A slow-moving, deep trough of low pressure was over Arizona on the 29th. High winds developed ahead of this system for the second day in a row, this time impacting a much greater area of northern and central 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 slow-moving, deep trough of low pressure was over Arizona on the 29th. High winds developed ahead of this system for the second day in a row, this time impacting a much greater area of northern and central New Mexico.
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 29, 2:16 AM MST, 4 hours 19 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 316 AM MDT THU APR 29 2010 ...VERY WINDY DAY EXPECTED ACROSS NEW MEXICO TODAY... .DISCUSSION...STRONG UPPER LEVEL LOW IS CURRENTLY CHURNING OVER NORTHEASTERN MONTANA...LEAVING A BROAD CYCLONIC FLOW OVER THE WESTERN U.S. AND SUBSEQUENTLY A VERY STRONG HEIGHT/PRESSURE GRADIENT ALOFT OVER THE DESERT SOUTHWEST. THIS BROAD STORM SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE STATE FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS...PARTICULARLY FROM A WIND STANDPOINT WITH GENERALLY ONLY ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWER/THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE. CURRENT 500MB ISOTACH ANALYSIS AND PROGS SHOW A 110KT JET STREAK ROUNDING SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EXTENDING A RIBBON OF 70 TO 90KT WINDS EASTWARD INTO NEW MEXICO. THIS IS SUPPLEMENTED BY THE AZTEC WIND PROFILER WHICH IS INDICATING ABOUT 75KT AT 500MB AND 40KT AT 700MB...WHILE MANY AREAS SURROUNDING HIGHER RIDGE TOPS TO THE SOUTH AND EAST ARE LIKELY SEEING 60 TO 75 KT OF COMPRESSED FLOW INDUCED BY MOUNTAIN WAVE ACTIVITY. AT THE SURFACE...THE LOW HAS ELONGATED AND FILLED IN SOME...BUT IS EXPECTED TO DEEPEN TO NEAR 983MB BY THIS AFTERNOON OVER THE SE COLORADO/SW KANSAS VICINITY. THESE INGREDIENTS WILL HOLD TOGETHER THROUGH THE AFTERNOON WHILE A SIGNIFICANT LOBE OF VORTICITY SWINGS THROUGH THE SOUTHWEST AND APPROACHES NORTHWESTERN AND WEST CENTRAL NEW MEXICO...ULTIMATELY DRAGGING A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA FROM WEST TO EAST. CLOUDS WILL BE FILLING IN ACROSS THE NORTHWESTERN CORNER OF THE STATE...BUT SHOULD BE FAIRLY MINIMAL SOUTH AND EAST OF A RATON TO ALBUQUERQUE TO GLENWOOD LINE. THIS WILL INHIBIT MIXING IN THOSE CLOUDED NORTHWESTERN AREAS...BUT OTHER AREAS SHOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM MIXING UP TO A 600-550MB LAYER AND SEEING THAT STRONGER MOMENTUM ALOFT TRANSPOSED TO THE SURFACE. WILL HOIST HIGH WIND WATCH FOR ALL BUT NORTHWEST FOUR ZONES...AND WILL JUST CARRY WIND ADVISORY THERE. PRECIPITATION WILL BE ONLY A SIDENOTE WITH TODAY/S WINDS...AND WILL SEE SOME HIGH ELEVATION SNOW WITH MINIMAL ACCUMULATIONS. BY TONIGHT MUCH COLDER AIR ALOFT WILL BE WORKING IN...ALLOWING SNOW LEVELS TO LOWER TO NEAR 5500 TO 6000 FEET OR SO. LOW TEMPERATURES WILL BE NOTABLY COOLER AS WELL TONIGHT...PARTICULARLY IN CENTRAL TO WESTERN ZONES. A COOLER DAY WILL CONTINUE INTO FRIDAY AS MAIN LOW CHURNS INTO THE DAKOTAS AND HURLS A SECONDARY TROUGH AXIS OVER THE SOUTHWESTERN STATES...KEEPING TEMPERATURE ALOFT COOL WITH SLIGHT TO CHANCE CATEGORIES FOR PRECIPITATION AND A FEW LINGERING SNOW SHOWERS IN THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS. WINDS WILL STILL BE BREEZY ALONG AND