A perturbation within the flow of a long wave upper level trough rotated across New Mexico during the 2nd, 3rd and 4th of December. A band of moderate snow moved southward across the plains along a mid level cold front where isentropic lift was maximized.
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 perturbation within the flow of a long wave upper level trough rotated across New Mexico during the 2nd, 3rd and 4th of December. A band of moderate snow moved southward across the plains along a mid level cold front where isentropic lift was maximized. In general, the highest snowfall amounts were reported just east of the central mountain chain in response to easterly upslope flow at the surface, though sporadic higher amounts were noted elsewhere. The storm resulted in numerous traffic accidents, including a semi-truck that jackknifed along Interstate 40 in Quay County and one death on Interstate 40 at Santa Rosa, when a 1997 Ford Astro van lost control and hit a semi-truck. Jackelyn Zimmerman, 67 years old, was killed in the crash.
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 2, 3:12 PM MST, 3 hours 48 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 312 PM MST WED DEC 2 2009 .DISCUSSION... ...COLDEST AIR OF THE SEASON ON ITS WAY TO NEW MEXICO ALONG WITH SNOW FOR THE EASTERN HALF... THE LATEST WATER VAPOR LOOP SHOWS A LARGE UPPER LEVEL WAVE DIVING SOUTH OUT OF WESTERN CANADA INTO THE NORTHERN ROCKIES. A 1034MB SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE AREA IS PRESENT FROM THE NORTHERN HIGH PLAINS SOUTH INTO NORTHEAST NM. LOW CLOUDS ARE ALREADY PRESENT ALONG THE EAST SLOPES ALONG WITH SOME LIGHT SNOW ON THE RATON RIDGE. VERY COLD AIR BENEATH THIS HIGH WITH POLAR ORIGIN HAS ALREADY SLID INTO NE NM. UNLIKE THE LAST SYSTEM WHICH FEATURED MOSTLY MID AND UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT...THIS SYSTEM WILL BE FORCED MOSTLY BY MODERATE UPSLOPE FLOW...WEAKER UPPER LEVELS...AND MESOSCALE PROCESSES DOMINATING ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL MTS. 12Z MODEL SUITE ALONG WITH ENSEMBLES INDICATE VERY HIGH CONFIDENCE ON WIDESPREAD ADVISORY LEVEL SNOWFALL FOR AREAS ALONG AND TO THE EAST OF THE CENTRAL MTN CHAIN. DESPITE LOW END QPF AMOUNTS PROGGED BY MODELS...DENDRITIC GROWTH AND SHALLOW VERTICAL MOTION WITHIN SATURATED LOW LEVELS WILL PRODUCE HIGH SNOW RATIOS. BITTERLY COLD TEMPS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL COMBINE WITH SNOWFALL TO MAKE FOR A HIGH IMPACT EVENT BOTH TRAVELWISE AND ON HOME HEATING. TIMELINE WILL FEATURE SNOW DEVELOPING ALONG THE EAST SLOPES TONIGHT THEN SPREADING SOUTHEAST INTO THE REMAINDER OF THE PLAINS DURING THE DAY ON THURSDAY. THE SYSTEM WILL EXIT THE AREA FRIDAY MORNING OVER THE FAR SOUTHEAST WITH HIGHS AREAWIDE IN THE TEENS NORTH...20S/30S SOUTH AND EAST THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. AT THIS TIME IT LOOKS LIKE WIDESPREAD 1 TO 3 INCHES IN THE PLAINS WITH 3 TO 6 OVER THE EAST SLOPES/HIGHER TERRAIN. ZONAL FLOW DEVELOPS ACROSS THE AREA SATURDAY AND SUNDAY WITH TEMPS ON THE REBOUND. MADE NO CHANGES TO THE EXTENDED FORECAST AS MODELS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH THE UPPER LEVEL PATTERN OVER THE WESTERN CONUS ALL OF NEXT WEEK. MODELS DO AGREE HEIGHTS WILL FALL AND THERE WILL BE SIGNIFICANT PACIFIC MOISTURE ACROSS A LARGE PORTION OF THE WESTERN UNITED STATES. GUYER && .AVIATION... MVFR CONDITIONS WILL PLAGUE A GOOD PORTION OF THE EASTERN PLAINS AND EAST SLOPES OF THE FRONT RANGE THROUGH THE NEXT 48 HOURS OR SO. A