M3.0 INCH UNION NM OFFICIAL NWS OBS
&&
CJONES14 winter storm, 3 heavy snow, 2 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy of 6 to 14 inches across the west central mountains with lighter amounts of 3 to 6 inches along Interstate 40 from Grants to Gallup.
Heavy of 6 to 10 inches across the mountains of Catron and western Socorro County.
Heavy of 3 to 5 inches across central Socorro County impact travel along Interstate 25 and amounts of estimated by satellite cover at near 12 inches in eastern border areas of Socorro County.
Record snows of 16 to 26 inches were reported across Albuquerque and Rio Rancho and in the nearby east mountain communities of the Sandia and Manzano Mountains. Many city streets were clogged and almost impassable for 24 to 36 hours. Travel north along Interstate 25 and east on Interstate 40 was restricted with long periods of closures as crews struggled to keeping road open in the steady and heavy snow.
Record snows of 16 to 32 inches were reported over the Sandia Mountains and nearby east mountain communities from Mountainair north through Edgewood into southern Santa Fe County. Road crews struggled to keep Interstate 40 and other main state roads open. Residents across the Estancia Valley and in the east mountain communities were stranded for 24 to 48 hours.
Record snows of 16 to 28 inches were reported over the Estancia Valley and the central highlands north and south of Interstate 40. Road crews struggled to keep Interstate 40 and other main state roads open. Residents across served by small rural roads were stranded for 24 to 48 hours. Snow drifts buried the Clines Corners ASOS weather platform.
Heavy snows of 14 to 36 inches and gusty winds were reported across much of the northern mountains including the lower elevation communities from Santa Fe and Los Alamos north to Espanola, Taos, and Red River.
Heavy snows of 14 to 36 inches and gusty winds were reported across much of the northern mountains including the lower elevation communities from Santa Fe and Los Alamos north to Espanola, Taos, and Red River.
Heavy snows of 14 to 36 inches and gusty winds were reported across much of the northern mountains including the lower elevation communities from Santa Fe and Los Alamos north to Espanola, Taos, and Red River.
Heavy snows of 16 to 22 inches with gusty winds were reported across much of the northeast highlands mainly west of Interstate 25. Angel Fire was an anomaly of extreme snow with a two and half day total at the ski area of 58 inches.
Heavy snow of 3 to 8 inches across east central and southeast New Mexico.
Heavy snow of 3 to 8 inches across east central and southeast New Mexico.
Heavy snow of 3 to 8 inches across east central and southeast New Mexico.
Heavy snow of 3 to 8 inches across east central and southeast New Mexico.
Heavy snow of 3 to 8 inches across east central and southeast New Mexico.
Heavy snow of 3 to 8 inches across east central and southeast New Mexico.
Heavy snow of 6 to 12 inches across Lincoln County.
Blizzard conditions and extreme snows of 30 inches developed across far northeast New Mexico in the final stages of storms that had plagued other areas of the state for nearly 36 hours. Wide spread road closures stranded numerous motorists that took refuge as quests in nearby ranch homes. Air national guard helicopters were used to bring hay and feed to cattle herds which were isolated by impassable roads for near 5 days afterwards.
Blizzard conditions and extreme snows of 30 inches developed across far northeast New Mexico in the final stages of storms that had plagued other areas of the state for nearly 36 hours. Wide spread road closures stranded numerous motorists that took refuge as quests in nearby ranch homes. Air national guard helicopters were used to bring hay and feed to cattle herds which were isolated by impassable roads for near 5 days afterwards.
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: 9725, 9726, 9727, 9736, 9738, 9739, 9743, 9744, 9745, 9749, 9728, 9729, 9730, 9731, 9733, 9734, 9735, 9720, 9721.