A strong upper level system moving across the central Rocky Mountains resulted in very strong winds over portions New Mexico over a two day period. On the 22nd, the strongest winds were noted across western New Mexico.
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 strong upper level system moving across the central Rocky Mountains resulted in very strong winds over portions New Mexico over a two day period. On the 22nd, the strongest winds were noted across western New Mexico. However, as the upper level system moved eastward early on the 23rd, the strongest winds shifted to areas along and east of the central mountain chain. Wind gusts up to 70 mph were reported near Las Vegas.
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 Mar 22, 2:03 PM MST, 2 hours 27 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 303 PM MDT SUN MAR 22 2009 .DISCUSSION... MAIN CONCERNS THRU MONDAY AFTERNOON ARE WINDS AND FIRE WEATHER. THE LATEST 20Z SFC ANALYSIS INDICATES WINDS ARE RAMPING UP ACROSS THE REGION WITH ADVISORY LEVELS CLOSE AT KGUP...KLVS...AND KRTN. THE KABX VAD WIND PROFILE INDICATES WINDS ARE INCREASING JUST OFF THE SURFACE TO AROUND 25 KNOTS AND SHOULD CONTINUE TO DO SO THRU SUNSET. WILL LEAVE ALL HIGHLIGHTS AS IS SINCE 18Z MODEL RUNS SUPPORT 12Z SOLNS. THE LATEST RUC ANALYSIS SHOWS A 60-70 KNOT 700MB JET SLIDING OVER THE WESTERN MTNS THIS EVENING AND ACROSS THE CENTRAL/ SOUTHERN MTNS TONIGHT. THE 12Z NAM/GFS BUFKIT PROFILES SHOW MOMENTUM TRANSFER WILL BE SUFFICIENT IN COLD AIR ADVECTION REGIME FOR WINDY TO VERY WINDY CONDITIONS INTO THIS EVENING. THE LATEST WATER VAPOR LOOP ALSO INDICATES DRAMATIC SUBSIDENCE IN THE FORM OF STRONG DRYING BEHIND THE INITIAL 90 KNOT UPPER LEVEL JET MAX OVER SOUTHERN NM. THE MAIN UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM IS STILL WITHIN THE GREAT BASIN AND DOES CARRY WITH IT SOME RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS AND EVEN SOME LIGHTNING STRIKES BENEATH THE STEEP 700-500MB LAPSE RATE REGION. THE BEST CHANCE POPS WILL BE ACROSS THE NORTHERN THIRD FOCUSED ON THE HIGH TERRAIN AS THE LEFT EXIT REGION OF A POWERFUL 110-120 KNOT JET SLICES ACROSS THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE STATE. QPF NUMBERS BTWN 0.05-0.15 WILL ONLY SUPPORT 1 OR 2 INCHES OF SNOWFALL...ESPECIALLY OVER WESTERN FACING SLOPES OF THE SAN JUANS TONIGHT. THE FOCUS FOR STRONG WINDS THEN SHIFTS INTO THE CENTRAL MTNS AND THE EAST SLOPES EARLY MONDAY AS SUBSIDENT NW FLOW IN COLD ADVECTION START TO DOMINATE THE REGION. WILL HAVE TO WATCH LOCALES WITHIN THIS REGION AFTER MIDNIGHT FOR POSSIBLE EXPANSIONS TO HIGH WIND WARNINGS. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DIMINISH LATE MONDAY AFTERNOON ACROSS THE ENTIRE REGION. MUCH COOLER AIR WILL SETTLE INTO THE REGION MONDAY NIGHT WITH A RETURN TO SEASONAL NIGHTTIME LOWS. LEFT ISOLD SHOWERS ACROSS THE NORTHERN MTNS MONDAY AFTERNOON AS ENOUGH DYNAMICS AND MID LEVEL MOISTURE MAY BE IN PLACE FOR SOME VERY LIGHT QPF. NW FLOW WILL SET UP ACROSS NM TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...KEEPING TEMPS AT SEASONAL NORMS AND PERIODS OF BREEZY CONDITIONS OVER THE AREA. THE NEXT DISTURBANCE IS PROGGED TO DIG INTO AZ/NM FROM THE CENTRAL ROCKIES LATE THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. HOWEVER MODEL SOLUTIONS CONTINUE TO DISAGREE ON STRENGTH AND TIMING THEREFORE LEFT EXTENDED GRIDS UNTOUCHED. GUYER && .AVIATION... ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS WILL SPREAD INTO THE NORTHWESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL PORTIONS OF THE STATE WITH MORE NUMEROUS SHOWER ACTIVITY NEAR THE COLORADO BORDER. OCCASIONAL MVFR AND BRIEF LOCALIZED IFR CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS OVERNIGHT AND INTO MONDAY. THIS EVENING...WIND GUSTS OF 35 TO 50KT WILL BE MOST COMMON OVER THE WESTERN THIRD OF NEW MEXICO SHIFTING INTO CENTRAL AREAS BEFORE SUNRISE MONDAY...AND THEN ALONG AND EAST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS BY MONDAY AFTERNOON. A FEW AREAS OF BLOWING DUST WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH THIS EVENING IN THE WEST...SHIFTING TO EASTERN HALF OF THE STATE MONDAY WHERE VISIBILITIES WILL OCCASIONALLY REDUCE TO MVFR CATEGORY. 52 NEXT AVIATION DISCUSSION SCHEDULED FOR 09Z. && .FIRE WEATHER... MID AND HIGH CLOUDS ARE QUICKLY CLEARING ACROSS MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA AND WINDS ARE INCREASING...ESPECIALLY IN THE WEST. THE CORE OF A 70KT H7 JET WILL SURGE INTO THE WEST CENTRAL MOUNTAINS BY MID EVENING...AND THUS WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO STAY STRONG IF NOT INCREASE OVERNIGHT IN MANY CENTRAL TO WESTERN ZONES. HUMIDITIES SHOULD RISE OUT OF CRITICAL RANGES BY MID EVENING AND CURRENT RED FLAG WARNING IS SET TO REMAIN IN TACT UNTIL 23/0300UTC. UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL CONTINUE TO DIG EASTWARD AND WILL CLOSE OFF OVER COLORADO TONIGHT WITH A VERY STRONG SURFACE GRADIENT ALSO DEVELOPING ACROSS NEW MEXICO. AS HIGHER WINDS SPREAD WEST TO EAST OVERNIGHT...ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS WILL DEVELOP IN THE NORTH AND NORTHWEST WITH A COUPLE INCHES OF NEW SNOWFALL POSSIBLE AS THIS ACTIVITY LINGERS INTO MONDAY. WINDS WILL STAY STRONG ALONG AND EAST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN DURING THE DAYTIME HOURS MONDAY AS HUMIDITIES ONCE AGAIN DECLINE BELOW CRITICAL THRESHOLDS. CONFIDENCE IS HIGH THAT FIRE WEATHER WATCH WILL LIKELY BE UPGRADED TO RED FLAG WARNING FOR THESE EASTERN ZONES. UPPER LOW WILL QUICKLY EJECT NORTHEASTWARD TUESDAY...BUT A WEAK TRAILING UPPER TROUGH WILL SWING INTO THE CENTRAL ROCKIES. WINDS WILL RELAX AND MOST OF THE ASSOCIATED PRECIP SHOULD REMAIN TO THE NORTH OF NEW MEXICO. STRONGER BREEZES LOOK IN ORDER FOR WEDNESDAY AS A LEE SIDE SURFACE CYCLONE DEVELOPS. AN HOUR OR TWO OF CRITICAL FIRE WX CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. A STRONGER SYSTEM LOOKS TO DIP INTO THE STATE BY THURSDAY WITH INCREASING CHANCES OF PRECIPITATION. 52 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... FARMINGTON...................... 38 49 27 56 / 40 10 0 0 GALLUP.......................... 31 49 17 53 / 10 0 0 0 GRANTS.......................... 35 50 20 55 / 0 0 0 0 GLENWOOD........................ 34 64 26 66 / 0 0 0 0 CHAMA........................... 29 44 21 50 / 60 30 10 5 LOS ALAMOS...................... 36 48 31 52 / 0 5 0 0 RED RIVER....................... 27 44 19 45 / 20 20 20 5 TAOS............................ 32 47 21 54 / 0 10 5 0 SANTA FE........................ 33 50 25 56 / 0 0 0 0 SANTA FE AIRPORT................ 36 53 27 58 / 0 0 0 0 ESPANOLA........................ 36 55 23 59 / 0 0 0 0 ALBUQUERQUE HEIGHTS............. 44 58 34 62 / 0 0 0 0 ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY.............. 42 58 31 64 / 0 0 0 0 ALBUQUERQUE FOOTHILLS........... 39 56 31 60 / 0 0 0 0 ALBUQUERQUE WEST MESA........... 41 59 32 62 / 0 0 0 0 SOCORRO......................... 42 67 35 67 / 0 0 0 0 SANDIA PARK/CEDAR CREST......... 32 48 23 50 / 0 0 0 0 MORIARTY/ESTANCIA............... 38 55 30 57 / 0 0 0 0 CARRIZOZO....................... 44 64 32 62 / 0 0 0 0 RUIDOSO......................... 42 52 28 55 / 0 0 0 0 RATON........................... 33 62 25 61 / 0 10 10 0 LAS VEGAS....................... 36 58 25 56 / 0 0 0 0 ROY............................. 39 63 27 57 / 0 5 0 0 CLAYTON......................... 40 69 30 58 / 0 0 5 0 SANTA ROSA...................... 48 70 34 64 / 0 0 0 0 TUCUMCARI....................... 