HOLE IN THE CIGS HAS DEVELOPED BETWEEN ROW AND TCC BUT THAT WILL BE SHORT LIVED AS ANOTHER...DEEPER PUSH OF COOL AIR HAS INVADED THE STATE FROM THE NORTH. THIS PUSH WILL REACH TCC IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS AND REACH ROW LATER THIS EVENING. VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS WILL BECOME MORE PRONOUNCED AS SNOW BEGINS TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE EAST. BASED ON CURRENT OBSERVATIONS AND FIELD REPORTS...SNOW HAS ALREADY BEGUN ACROSS THE FAR NORTHEAST AND WILL SPREAD SOUTHWARD TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY. TERMINAL SITES SUCH AS LVS...TCC AND ROW WILL BE AFFECTED. A STRONGER EASTERLY GAP WIND...BETWEEN 20 TO 26 KT SUSTAINED WILL AFFECT SAF AND ABQ TONIGHT AND ONCE AGAIN LATER ON THURSDAY. OTHERWISE...VFR CONDITIONS FOR CENTRAL AND WESTERN TERMINAL SITES. NEXT AVIATION DISCUSSION SCHEDULED FOR 10Z. 50 && .FIRE WEATHER... NOT A LOT OF CHANGES MADE TO THE FORECAST PACKAGE THIS AFTERNOON. IT STILL LOOKS VERY LIKELY FOR WETTING PRECIPITATION...IN THE FORM OF SNOW...ACROSS THE EASTERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. FAVORING THE EAST SLOPES OF THE FRONT RANGE AND EXTENDING INTO THE ADJACENT HIGH PLAINS ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE EASTERN PLAINS WILL OBSERVE SOME SORT OF CHANCE OF ACCUMULATING SNOW. THIS EVENT IS MAINLY DRIVEN BY A SIGNIFICANT COLD FRONTAL PUSH THAT INITIALLY MOVED ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS THIS MORNING BUT REINFORCING COLD AIR IS CURRENTLY PLUNGING INTO THE NORTHEAST PLAINS THIS AFTERNOON. THIS FRONT WILL CONTINUE ITS PUSH THROUGH THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN GAPS WESTWARD TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY. THIS PUSH WILL CREATE STRONGER GAP WINDS FOR A PERIOD. HUMIDITY VALUES WILL BE MUCH LOWER ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE FRONT AS EVIDENT BY CURRENT RAWS DATA ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL AREAS. HUMIDITY VALUES WILL TREND UP AREAWIDE HOWEVER AS THIS FRONT PUSHES WESTWARD. IT APPEARS THAT MINIMUM VALUES WILL RISE BETWEEN 25 TO 50 PERCENT HIGHER ON THURSDAY VERSUS TODAY/S VALUES. FAVORING CENTRAL AND EASTERN AREAS. WESTERN AREAS WOULD ONLY SEE A SLIGHT RISE. SNOW SHOULD BEGIN TO TAPER OFF FRIDAY MORNING AS DRIER NORTH TO NORTHWEST WINDS INVADE THE FORECAST AREA. WE ARE STILL FORECASTING VERY LOW DEWPOINTS WITHIN THIS NORTHWEST FLOW REGIME BUT WE HAVE RAISED THEM SLIGHTLY FROM WHAT THE MODELS WERE PREDICTING A FEW DAYS AGO. NEVERTHELESS...HUMIDITY VALUES WILL TREND DOWN AREAWIDE ON FRIDAY VERSUS THURSDAY/S READINGS. STILL LOOKING FOR SOME GUSTINESS OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN AND AREAS TO THE LEE OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS BUT MIXING HEIGHTS LOOK TO BE FAIRLY LOW SO THIS WILL INHIBIT A STRONGER SURFACE FLOW MOST AREAS. SIMILAR PATTERN FOR SATURDAY WITH A WARMER WEST/SOUTHWEST FLOW DEVELOPING AS THE DAY PROGRESSES. TEMPERATURES WILL RANGE BETWEEN 15 TO 25 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL ON FRIDAY BUT WARM TO 5 TO 10 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL ON SATURDAY. MODELS CONTINUE TO VARY ON THEIR SOLUTIONS FOR THE NEXT UNSETTLED WEATHER PERIOD WHICH IS SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY OF NEXT WEEK. IT STANDS TO REASON THAT THERE WILL BE A LITTLE BIT OF WIND ON SUNDAY AS THE FLOW ALOFT REMAINS MODERATELY STRONG BUT PRECIPITATION CHANCES ON SUNDAY ARE STILL UP IN THE AIR. THE MORE UNSETTLE PART TO THE WEATHER LOOKS TO BE MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY IN TERMS OF WETTING PRECIPITATION. CONFIDENCE DURING THIS PERIOD IS RATHER LOW AT THIS TIME SO STAY TUNED. 