A quick moving upper level storm system and its associated cold front brought very strong winds to the state on the 10th. Strong winds started early in the morning, with most locations gusting near 60 mph before noon.
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 quick moving upper level storm system and its associated cold front brought very strong winds to the state on the 10th. Strong winds started early in the morning, with most locations gusting near 60 mph before noon. The strong winds created areas of blowing dust with reduced visibility down to 2 miles or less at times. The gusty winds also took down power poles, broke tree limbs and tore a roof off a mobile home.
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 May 10, 2:26 AM MST, 4 hours 9 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 326 AM MDT MON MAY 10 2010 .DISCUSSION... BUSY COUPLE OF DAYS AHEAD WITH WIND AND FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS. SHORTWAVE EVIDENT ON SATELLITE IMAGERY THIS MORNING ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL ARIZONA WILL QUICKLY MOVE ACROSS NORTHERN NM THIS MORNING. AS SUCH...THE STRONGEST MID AND UPPER LEVEL WINDS WILL CROSS THE STATE BY 18Z. THIS COMBINED WITH A 995 SFC LOW OVER SOUTHEAST COLORADO BY 18Z WILL RESULT IN VERY STRONG WINDS EAST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN. WILL UPGRADE THE HIGH WIND WATCH TO A WARNING AND ADD A FEW ZONES AS WELL DUE TO RUC GUIDANCE SHOWING 50KT OR BETTER ACROSS ALL OF THE EASTERN PLAINS AT 700MB AT 18Z. TUCUMCARI AND AZTEC PROFILERS ALREADY SHOWING 45 TO 50KT AROUND 700 MB. WILL GO AHEAD AND ISSUE A WIND ADVISORY FOR MUCH OF THE REST OF THE AREA MINUS THE FAR WEST AND NORTHWEST. JET SHOULD PULL INTO EASTERN NM BY MID DAY...AND THUS...ADVISORY TYPE WINDS ACROSS THE WEST SHOULD HAVE COME AND GONE BY EARLY AFTERNOON. WINDS SHOULD DIMINISH FAIRLY EARLY THIS EVENING ACROSS THE EAST. THIS FIRST SYSTEM WILL TRY TO SEND A FRONT INTO FAR NORTHEAST NM TONIGHT...BUT STRONG SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL DEVELOP AGAIN TOMORROW...WHICH WILL KEEP THE FRONT THERE OR MAY EVEN PUSH IT NORTHEASTWARD OUT OF THE CWA. A 994 SFC LOW WILL DEVELOP ACROSS NORTHEAST NM AS A CLOSED LOW APPROACHES THE AREA. HIGH END WIND ADVISORIES ARE PROBABLY A GOOD BET FOR MOST AREAS TOMORROW...THOUGH SOME AREAS MAY NEED ANOTHER HIGH WIND WARNING. THIS CLOSED LOW WILL BE CENTERED JUST NORTH OF THE FOUR CORNERS AREA BY 06Z WED...BEFORE MOVING ACROSS COLORADO DURING THE DAY ON WEDNESDAY. WINDS ACROSS THE STATE MAY CONTINUE TO BE BREEZY WEDNESDAY AFTN...THOUGH NOT AS STRONG AS TODAY AND TOMORROW. THEN A FRONT WILL SLIDE DOWN THE EASTERN PLAINS LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT...WHICH WILL COOL TEMPERATURES...USHER IN SOME MOISTURE...AND POSSIBLY ALLOW FOR A SHOWER TO DEVELOP. APPEARS TO STAY FAIRLY STABLE BEHIND THE FRONT THURSDAY AFTERNOON...AND TO SOME EXTENT FRIDAY AFTERNOON AS WELL...BUT AS EASTERLY WINDS CONTINUE TO USHER IN MOISTURE...THE WEEKEND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE ACTIVE ACROSS THE EAST WITH THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. HOWEVER...UPPER LEVEL FEATURES ARE MORE UNCERTAIN BY THIS TIME. 34 && .AVIATION... MVFR TO IFR CIGS FROM KCAO TO KCVN QUICKLY MOVING EAST WITH VFR CONDITIONS ALL AREAS BY 12Z AND CONTINUING THROUGH TONIGHT. STRONG TO HIGH WINDS TODAY EXCEPT IN THE NORTHWEST. SOUTHWEST SURFACE WIND GUSTS OF 60 TO 70 MPH ARE LIKELY OVER MUCH OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN NEW MEXICO THROUGH THE DAY. AN ISOLATED SHOWER IS FORECAST OVER THE SOUTHERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS TODAY WITH BRIEF MVFR CONDITIONS POSSIBLE. NEXT AVIATION DISCUSSION SCHEDULED FOR 21Z. CHJ && .FIRE WEATHER... CRITICAL TO EXTREME FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS TODAY AND AGAIN TUESDAY. THE WESTERN TWO THIRDS OF THE AREA CONTINUES TO BE DRY WHILE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE LINGERS ALONG THE EASTERN BORDER COUNTIES EARLY THIS MORNING. HOWEVER...THIS MOISTURE WILL QUICKLY SHIFT EAST THIS MORNING AS SOUTHWEST WINDS PICK UP. A DEEP TROUGH ALOFT OVER THE GREAT BASIN WILL RACE EAST ALONG THE COLORADO AND NEW MEXICO BORDER TODAY. EXTREME FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TODAY MUCH OF THE EASTERN PLAINS WITH CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS OVER WESTERN AND CENTRAL AREAS. THESE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL BE MARGINAL OVER THE NORTHWEST ESPECIALLY IN THE NORTHWEST PLATEAU. NIGHTTIME RH RECOVERY TONIGHT WILL BE FAIR TO POOR NORTH AND POOR TO ABYSMAL SOUTH. A SECOND LOW ALOFT OVER THE GREAT BASIN AT DAYBREAK TUESDAY WILL MOVE MORE SLOWLY EAST INTO WESTERN COLORADO TUESDAY NIGHT. AHEAD AND SOUTH OF THIS SYSTEM...WINDS WILL AGAIN INCREASE ACROSS MUCH OF NEW MEXICO DURING THE DAY TUESDAY. THE AIRMASS OVER NEW MEXICO CONTINUES DRY AND THE COMBINATION OF DRY AIR AND MODERATE TO STRONG WINDS WILL MAKE FOR MORE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR ALL ALL AREAS TUESDAY. THE TROUGH ALOFT WILL MOVE INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS WEDNESDAY AND ALLOW FOR LESS WIND ACROSS NEW MEXICO WEDNESDAY WHILE THE AIRMASS REMAINS DRY. A BACK DOOR COLD FRONT PUSHING SOUTH AND WEST FROM SOUTHEAST COLORADO WEDNESDAY NIGHT WILL FINALLY ADD SOME MOISTURE TO THE EASTERN PLAINS FOR THURSDAY...ALTHOUGH THE PROSPECTS FOR WIDESPREAD SHOWERS ALONG AND EAST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN ARE STILL UNCERTAIN AT BEST BOTH THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. CHJ && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... FARMINGTON...................... 71 39 72 33 / 0 0 10 5 DULCE........................... 63 27 66 27 / 5 0 10 10 CUBA............................ 64 29 69 29 / 5 0 5 0 GALLUP.......................... 67 32 68 26 / 0 0 5 0 EL MORRO........................ 64 32 67 27 / 0 0 5 0 GRANTS.......................... 67 32 72 30 / 0 0 0 0 QUEMADO......................... 68 32 70 31 / 0 0 0 0 GLENWOOD........................ 77 38 78 36 / 0 0 0 0 CHAMA........................... 58 25 65 24 / 10 0 10 20 LOS ALAMOS...................... 64 37 69 34 / 0 0 0 0 PECOS........................... 66 32 71 32 / 0 0 0 0 CERRO/QUESTA.................... 60 28 68 29 / 5 0 5 10 RED RIVER....................... 55 31 61 27 / 0 0 10 10 ANGEL FIRE...................... 58 32 65 25 / 0 0 5 5 TAOS............................ 62 28 71 29 / 0 0 5 5 ESPANOLA........................ 72 33 78 34 / 0 0 0 0 SANTA FE........................ 67 31 73 32 / 0 0 0 0 SANTA FE AIRPORT................ 70 36 75 35 / 0 0 0 0 ALBUQUERQUE FOOTHILLS........... 73 45 77 42 / 0 0 0 0 ALBUQUERQUE HEIGHTS............. 74 47 78 44 / 0 0 0 0 ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY.............. 75 44 79 41 / 0 0 0 0 ALBUQUERQUE WEST MESA........... 74 46 78 42 / 0 0 0 0 LOS LUNAS....................... 78 42 81 44 / 0 0 0 0 RIO RANCHO...................... 75 45 79 42 / 0 0 0 0 SOCORRO......................... 81 46 84 48 / 0 0 0 0 SANDIA PARK/CEDAR CREST......... 69 38 73 37 / 0 0 0 0 MORIARTY/ESTANCIA............... 71 38 76 39 / 0 0 0 0 CLINES CORNERS.................. 66 37 73 37 / 0 0 0 0 GRAN QUIVIRA.................... 73 44 77 43 / 0 0 0 0 CARRIZOZO....................... 79 48 81 49 / 0 0 0 0 RUIDOSO......................... 71 44 74 44 / 0 0 0 0 CAPULIN......................... 70 35 69 40 / 0 5 10 20 RATON........................... 