EAST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN...BUT FAR LESS THAN TODAY. NEXT ISSUE OF CONCERN WOULD BE A FREEZE WATCH FOR FRIDAY NIGHT FOR SOME NORTHWEST...CENTRAL...AND NORTHEASTERN ZONES. HAVE LOWERED TEMPS FOR THIS TIME FRAME...A BIT CLOSER TO THE COOLER MET GUIDANCE. WILL NEED TO MONITOR CLOUDS AND BREEZES TO SEE HOW THESE INHIBIT COOLING FRIDAY NIGHT. HAVE KEPT SLIGHT CHANCE POPS BROADLY BRUSHED OVER THE FORECAST AREA FOR SATURDAY...THEN SHIFTING TOWARD THE NORTHERN ZONES ON SUNDAY AS BROAD CYCLONIC FLOW CONTINUES ITS RESIDENCE OVER THE STATE. FINALLY MONDAY A NORTHWEST FLOW REGIME INITIATES...AND SHOULD GRADUALLY DRY THINGS OUT INTO MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. && .AVIATION... GUSTY WINDS TO 55 KTS REDEVELOPING THROUGH THE MORNING THIS MORNING AS SURFACE LOW DEEPENS RAPIDLY OVER EASTERN COLORADO IN FACE OF STRONG SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT. WIND SPEEDS WILL TAPER OFF AFTER 03Z THIS EVENING. GENERAL VFR CIGS TO BKN/OVC050 PUSHING ACROSS ARIZONA BORDER AFTER 15Z...WITH COVERAGE REACHING CONTINENTAL DIVIDE BY 21Z THIS AFTERNOON. SOME SPOTTY LIGHT SHOWERS POSSIBLE AS THESE SHOWERS MOVE THROUGH. RAIN CHANGING TO SNOW OVER MT TOPS AFTER 03Z THIS EVENING WITH CIG EXCURSIONS TO MVFR IN HEAVIER SNOW SHOWERS. EXPECTING UP TO 2 INCH ACCUMULATION OVER CONTINENTAL DIVIDE AND WEST TO ARIZONA LINE...WITH HEAVIER AMOUNTS OVER THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS NEAR THE COLORADO LINE. CLOUD COVER WITH OVC040...MT TOP OBSCURATION AND SNOW SHOWERS...AND GUSTY WIND SHIFTS TO THE NORTHWEST WILL CONTINUE THROUGH 12Z FRIDAY MORNING. NEXT AVIATION DISCUSSION SCHEDULED FOR 21Z. SHY && .FIRE WEATHER... EXPECT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER FROM THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY EASTWARD TO THE TEXAS LINE ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 40 TODAY...AND ACROSS THE EASTERN AND NORTHEASTERN PLAINS AND ADJACENT HIGHLANDS DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES. EXPECT LOCALLY CRITICAL DANGEROUS FOR SEVERAL LATE AFTERNOON HOURS ON FRIDAY FOR THE EASTERN PLAINS ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 40...AND AGAIN ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON. TODAY...MUSCULAR PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM IN CENTRAL ARIZONA THIS MORNING WILL MOVE INTO WESTERN NEW MEXICO BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON. VERY STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL START EARLY THIS MORNING AND CONTINUE WELL INTO THIS EVENING. COLD FRONT NEAR THE FOUR CORNERS THIS MORNING WILL SWEEP SOUTHEAST TO CENTRAL TEXAS BY THIS EVENING...LEAVING DOUBLE DIGIT TEMPERATURE DROPS IN ITS WAKE. MINIMUM HUMIDITIES IN THE SINGLE DIGITS AND LOW TEENS AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL COMBINE WITH VERY STRONG WINDS TO PRODUCE RED FLAG CONDITIONS FOR THE EASTERN AND SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE STATE. TO THE NORTH AND WEST...COOLER AIR ARRIVING EARLY WILL HELP BOOST MINIMUM HUMIDITIES ABOVE RED FLAG THRESHOLDS FOR THE DAY AND IMPROVING CONDITIONS OVER YESTERDAY. FAIR TO GOOD HUMIDITY RECOVERY OVERNIGHT NORTH AND WEST...WITH POOR TO FAIR RECOVERIES SOUTH AND EAST. WIND SPEEDS WILL DECREASE GRADUALLY TONIGHT TO BRING LAST