50 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... FARMINGTON...................... 12 36 7 32 / 0 0 0 0 DULCE........................... 9 31 -2 31 / 5 0 10 5 CUBA............................ 12 31 0 31 / 5 5 5 5 GALLUP.......................... 9 35 -3 33 / 0 0 0 0 EL MORRO........................ 13 35 0 34 / 0 0 0 5 GRANTS.......................... 8 38 0 35 / 0 0 5 5 QUEMADO......................... 14 38 2 35 / 0 0 0 5 GLENWOOD........................ 21 50 16 46 / 0 0 5 5 CHAMA........................... 1 26 -4 26 / 5 20 20 5 LOS ALAMOS...................... 12 29 3 29 / 10 30 10 5 PECOS........................... 13 28 3 27 / 30 60 30 10 CERRO/QUESTA.................... 6 23 -4 25 / 10 20 20 5 RED RIVER....................... 5 17 -12 17 / 40 70 30 5 ANGEL FIRE...................... 4 18 -8 20 / 40 70 30 5 TAOS............................ 8 24 -1 27 / 5 10 20 5 ESPANOLA........................ 14 32 7 34 / 5 10 5 5 SANTA FE........................ 14 28 4 28 / 20 50 20 5 SANTA FE AIRPORT................ 17 30 9 30 / 20 40 10 5 ALBUQUERQUE FOOTHILLS........... 24 33 14 31 / 5 30 20 5 ALBUQUERQUE HEIGHTS............. 25 36 18 35 / 5 10 10 5 ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY.............. 19 37 15 36 / 5 10 10 5 ALBUQUERQUE WEST MESA........... 22 36 18 35 / 5 10 10 5 LOS LUNAS....................... 16 40 10 37 / 5 5 10 5 RIO RANCHO...................... 20 36 15 34 / 5 10 10 5 SOCORRO......................... 23 42 16 40 / 0 0 10 5 SANDIA PARK/CEDAR CREST......... 16 30 2 28 / 30 60 30 10 MORIARTY/ESTANCIA............... 18 28 8 28 / 20 50 40 10 CLINES CORNERS.................. 14 21 6 23 / 30 60 60 10 GRAN QUIVIRA.................... 20 33 14 31 / 20 50 30 10 CARRIZOZO....................... 22 36 15 35 / 5 20 20 5 RUIDOSO......................... 18 30 7 29 / 30 40 60 30 CAPULIN......................... 3 14 -3 25 / 80 70 30 0 RATON........................... 10 21 1 27 / 60 60 30 0 LAS VEGAS....................... 14 18 0 24 / 40 60 40 5 CLAYTON......................... 9 20 9 32 / 40 50 20 0 ROY............................. 12 18 7 28 / 50 60 30 5 CONCHAS......................... 14 24 9 31 / 30 60 30 10 SANTA ROSA...................... 19 25 12 31 / 30 60 40 10 TUCUMCARI....................... 17 25 10 30 / 20 50 30 10 CLOVIS.......................... 20 23 15 32 / 20 50 50 10 PORTALES........................ 20 25 14 32 / 20 50 50 10 FORT SUMNER..................... 20 28 16 30 / 20 50 40 20 ROSWELL......................... 24 31 20 31 / 20 30 60 30 PICACHO......................... 19 30 18 30 / 20 50 60 30 ELK............................. 23 33 16 31 / 20 30 60 30 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 6 AM THURSDAY TO 11 AM MST FRIDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ535>538. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM MST FRIDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ512>515-518-521>524-526>534-539-540. && GUYER/50