72 33 76 36 / 0 0 5 20 LAS VEGAS....................... 67 35 73 38 / 0 0 0 0 CLAYTON......................... 76 40 77 43 / 0 0 5 20 ROY............................. 73 47 77 45 / 0 0 0 10 CONCHAS......................... 81 41 84 46 / 0 0 0 5 SANTA ROSA...................... 80 42 84 48 / 0 0 0 0 TUCUMCARI....................... 85 42 88 47 / 0 0 0 5 CLOVIS.......................... 81 44 86 48 / 0 0 0 5 PORTALES........................ 83 43 87 48 / 0 0 0 0 FORT SUMNER..................... 84 44 88 48 / 0 0 0 0 ROSWELL......................... 92 49 93 52 / 0 0 0 0 PICACHO......................... 83 50 85 50 / 0 0 0 0 ELK............................. 78 49 80 48 / 0 0 0 0 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 6 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ515-521>524-526>537-539-540. RED FLAG WARNING FROM 8 AM THIS MORNING TO 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ103-104-107-108. FIRE WEATHER WATCH FROM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ101-103>109. RED FLAG WARNING FROM 8 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ101-102-105-106-109. WIND ADVISORY FROM 6 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ506>508-510>514-516>520-525-538. && 34/40
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 600 AM MDT MON MAY 10 2010 NMZ501>540-111200- ALBUQUERQUE METRO AREA-CENTRAL HIGHLANDS-CHAVES COUNTY PLAINS- CHUSKA MOUNTAINS-CURRY COUNTY-DE BACA COUNTY- EAST SLOPES SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS-EASTERN LINCOLN COUNTY- EASTERN SAN MIGUEL COUNTY-ESTANCIA VALLEY-FAR NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS- FAR NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS-GUADALUPE COUNTY-HARDING COUNTY- JEMEZ MOUNTAINS-LOWER CHAMA RIVER VALLEY-LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY- NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS- NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTOS ABOVE 9500 FEET/RED RIVER- NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS-NORTHWEST PLATEAU-QUAY COUNTY- RATON RIDGE/JOHNSON MESA-ROOSEVELT COUNTY-SAN FRANCISCO RIVER VALLEY- SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS-SANDIA/MANZANO MOUNTAINS-SANTA FE METRO AREA- SOUTH CENTRAL HIGHLANDS-SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTOS ABOVE 9500 FEET-SOUTHWEST CHAVES COUNTY- SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS-UNION COUNTY-UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY- UPPER TULAROSA VALLEY-WEST CENTRAL HIGHLANDS-WEST CENTRAL MOUNTAINS- WEST CENTRAL PLATEAU-WEST SLOPES SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS- 600 AM MDT MON MAY 10 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT STRONG WINDS WILL DEVELOP THIS MORNING ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN NEW MEXICO. THE STRONGEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED ALONG AND EAST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN WHERE GUSTS NEAR 60 MPH ARE POSSIBLE. THE COMBINATION OF THESE STRONG WINDS AND LOW HUMIDITIES WILL RESULT IN CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS AREA-WIDE TODAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS WILL RETURN ON TUESDAY. DRY CONDITIONS WILL ALSO PERSIST RESULTING IN CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ONCE AGAIN. WEATHER CAN CHANGE VERY RAPIDLY. ALWAYS USE THE LATEST FORECASTS... WATCHES AND WARNINGS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT WIND GUSTS OF 58 MPH OR GREATER THROUGH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/ABQ OR BY CALLING 1.888.386.7637. 34
19 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Wind gusts up to 63 mph were recorded at Sierra Blanca Regional Airport near Ruidoso.
