A storm over the Great Basin provided a strong southwest flow, with isolated high winds around Gallup in the mid to late afternoon.
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.
A storm over the Great Basin provided a strong southwest flow, with isolated high winds around Gallup in the mid to late afternoon.
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 Apr 15, 2:24 PM MST, 2 hours 35 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 324 PM MDT WED APR 15 2009 .DISCUSSION... UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM CENTERED NEAR THE NEVADA/UTAH BORDER WILL LIKELY IMPACT THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT WITH A VARIETY OF WEATHER IMPACTS TONIGHT THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY. FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS THE CONTINUATION OF STRONG WINDS AND CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS THE REMAINDER OF THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. SEE FIRE WEATHER DISCUSSION BELOW. CURRENT WIND ADVISORY WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE ON TIME AT 02Z. A LULL IN THE STRONG WINDS IS EXPECTED TO OCCUR DURING THE EARLY EVENING HOURS...ESPECIALLY OVER THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY...BEFORE A FRONTAL PASSAGE IS EXPECTED FROM WEST TO EAST LATER THIS EVENING AND THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS OVER THE PLAINS. ADVISORY LEVEL WINDS COULD RE-DEVELOP FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME/1-2 HOURS/ BUT FEEL THIS TO BE MORE OF A LOCALIZED AND SHORT DURATION EVENT AND WILL NOT ISSUE ANY HIGHLIGHTS ATTM. IN ADDITION...LIFT ASSOCIATED WITH THE UPPER LOW WILL CONTINUE TO GENERATE SCATTERED SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY MAINLY OVER THE WEST AND NORTHWEST. HIGHEST POPS WILL BE PLACED OVER THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS. NOT EXPECTING ANY ORGANIZED CONVECTION. A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS/STORMS ALSO POSSIBLE OVER THE EAST/NORTHEAST PLAINS BUT MOISTURE HERE IS LACKING AND THIS ACTIVITY SHOULD DISSIPATE WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING. MODEL SUITE OF THE GFS/ECMWF...NAM-WRF AND GFS ENSEMBLE MEMBERS CONTINUE TO BE IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE TRACK OF THE UPPER LOW. THIS SYSTEM WILL LIKELY REMAIN CUTOFF AND TRACK ACROSS THE CENTRAL PART OF THE STATE THURSDAY-THURSDAY NIGHT AND THEN LIFT OUT TO THE NORTHEAST BY EARLY SATURDAY. IF THE SYSTEM SLOWS DOWN...THE DRYLINE COULD HOLD UP FURTHER WEST THURSDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING WHICH COULD CREATE ENOUGH INGREDIENTS FOR SOME ORGANIZED CONVECTION OVER THE EASTERN PLAINS NEAR THE TX/NM BORDER. OVERALL...AM EXPECTING THE BULK OF THE ORGANIZED CONVECTION TO STAY EAST OF THE AREA. WILL KEEP SLIGHT/CHC POPS IN PLACE THERE. THE NEXT CONCERN WILL BE ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL FROM EARLY FRIDAY TO EARLY SATURDAY OVER THE EASTERN SLOPES OF THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS AND RATON RIDGE. GIVEN THE LATEST TRACK...FAVORABLE UPSLOPE CONDITIONS...COOLING FROM THE COLD CORE OF THE UPPER LOW AND PLACEMENT OF THE DEFORMATION ZONE ARE ALL POINTING TO ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL IN SAID AREAS ON FRIDAY. THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR SEVERAL INCHES TO OCCUR BUT DETAILS STILL NEED TO BE HASHED OUT AS THE SYSTEM COULD STILL SLOW DOWN OR SHIFT FURTHER SOUTH/NORTH. STAY TUNED. BEHIND THIS SYSTEM...HIGH PRESSURE AND DRIER CONDITIONS TO BUILD IN FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK. SOME SOLUTIONS NOW INDICATING A WEAKER RIDGE AXIS WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY ALLOW FOR SHOWER/STORM CHANCES TO INCREASE TOWARD THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK BUT THIS TOO IS UNCERTAIN ATTM. ALL IN ALL...TEMPERATURES SHOULD FEEL MORE LIKE SPRING FOR NEXT WEEK. KW && .AVIATION... VFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE FOR MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA DURING MOST OF THE 24 HOUR TIME PERIOD. LOOKING AT SOME MOUNTAIN OBSCURATIONS DUE TO RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS THROUGH THE REST OF THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EARLY EVENING. ALSO LOOKING AT A BAND OF SHOWERS TO DEVELOP FOLLOWING A COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE MID EVENING THROUGH MID MORNING. SOME LOCALIZED AND SHORT DURATION MVFR CONDITIONS ARE ANTICIPATED WITH THIS BAND. WINDS WILL PROBABLY BE THE BIGGEST ISSUE OVERALL. STRONG SOUTH/SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON INTO THE EARLY EVENING. STRONG WESTERLY WINDS WILL FOLLOW THE COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE BETWEEN 3Z TO 10Z ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. STRONGER WINDS WILL SHIFT TO MORE EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AREAS ON THURSDAY. ESPECIALLY THE SOUTHEAST. NEXT AVIATION DISCUSSION SCHEDULED FOR 09Z. 50 && .FIRE WEATHER... RED FLAG CONDITIONS ARE STARTING TO OCCUR ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY AND EASTERN PLAINS. WILL KEEP THE RED FLAG WARNING GOING THROUGH EVENT EXPIRATION AT 8 PM. EASTERN PORTIONS OF UNION COUNTY WILL HAVE A HARD TIME REACHING WARNING CRITERIA BUT BELIEVE THAT WAS BUILT INTO THE FORECAST SO NO ISSUES THERE. A FEW LIGHTNING STRIKES WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE NORTH THROUGH THE EVENING. WINDS WILL GRADUALLY LOWER SHORTLY AFTER SUNSET MOST AREAS BUT A COLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL SWING ACROSS THE STATE BETWEEN 8 TO 10 PM ACROSS THE WEST AND 3 TO 5 AM ACROSS THE EAST. WINDS WILL INCREASE ALONG THIS FRONTAL PASSAGE FOR 1 TO 2 HOURS AND THEN BACK OFF AGAIN. THE ONLY EXCEPTION WILL BE ACROSS THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND AREAS TO THE LEE OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS THANKS TO STRONG MID LEVEL FLOW ORTHOGONAL TO THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS. AND ALSO WHERE THE FRONT COULD HANG UP ACROSS THE EAST. MODELS FAIRLY CONSISTENT WITH THIS SCENARIO BUT DONT DO A GREAT JOB IN CAPTURING THE HEIGHTENED WIND FLOW SPEEDS JUST BEHIND THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. AS FAR AS PRECIPITATION OVERNIGHT...WILL MOST LIKELY COME IN THE FORM OF BANDED SHOWERS AND NOT LOOKING FOR SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF LIQUID WATER. RUN TO RUN MODEL CONSISTENCY HAS GOTTEN BETTER SO FAIRLY CONFIDENT THAT THE STRONGER WINDS OBSERVED TODAY WILL SHIFT SOUTH AND EASTWARD FAVORING THE EASTERN PLAINS AND FAR SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA ON THURSDAY. A FEW HOURS OF CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS COULD DEVELOP ACROSS FAR SOUTHEAST PORTIONS OF THE FIRE WEATHER FORECAST AREA BUT DONT BELIEVE IT WARRANTS A FIRE WEATHER WATCH AT THIS TIME. JUST NOT ENOUGH AREAL COVERAGE OVERALL. MAIN AREA TO WATCH THERE WOULD BE PORTIONS OF DEBACA AND ROOSEVELT COUNTIES. PRECIPITATION ONCE AGAIN SHOULD MAINLY BE IN THE FORM OF RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS THE NORTHERN AND WESTERN TIER DUE TO THE SLOW PROGRESSION OF THE UPPER LOW. SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE FAR EAST DUE TO HIGHER MOISTURE FOUND NEAR THE TEXAS STATE LINE. IT SHOULD BE MENTIONED THAT SURFACE HUMIDITY READINGS WILL BE FAIRLY LOW MOST AREAS DUE TO VERY LOW DEWPOINTS BEING PUSHED IN ACROSS THE AREA. MODELS FAIRLY CONSISTENT WITH DRAGGING THE UPPER LOW OVER THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE STATE ON FRIDAY. PRECIPITATION ASSOCIATED WITH THIS LOW WOULD REMAIN ACROSS THE NORTH WHILE HUMIDITY READINGS OVERALL RAISE DUE TO COOLING. RESIDUAL WRAP AROUND PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE NORTHEAST ON SATURDAY BEFORE THE SYSTEM LIFTS OFF TO THE EAST/NORTHEAST. 50 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... FARMINGTON...................... 