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 606 AM MST WED DEC 2 2009 NMZ501>540-031300- NORTHWEST PLATEAU-CHUSKA MOUNTAINS-FAR NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS- NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS-WEST CENTRAL PLATEAU-WEST CENTRAL MOUNTAINS- WEST CENTRAL HIGHLANDS-SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS- SAN FRANCISCO RIVER VALLEY-SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS-JEMEZ MOUNTAINS- WEST SLOPES SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS- NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 9500 FEET/RED RIVER- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 9500 FEET- EAST SLOPES SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS-UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY- LOWER CHAMA RIVER VALLEY-SANTA FE METRO AREA-ALBUQUERQUE METRO AREA- LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY-SANDIA/MANZANO MOUNTAINS-ESTANCIA VALLEY- CENTRAL HIGHLANDS-SOUTH CENTRAL HIGHLANDS-UPPER TULAROSA VALLEY- SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS-RATON RIDGE/JOHNSON MESA- FAR NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS-NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS-UNION COUNTY- HARDING COUNTY-EASTERN SAN MIGUEL COUNTY-GUADALUPE COUNTY- QUAY COUNTY-CURRY COUNTY-ROOSEVELT COUNTY-DE BACA COUNTY- CHAVES COUNTY PLAINS-EASTERN LINCOLN COUNTY-SOUTHWEST CHAVES COUNTY- 606 AM MST WED DEC 2 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SNOW WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE NORTHEAST PLAINS LATE THIS AFTERNOON... INCREASING IN COVERAGE DURING THE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS. THERE IS A THREAT FOR LIGHT TO MODERATE ACCUMULATIONS FOR AREAS ALONG AND EAST OF THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS...INCLUDING THE INTERSTATE 25 CORRIDOR. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW WEDNESDAY NIGHT WILL PERSIST THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS OF NEW MEXICO. ACTIVITY WILL TAPER OFF FROM NORTH TO SOUTH THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. IN ADDITION... SIGNIFICANTLY COLDER TEMPERATURES WILL LEAD TO SUB-ZERO READINGS IN THE NORTHERN AND WESTERN MOUNTAINS THURSDAY NIGHT...WITH WIND CHILLS APPROACHING 20 DEGREES BELOW ZERO. 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 AT WEATHER.GOV/ABQ OR BY CALLING 1.888.386.7637. DPORTER
6 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Up to 6 inches of snow fell west of the Interstate 25 corridor late on the 2nd into the morning hours of the 3rd. Lesser amounts were reported along and east of the interstate. Light snow lingered into the afternoon hours.
Widespread snow amounts of 5 to 6 inches were reported across the northeast highlands. However, isolated higher amounts up to 9 inches were also reported.
Widespread snowfall amounts of 4 to 6 inches were reported, mainly across the western portion of the county. However, an isolated amount of 8 inches was also reported.
Widespread snow amounts of 4 to 6 inches, mainly across the western portion of the county, were reported by both the CoCoRaHS network and locally trained spotters. Very little area across the county received less than 3 inches.
Widespread amounts of 3 to 5 inches were noted across the county, including in Roswell.
Four to 6 inches of snow was common across eastern Lincoln County. However, isolated higher amounts up to 8.5 inches were noted immediately east and northeast of the Capitan Mountains.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Snow, Guadalupe County | 2009-12-02 | 67 | Female | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Indirect |
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, December 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: 198476, 198477, 198478, 198479, 198480, 198481.