A peak wind gust of 68 mph was recorded at Clines Corners at 821 am MST, though gusts over 58 mph were noted for several hours.
Sustained winds over 40 mph were measured at the Clines Corners ASOS for over 3 hours. Peak sustained winds of 51 mph was measured shortly before 9 am.
Wind gusts up to 63 mph were measured at the Las Vegas ASOS.
Sustained winds up to 45 mph were measured at the Las Vegas ASOS.
A 65 mph gust was measured 3 miles southeast of Manzano at 822 am MST, meanwhile a measured wind gust of 63 mph was reported just southeast of Tajique shortly after 8 am MST. Some minor street sign damage was noted in Edgewood, along with blowing dust reducing visibilities down to one-half mile.
Two power poles were blown down just northwest of Corona on Highway 42.
An estimated 60 mph gust was reported near Hayden, while a measured gust to 59 mph was recorded just southeast of Gladstone.
Four inch tree limbs were blown down.
A mobile home had its roof blown off in Conchas due to the high winds.
The Cannon AFB ASOS recorded sustained winds above 40 mph for an hour. The highest sustained wind speed recorded was 45 mph.
A School Net site near Ute Lake recorded a peak wind gust of 71 mph at 1027 am MST. Report was relayed by KVII television in Amarillo. Additionally, the ASOS in Tucumcari recorded a peak wind gust of 63 mph at 1038 am MST. However, wind gust over 58 mph were recorded between 908 and 1101 am. A few powerlines were downed northeast of Logan which started a small grass fire. Fortunately, the fire was quickly put out.
Sustained winds of 40 mph were recorded at the Tucumcari ASOS between 908 am and noon MST. The highest sustained winds of 52 mph were measured around 1030 am.
A trained spotter at Sumner Lake recorded a peak wind gust of 65 mph. Visibility was reduced to 3 miles in blowing dust.
The West Texas Mesonet site near Dora recorded sustained winds above 40 mph nearly continuously between 925 and 1145 am MST. Sustained winds peaked at 48 mph right as the strong winds started.
The Clovis AWOS recorded a peak wind gust of 63 mph at 955 am MST. Meanwhile, the Cannon AFB ASOS recorded gusts over 58 mph between 944 and 1010 am, peaking at 59 mph. Visibility was reduced to 2 miles in blowing dust.
The Dunken RAWS site hit 60 mph at 1009 am, but also hit 59 mph at 1209 pm MST.
The West Texas Mesonet site near Dora recorded peak wind gusts of 60 mph at 1035 am, 61 mph at 1130 am, and 59 mph at 1125 am MST. The high winds caused extensive damage to power polls in Portales, along with a few downed trees and part of a roof was blown off a barn.
Sustained winds of 43 mph were measured at the Raton Crews Airport.
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, May 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: 219781, 219768, 219767, 219805, 219804, 219766, 219776, 219806, 220095, 220096, 220136, 220098, 220099, 220137, 220101, 220135, 220100, 220102, 219803.