A storm over California moved into the Great Basin and increased the winds at the low and mid levels of the atmosphere. This created some high sustained winds and wind gusts.
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 California moved into the Great Basin and increased the winds at the low and mid levels of the atmosphere. This created some high sustained winds and wind gusts.
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 Jan 26, 2:59 PM MST, 3 hours 16 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 259 PM MST MON JAN 26 2009 .DISCUSSION... AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WITH SHARP COOLING ALOFT WILL CROSS FROM THE NORTHWEST TONIGHT AND TUESDAY...AND DRIVE A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE STATE IN THE PROCESS. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHWEST UNTIL LATE TONIGHT...WHERE THE STRONGEST POSITIVE VORTICITY ADVECTION AND MOISTURE WILL OVERRUN THE PASSING COLD FRONT. UPSLOPE FLOW ALONG THE WEST SLOPE OF THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS WILL RESULT IN THE HEAVIEST SNOW ACCUMULATIONS THERE BY 4 AM TUESDAY MORNING. A FEW INCHES OF SNOW ACCUMULATION WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE IN NORTHER PORTIONS OF THE WEST CENTRAL MOUNTAINS...AS WELL AS THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS...BUT AMOUNTS SHOULD REMAIN BELOW ADVISORY CRITIA. ADDITIONALLY...A BACK DOOR COLD FRONT AND MOIST LOW LEVEL COOL POOL ON THE PLAINS COULD RESULT IN PERIODS OF LIGHT SNOW AND AREAS OF FREEZING FOG OVERNIGHT...BUT ACCUMULATIONS SHOULD REMAIN LIGHT. LOCATIONS ALONG THE TEXAS BORDER COULD POSSIBLY EVEN RECIEVE A LITTLE SLEET...BUT FORECAST SOUNDINGS DEPICT DRY AIR ABOVE THE WARM TONGUE...SO WE ARE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THE ACCUMULATIONS OF FREEZING PRECIPITATION WITH WHICH OUR NEIGHBORS FURTHER EAST MAY HAVE TO CONTEND. MEANWHILE...THE STRONG GUSTY WINDS IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND ADJACENT HIGH PLAINS SHOULD BEGIN TO DIMINISH BY THE LATTER HALF OF THE EVENING AS THE LOWER ATMOSPHERE DECOUPLES AND THE STRONGER 10K FT WINDS SHIFT EASTWARD. THUS...THE WIND ADVISORY FOR THE VICINITY OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS SHOULD NO LONGER BE NEEDED AFTER ABOUT 4Z. AFTER COOLER TEMPERATURES WITH THE EXITING TROUGH ON TUESDAY...TEMPERATURES SHOULD WARM WEDNESDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND AS DRY NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT TRAVERSES THE FORECAST AREA. ANOTHER STRONG 500 MB HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE CALIFORNIA COASTLING DURING THIS PERIOD HELPING TO KEEP STORMS WELL NORTH AND EAST OF NM. 44 && .AVIATION... AT LEAST SCT IFR CONDITIONS TO CONTINUE ACROSS THE NORTHWEST AND NORTHEAST QUARTER TO THIRD OF THE STATE WITH FOG PATCHES AFTER ABOUT 03Z A LITTLE MORE LIKELY ACROSS THE NORTHEAST THAN THE NORTHWEST. BEST CHANCES OF RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS CHANGING TO MOSTLY SNOW SHOWERS WILL BE NEAR AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40 AND NEAR TO WEST OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE....BUT ACROSS THE FAR NORTH SOME SPOTTY SNOW AND RAIN WITH ISOLATED TO SCT IFR TO MVFR CONDITIONS WILL BE A GOOD BET EASTWARD TO THE SANGRE DE CRISTOS. WIND GUSTS BETWEEN 45 AND 55 KTS TO CONTINUE OVER LINCOLN COUNTY AND THE GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS OF CHAVES COUNTY THROUGH MID OR LATE EVENING. A NEARLY STATIONARY FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL HOLD STEADY OVER MUCH OF THE EASTERN PLAINS INTO TONIGHT THEN WEAKEN AND HEAD EAST TUE. RISK FOR LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR BEHIND FRONT TO CONTINUE NEAR KCAO AND KTCC AND WEST TO NEAR THE BOUNDARY. A MIX OF LIGHT SNOW...SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN MAY DEVELOP IN SMALL PATCHES OVER THE FAR EASTERN PLAINS TONIGHT WITH IFR TO LIFR CIGS AND VSBYS. NEXT AVIATION DISCUSSION SCHEDULED FOR 10Z. 43 && .FIRE WEATHER... NO MAJOR FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS IN THE SHORT TERM...WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A FEW SPOTS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN TORRANCE COUNTY UNTIL 5 PM OR SO WHERE WINDS WILL EXCEED AND RH LEVELS APPROACH CRITICAL VALUES. A STORM MOVING INTO THE FOUR CORNERS LATE TONIGHT WILL GENERATE SOME RAIN AND SNOW SHOWER ACTIVITY THROUGH TONIGHT AND POSSIBLY LINGER A BIT INTO TUE MORNING WITH THE BULK OF THE SNOW MOST LIKELY OVER THE SOUTHERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS IN RIO ARRIBA COUNTY. MEANWHILE A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL HANG ON OVER THE EASTERN PLAINS TODAY. SOME VERY LIGHT SNOW...SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN MAY FORM OVER THE EASTERN PLAINS TONIGHT AS THE STORM SYSTEM CROSSES THE AREA. MOSTLY DRY WEATHER WILL FOLLOW FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK. VENTILATION RATES WILL BE MOSTLY GOOD OR BETTER TUESDAY EXCEPT OVER THE FAR EASTERN PLAINS. VENTILATION RATES WILL TREND TOWARD FAIR TO POOR LATER IN THE WEEK AS A WEAK RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE STATE. 