COUPLE OF DAYS OF STRONG WINDS TO A CLOSE FOR NOW. AS COLD FRONT SWEEPS THROUGH...SOME POSSIBILITY FOR ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS BY DAY...AND SNOW SHOWERS BY NIGHT...OVER THE NORTHERN AND WESTERN MOUNTAINS FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON ONWARD. FRIDAY...CORE OF PACIFIC TROUGH EXTENDING FROM CENTRAL COLORADO SOUTH AND WEST ACROSS NEW MEXICO TO THE NORTHERN GULF OF CALIFORNIA...WITH STRONGEST WINDS ALOFT MAINLY SOUTH AND EAST OF THE TROUGH AXIS. MUCH COLDER AIR IN PLACE WILL PRODUCE DOUBLE DIGIT DROPS IN DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURES...WITH SIMILAR DEPARTURES FROM SEASONAL NORMS. COOLER TEMPERATURES PARTIALLY OFFSET BY MUCH DRIER AIR MASS...WITH MINIMUM HUMIDITIES CREEPING UPWARD AS MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES PLUNGE. WITH TIGHTEST SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT SETTING UP NEAR THE COLD FRONT REMNANTS OVER SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO...AND HUMIDITIES REBOUNDING ONLY A FEW PCT FROM SINGLE DIGITS TO LOW TEENS...THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS WILL BE THE FOCUS FOR POSSIBLE DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER TO WRAP UP THE WORK WEEK. WILL GO WITH LOCAL CRITICAL MENTION FOR EAST CENTRAL PLAINS ZONE THIS ROUND...AND AREA WILL BE MONITORED FOR AN UPGRADE TO WATCH OR RED FLAG WARNING IN SUCCEEDING SHIFTS. GENERALLY FAIR TO GOOD HUMIDITY RECOVERIES OVERNIGHT...WITH SOME TEMPERATURE EXCURSIONS BELOW FREEZING FOR THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS AND ASSOCIATED SHELTERED VALLEYS. OUTLOOK...WEEKEND THROUGH MONDAY...TROUGH AXIS SQUARELY OVER NEW MEXICO SATURDAY WILL COLLAPSE WIND SPEEDS ALOFT AND WEAKEN SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENTS. BROAD BAROTROPIC LOW DEVELOPING UNDER TROUGH CORE WILL KEEP TEMPERATURE REBOUNDS MINIMIZED WITH HUMIDITIES CONTINUING VERY SLOW UPWARD CREEP. A FEW SHOWERS POSSIBLE OVER THE EASTERN PLAINS SATURDAY AFTERNOON. TROUGH REMAINING BUT ENERGY INTENSIFYING AS REINFORCING SHOT SWINGS OUT OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST TOWARD THE FOUR CORNERS. SHOWER COVERAGE OVER NORTHWEST QUADRANT OF THE STATE WILL EXPAND SOUTH AND EAST DURING THE DAY. UPTICK IN WIND SPEEDS AS SURFACE LOW DEEPENS OVER THE TEXAS PANHANDLE...AND COLD FRONT SAGS SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE COLORADO BORDER. WILL KEEP EYE ON EASTERN PLAINS SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 40 WHERE HUMIDITIES IN LOW TEENS AND BRIEFLY GUSTY WINDS MAY MEET UP FOR SEVERAL HOURS OF CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER. FOR MONDAY...TROUGH EXITING WITH BROAD NORTHWEST FLOW OVER THE STATE AND WEAK SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT SHUTTING OFF WIND FORCING. MONDAY TEMPERATURE REBOUNDS WILL BRING COOL TEMPERATURES WITHIN SINGLE DIGITS OF NORMAL FOR MOST POINTS WITH MINIMUM HUMIDITIES REMAINING IN THE TEENS AND LOW 20S. SHY SHY && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... FARMINGTON...................... 54 26 52 27 / 20 20 10 10 DULCE........................... 53 25 49 19 / 30 30 10 10 CUBA............................ 56 23 47 18 / 10 40 20 10 GALLUP.......................... 52 24 48 20 / 20 40 30 10 EL MORRO........................ 