New Mexico, 2010

Heavy Snow in New Mexico, March 23 to 24, 2010

March 23 to 24, 2010 · NWS ABQ · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

As two upper level storm systems merged over New Mexico and moved into the Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles, wrap around precipitation once again left northeast New Mexico with several inches of snow on the ground. Strong and gusty winds also resulted in blowing and drifting snow.

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
8

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.

As two upper level storm systems merged over New Mexico and moved into the Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles, wrap around precipitation once again left northeast New Mexico with several inches of snow on the ground. Strong and gusty winds also resulted in blowing and drifting snow. Snow drifts up to four feet were reported.

Event by event

8 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Above 9500 Feet/Red River

When
March 23, 11:00 PM MST to March 24, 6:00 PM MST
Where
Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Above 9500 Feet/Red River forecast zone
Reported by
Public

Taos Ski Area picked up another foot of snow.

Heavy Snow, Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Above 9500 Feet

When
March 23, 11:00 PM MST to March 24, 6:00 PM MST
Where
Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Above 9500 Feet forecast zone
Reported by
SNOTEL

Santa Fe SNOTEL as well as the Santa Fe Ski Area picked up between 12 and 14 inches of snow.

Heavy Snow, East Slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains

When
March 23, 11:00 PM MST to March 24, 7:00 PM MST
Where
East Slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
Public

Eight to nine inches of snow fell around Angel Fire and Ute Park.

Heavy Snow, Raton Ridge/Johnson Mesa

When
March 24, 12:00 AM MST to 8:00 PM MST
Where
Raton Ridge/Johnson Mesa forecast zone
Reported by
Public

Eight to nine inches of snow fell across Raton Ridge and Johnson Mesa. Snow drifts were reportedly 2 to 4 feet high.

Heavy Snow, Far Northeast Highlands

When
March 24, 12:00 AM MST to 8:00 PM MST
Where
Far Northeast Highlands forecast zone
Reported by
Public

Three to six inches of snow fell across the Far Northeast Highlands.

Heavy Snow, Union County

When
March 24, 2:00 AM MST to 8:00 PM MST
Where
Union County forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

Four to seven inches of snow fell across Union County. The highest amounts were noted across the southeast part of the county.

Heavy Snow, Harding County

When
March 24, 3:00 AM MST to 8:00 PM MST
Where
Harding County forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

Up to four inches of snow fell across eastern Harding County.

Heavy Snow, Quay County

When
March 24, 6:00 AM MST to 9:00 PM MST
Where
Quay County forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

Up to five inches of snow fell across eastern Quay County.

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 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, March 2010

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 212618, 212619, 212620, 212621, 212622, 212623, 212624, 212625.