43 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... FARMINGTON...................... 24 36 17 44 / 60 20 0 0 GALLUP.......................... 17 36 10 45 / 20 20 5 0 GRANTS.......................... 16 39 11 47 / 10 10 5 0 GLENWOOD........................ 26 50 21 57 / 10 10 5 0 CHAMA........................... 8 31 0 37 / 80 30 5 0 LOS ALAMOS...................... 18 35 13 44 / 20 20 5 0 RED RIVER....................... 6 29 -2 35 / 50 20 5 0 TAOS............................ 14 34 4 39 / 40 20 5 0 SANTA FE........................ 20 36 14 43 / 20 20 5 0 SANTA FE AIRPORT................ 23 39 16 46 / 10 10 0 0 ESPANOLA........................ 22 41 18 48 / 20 10 0 0 ALBUQUERQUE HEIGHTS............. 30 44 23 48 / 5 10 5 0 ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY.............. 25 45 20 49 / 5 10 5 0 ALBUQUERQUE FOOTHILLS........... 27 43 22 47 / 5 10 5 0 ALBUQUERQUE WEST MESA........... 28 44 20 49 / 5 10 5 0 SOCORRO......................... 28 51 22 55 / 5 5 5 0 SANDIA PARK/CEDAR CREST......... 20 39 17 45 / 5 10 5 0 MORIARTY/ESTANCIA............... 21 41 17 47 / 5 10 5 0 CARRIZOZO....................... 29 49 21 52 / 0 10 5 0 RUIDOSO......................... 27 41 24 49 / 5 10 5 0 RATON........................... 9 34 6 47 / 40 10 0 0 LAS VEGAS....................... 14 35 13 47 / 20 10 5 0 ROY............................. 10 35 18 50 / 20 10 5 0 CLAYTON......................... 6 30 17 51 / 20 10 0 0 SANTA ROSA...................... 21 44 23 57 / 10 10 5 0 TUCUMCARI....................... 12 38 16 56 / 10 10 5 0 FORT SUMNER..................... 21 45 20 60 / 10 10 5 0 CLOVIS.......................... 17 37 19 55 / 10 10 5 0 PORTALES........................ 18 39 19 56 / 10 10 5 0 ROSWELL......................... 31 44 23 62 / 5 10 5 0 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM MST TUESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ001-002. HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 9 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ017. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES... NMZ011-016-026. && 44/43
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 1253 PM MST MON JAN 26 2009 UPDATED TO ADD HIGH WIND WARNING TO THE RUIDOSO AREA NMZ001>021-026-271300- CAPITAN/NORTHERN SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS- CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS/ESTANCIA VALLEY-CHAVES COUNTY PLAINS- CONCHAS LAKE/GUADALUPE COUNTY-CURRY COUNTY-DE BACA COUNTY- FAR NORTHEAST PLAINS-GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS OF CHAVES COUNTY- HARDING COUNTY-LINCOLN COUNTY HIGH PLAINS/HONDO VALLEY- LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY- MIDDLE RIO GRANDE VALLEY/ALBUQUERQUE METRO AREA-NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS- NORTHWEST MOUNTAINS INCLUDING JEMEZ-NORTHWEST PLATEAU-QUAY COUNTY- ROOSEVELT COUNTY-SANDIA/MANZANO MOUNTAINS-SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS- SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS/UPPER GILA REGION-UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY- WEST CENTRAL MOUNTAINS- 1253 PM MST MON JAN 26 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A HIGH WIND WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS THROUGH 9 PM TONIGHT...WHILE A WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE ADJACENT HIGH PLAINS OF LINCOLN COUNTY...SOUTHWEST CHAVES COUNTY AND THE CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS/ESTANCIA VALLEY. SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 25 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS FROM 45 TO 55 MPH ARE LIKELY...EXCEPT IN THE RUIDOSO AREA WHERE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO PEAK AROUND 60 MPH THIS AFTERNOON. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN NOW EFFECT FOR THE NORTHWEST MOUNTAINS AND NORTHWEST PLATEAU THROUGH 4 AM TUESDAY MORNING. PLEASE SEE THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR MORE DETAILS. A SLIGHT CHANCE EXISTS FOR A WINTRY MIX OF PRECIPITATION TONIGHT ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE EASTERN PLAINS. ISOLATED AREAS OF LIGHT SNOW...LIGHT FREEZING DRIZZLE...LIGHT SLEET OR LIGHT FREEZING RAIN ARE POSSIBLE FOR AREAS ALONG THE TEXAS BORDER. ANY WINTRY PRECIPITATION THAT DOES FALL IS EXPECTED TO BE LIGHT AND NOT POSE SIGNIFICANT TRAVEL PROBLEMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER...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. 44
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A peak wind gust of 66 mph was also recorded at 135pm 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, January 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: 142490.