55 24 46 17 / 20 50 20 10 GRANTS.......................... 57 24 50 18 / 10 40 20 10 QUEMADO......................... 59 24 49 21 / 10 40 20 10 GLENWOOD........................ 70 35 61 31 / 5 20 10 10 CHAMA........................... 47 20 41 17 / 40 40 20 20 LOS ALAMOS...................... 57 26 49 22 / 10 30 20 10 PECOS........................... 63 28 49 23 / 5 20 20 10 CERRO/QUESTA.................... 52 18 45 14 / 20 30 20 20 RED RIVER....................... 45 19 38 13 / 30 30 30 20 ANGEL FIRE...................... 49 20 42 16 / 20 30 30 20 TAOS............................ 55 21 48 16 / 20 30 20 20 ESPANOLA........................ 68 31 58 23 / 10 30 20 10 SANTA FE........................ 61 28 50 22 / 5 20 20 10 SANTA FE AIRPORT................ 63 30 52 24 / 5 20 20 10 ALBUQUERQUE FOOTHILLS........... 66 36 53 32 / 5 20 20 10 ALBUQUERQUE HEIGHTS............. 68 38 54 34 / 5 20 10 10 ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY.............. 71 35 57 29 / 5 20 10 10 ALBUQUERQUE WEST MESA........... 70 35 56 31 / 5 20 10 10 LOS LUNAS....................... 74 38 62 35 / 5 20 10 10 RIO RANCHO...................... 71 37 60 33 / 5 20 10 10 SOCORRO......................... 78 41 64 35 / 0 5 5 10 SANDIA PARK/CEDAR CREST......... 59 31 51 20 / 5 20 20 20 MORIARTY/ESTANCIA............... 70 33 55 21 / 5 20 20 20 CLINES CORNERS.................. 63 28 48 23 / 5 20 10 20 GRAN QUIVIRA.................... 72 34 56 27 / 5 10 10 10 CARRIZOZO....................... 76 39 62 30 / 5 5 5 10 RUIDOSO......................... 68 36 50 28 / 5 20 10 10 CAPULIN......................... 66 24 49 22 / 5 20 20 20 RATON........................... 67 26 52 22 / 5 20 20 20 LAS VEGAS....................... 64 29 49 23 / 5 10 10 10 CLAYTON......................... 76 37 58 32 / 0 20 10 10 ROY............................. 68 36 50 31 / 5 10 10 10 CONCHAS......................... 76 43 64 32 / 0 10 10 10 SANTA ROSA...................... 79 40 62 32 / 0 10 10 10 TUCUMCARI....................... 82 40 64 31 / 0 10 5 10 CLOVIS.......................... 81 42 64 32 / 0 5 5 10 PORTALES........................ 83 41 65 35 / 0 5 5 10 FORT SUMNER..................... 78 42 65 34 / 0 5 5 10 ROSWELL......................... 89 46 67 36 / 0 5 5 10 PICACHO......................... 82 47 63 34 / 0 5 5 10 ELK............................. 79 41 61 29 / 5 5 10 10 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ505>540. RED FLAG WARNING FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ103-104-106>108. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES... NMZ501>504. && 52/SHY
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 600 AM MDT THU APR 29 2010 NMZ501>540-301200- 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- 600 AM MDT THU APR 29 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT VERY HIGH WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD OVER THE STATE THROUGH THE MORNING AND AFTERNOON HOURS. MANY AREAS WILL OBSERVE WIND GUSTS AS HIGH AS 60 TO 70 MPH...WHICH MAY CAUSE SOME DAMAGE TO SOME TREES AND OTHER STRUCTURES. AREAS OF BLOWING DUST ARE ALSO EXPECTED...AND COULD SUDDENLY REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO LESS THAN A MILE. IN ADDITION...LOW HUMIDITY WILL COMBINE WITH THESE STRONG WINDS TO CREATE WIDESPREAD CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS FROM THE MIDDLE RIO GRANDE VALLEY TO THE NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS AND EASTWARD TO THE TEXAS BORDER THIS AFTERNOON. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER...SOME LOCALIZED CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE EAST CENTRAL PLAINS FRIDAY AFTERNOON DUE TO WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITY. WEATHER CAN CHANGE VERY RAPIDLY. ALWAYS USE THE LATEST FORECASTS...WATCHES AND WARNINGS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ALBUQUERQUE AT 1.888.386.7637 OR ON-LINE AT WEATHER.GOV/ABQ TO REPORT ANY WIND DAMAGE. 52
14 high wind, 1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A peak wind gust of 72 mph also occurred at the Sierra Blanca Airport at 655 am MST. A large tree limb fell on a trailer home on 2nd St. in Capitan.
The 74 mph wind gust occurred 6 miles north of Wagon Mound at 1017 am MST. The Las Vegas ASOS reported a peak wind gust of 69 mph at 1132 am and a sustained wind speed of 55 mph from 153 pm to 253 pm.
The 99 mph wind was recorded at Sandia Peak at an elevation of 10,378 feet. Double Eagle Airport reported a peak wind gust of 62 mph at 1115 am MST and a sustained wind speed of 43 mph from 1115 am to 1215 pm. The Albuquerque Sunport recorded a peak wind gust of 63 mph at 451 pm and a sustained wind speed of 46 mph from 415 pm to 515 pm. Power lines were down near Central and Laguna Place in Albuquerque. A downed power line in southwest Albuquerque started a brush fire and minor damage to a house. Vinyl fabric on the north side of the upper wall of the University of New Mexico's indoor practice facility was ripped off from the winds.
There was also a gust to 62 mph at the Bandelier National Monument at 1221 pm MST.
The Socorro Automated Weather Observing Station recorded a sustained wind speed of 41 mph from 1250 pm to 150 pm MST. Wind damage occurred in Veguita at 200 pm when several sheets of Pro-Panel roofing were blown off the roof of a trading post along highway 304. A travel trailer was blown over along Interstate 25, 1.5 miles of Socorro at 230 pm MST.
A peak wind gust of 61 mph was also recorded at 1017 am MST.
An approximately 50 year old blue spruce was uprooted by strong winds on Alamosa Drive in the southwest part of Santa Fe. The tree was the tallest one in the entire neighborhood.
A peak wind gust of 60 mph was also recorded at the Dunken RAWS at 309 pm MST.
Wind gusts estimated to be around 60 mph overturned two semi-trucks along U.S. 84 in Guadalupe county. Both trucks were empty, which made them more susceptible to the strong wind gusts. Luckily, no one was injured. These gusts also knocked down an awning at Travel Centers of America. Debris from the awning smashed a vehicle's window. Elsewhere around the county, streets were littered with shingles blown off of rooftops.
In addition to the high sustained winds, there was a peak wind gust of 61 mph at the Roswell ASOS at 410 pm MST.
There was also a peak wind gust of 59 mph at the Tucumcari ASOS at 248 pm MST.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, April 2010
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: 218544, 218559, 218545, 218546, 218548, 218542, 218550, 218553, 218547, 218974, 218558, 218555, 218556, 218557, 218554.