52 71 34 67 / 0 0 0 0 FORT SUMNER..................... 44 71 37 67 / 0 0 0 0 CLOVIS.......................... 48 71 38 62 / 0 0 0 0 PORTALES........................ 49 73 39 65 / 0 0 0 0 ROSWELL......................... 48 78 41 72 / 0 0 0 0 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ103>109. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT MDT TONIGHT FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES... NMZ001. FIRE WEATHER WATCH FROM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH MONDAY EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ103-104-107-108. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM MDT MONDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES... NMZ004-005-010-011-016-026. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT MDT TONIGHT FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES... NMZ009-015. HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL MIDNIGHT MDT TONIGHT FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ008-014. HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL MIDNIGHT MDT TONIGHT FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ017. WIND ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 PM MDT MONDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ017. && GUYER/52
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 1232 PM MDT SUN MAR 22 2009 NMZ001>021-026-231200- 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- 1232 PM MDT SUN MAR 22 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT RED FLAG WARNING THIS AFTERNOON INTO MID EVENING FOR THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS...RIO GRANDE VALLEY AND THE EASTERN PLAINS FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES. HIGH WIND WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT FOR THE WEST CENTRAL...SOUTHWEST...AND SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS. WIND ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA THROUGH MIDNIGHT EXCEPT THE NORTHWEST MOUNTAINS. WIND ADVISORIES CONTINUE THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON FOR THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN INCLUDING THE EAST SLOPES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY MONDAY...THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS AGAIN MAINLY EAST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES. WIND ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT THROUGH 6 PM MONDAY FOR THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN INCLUDING THE EAST SLOPES. 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. SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SUSTAINED WINDS OF 40 MPH OR GREATER AND/OR GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. GUYER
4 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A retired NWS Employee northeast of Quemado estimated wind gusts between 50 and 60mph between 430 and 930pm MST. Estimated sustained winds between 40 and 50mph were also reported.
The Gallup ASOS reported at 59 mph wind gust just prior to a cold frontal passage. Areas of blowing dust were also noted on satellite imagery near the area.
The Las Vegas ASOS reported a peak wind gust of 70 mph at 330 am MST. However, wind gusts over 60 mph continued through approximately 530 am MST as the winds changed from a southerly to westerly direction due to the passage of a cold front.
The Las Vegas ASOS reported sustained winds over 40 mph between approximately 430 and 630am. A peak sustained wind of 47 mph was reported at 453am 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, March 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: 151422, 151417, 151418, 151427.