New Mexico, 2009

Heavy Snow in New Mexico, December 1, 2009

December 1, 2009 · NWS ABQ · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

A strong upper level system brought snow to much of New Mexico over a four day period. Snow began over the northern mountains on November 28th and lingered through the morning hours of the 30th.

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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.

A strong upper level system brought snow to much of New Mexico over a four day period. Snow began over the northern mountains on November 28th and lingered through the morning hours of the 30th. Then, as the system crossed northern old Mexico, significant snows developed over the south central mountains and adjacent plains to the east from November 30th through December 1st. More than one foot of snow was reported across several of these locations.

Event by event

3 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, South Central Mountains

When
December 1, 12:00 AM MST to 12:00 PM MST
Where
South Central Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

Up to 15 inches of snow fell across the highest elevations of the south central mountains, including at the Sierra Blanca SNOTEL and at Ski Apache. However, 9 inches of snow was also reported on the southwest side of Ruidoso, with somewhat lesser amounts elsewhere.

Heavy Snow, Eastern Lincoln County

When
December 1, 12:00 AM MST to 12:00 PM MST
Where
Eastern Lincoln County forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

Significant snow accumulations blanketed eastern Lincoln County. The heaviest amounts were across southeast Lincoln County where up to 9 inches of snow was reported.

Heavy Snow, Southwest Chaves County

When
December 1, 12:00 AM MST to 12:00 PM MST
Where
Southwest Chaves County forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

Significant snow accumulations blanketed southwest Chaves County. Areas north and west of Dunken received up to 20 inches of snow.

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in New Mexico in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, December 2009

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: 198390, 199105, 199106.