28 50 26 56 / 20 10 10 20 GALLUP.......................... 22 47 18 52 / 20 10 10 20 GRANTS.......................... 22 48 19 52 / 10 10 5 10 GLENWOOD........................ 30 58 28 62 / 10 5 5 5 CHAMA........................... 21 39 15 44 / 50 30 20 40 LOS ALAMOS...................... 27 48 20 49 / 20 10 10 10 RED RIVER....................... 24 39 17 37 / 30 20 30 70 TAOS............................ 30 50 18 46 / 20 20 20 40 SANTA FE........................ 30 50 24 50 / 10 10 5 20 SANTA FE AIRPORT................ 31 52 26 52 / 10 5 5 10 ESPANOLA........................ 30 55 28 56 / 20 10 10 10 ALBUQUERQUE HEIGHTS............. 38 54 33 58 / 5 5 5 5 ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY.............. 33 56 29 60 / 5 5 5 5 ALBUQUERQUE FOOTHILLS........... 39 54 32 58 / 5 5 5 10 ALBUQUERQUE WEST MESA........... 36 55 30 59 / 5 5 5 5 SOCORRO......................... 37 61 29 63 / 0 5 5 5 SANDIA PARK/CEDAR CREST......... 29 45 20 52 / 10 5 5 10 MORIARTY/ESTANCIA............... 31 54 26 54 / 5 5 5 5 CARRIZOZO....................... 38 61 29 58 / 0 5 5 5 RUIDOSO......................... 37 53 25 49 / 0 5 5 5 RATON........................... 31 58 32 48 / 20 10 30 50 LAS VEGAS....................... 35 52 23 48 / 10 5 10 30 ROY............................. 39 58 34 49 / 10 5 20 30 CLAYTON......................... 43 62 36 54 / 10 10 40 40 SANTA ROSA...................... 43 64 34 60 / 5 5 10 10 TUCUMCARI....................... 44 69 35 60 / 5 5 20 20 FORT SUMNER..................... 43 67 35 62 / 5 5 10 10 CLOVIS.......................... 45 65 38 61 / 5 10 30 10 PORTALES........................ 44 67 37 63 / 5 10 30 5 ROSWELL......................... 48 71 38 67 / 5 5 5 5 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ104-106>108. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES... NMZ005>012-014>017-026. && 17/50
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 546 AM MDT WED APR 15 2009 NMZ001>021-026-161200- 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- 546 AM MDT WED APR 15 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM TO 8 PM MDT FOR THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY...THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND THE HIGH PLAINS OF NEW MEXICO WHERE LOW HUMIDITIES COMBINED WITH STRONG WINDS WILL CREATE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM UNTIL 8 PM MDT FOR THE WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS FOR SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 25 TO 40 MPH AND GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH. IN ADDITION...A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON UNTIL 8 PM MDT FOR THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY...THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND A PORTION OF THE HIGH PLAINS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY AN HOUR OR TWO OF CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND LINGER INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS OVER THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS OF NEW MEXICO. SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL IS POSSIBLE FRIDAY INTO FRIDAY NIGHT ALONG THE EASTERN SLOPES OF THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS AND RATON RIDGE... INCLUDING PORTIONS OF INTERSTATE 25 NEAR THE COLORADO BORDER. WEATHER CAN CHANGE VERY RAPIDLY. ALWAYS USE THE LATEST FORECASTS... WATCHES AND WARNINGS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... CONTACT YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AT 911 AND THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AT 1.888.386.7637 TO REPORT WILDFIRE OUTBREAKS. DPORTER
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Wind gusts between 50 and 52 knots were recorded between 216pm and 459pm MST. A sustained wind speed of 37 knots was also recorded between 255pm and 355pm MST.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, April 2009
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: 154440.