High winds plagued areas downstream of the central mountain chain for much of the day in favored locales. Gusts over 60 mph were common for hours at Ruidoso, and several gusts over 60 mph were noted at Las Vegas as well.
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.
High winds plagued areas downstream of the central mountain chain for much of the day in favored locales. Gusts over 60 mph were common for hours at Ruidoso, and several gusts over 60 mph were noted at Las Vegas as well.
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 Feb 20, 3:53 AM MST, 2 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 353 AM MST SUN FEB 20 2011 ...COOLER AND UNSETTLED WEATHER REMAINDER OF THE WEEKEND THEN FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS INCREASING TUESDAY AND BEYOND... .DISCUSSION...BROAD AND COLD UPPER LEVEL TROUGH CENTERED OVER THE LOWER GREAT BASIN/SOUTHWEST CONUS THIS MORNING. 00Z SUN UPPER-AIR ANALYSES REVEALED IMPRESSIVE 500 MB TEMPS FROM NEAR -30C TO -33C FROM LAS VEGAS NEVADA TO THE WEST COAST. MID-LEVEL HEIGHTS ARE 2.5 TO 3 STANDARD DEVIATIONS BELOW THE MEAN. EMBEDDED WITHIN THE LARGER SCALE TROUGH...THE LAST AND MOST SIGNIFICANT SHORT-WAVE FORECAST TO TRACK FROM CENTRAL CALIFORNIA THIS MORNING TO THE FOUR CORNERS BY EARLY TONIGHT...ALL THE WHILE SHEARING AND LOSING SOME OF ITS DYNAMIC PUNCH. PRECEDING THIS WAVE OUR NC/NW ZONES WILL REMAIN BENEATH THE NOSE OF A 150+ KNOT JET MAXIMUM EARLY THIS MORNING...BEFORE THE JET CORE SLOWLY LIFTS NORTH AND TRANSLATES EAST DURING THE DAY. A VERY FAVORABLE OROGRAPHIC PATTERN TO REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH THIS MORNING FOR NW/NC ZONES...BEFORE THE BEST JET DYNAMICS LIFT NORTH AND EAST. WE THEN AWAIT THE ARRIVAL OF THE WEAKENING SHORT-WAVE/COLDER AIR ALOFT EARLY TONIGHT... WHICH SHOULD CROSS NORTHERN AREAS DURING THE 03Z-09Z TIME FRAME TONIGHT. WE WILL STILL HAVE DECENT OROGRAPHIC ENHANCEMENT DURING THIS PERIOD ...ESPECIALLY GIVEN STEEPENING LAPSE RATES. SO WHILE WE EXPECT A BRIEF LULL IN PRECIP COVERAGE ACROSS NC/NW AREAS LATER THIS MORNING AS THE JET TRANSLATES NORTH AND EAST...IT WILL PICK UP AGAIN LATE TODAY AS LARGE SCALE FORCING FOR LIFT INCREASES AHEAD OF INCOMING WAVE. OROGRAPHICALLY FAVORED REGIONS OF THE SAN JUANS...CHUSKAS AND HIGHER PEAKS OF THE SANGRES WILL CONTINUE TO BE EMPHASIZED IN OUR CURRENT SUITE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES THAT EXTEND THROUGH TONIGHT. A LATER SHIFT MAY CONSIDER UPGRADING THE SOUTHERN SAN JUANS TO A WARNING. OVERALL IMPACT TO LOWER ELEVATIONS WILL NOT BE GREAT...ESPECIALLY TODAY BUT RATHER THAN CANCELLING AND REISSUING THE ADVISORY FOR SAID AREAS WILL JUST KEEP HIGHLIGHTS SIMPLE AND UTILIZE BULLLETED INFO. WILL ADD THE SANGRES TO WSW. ALSO WATCHING A SUB-TROPICAL MOISTURE PLUME TAKING AIM ACROSS SOUTHERN AREAS. MODELS DO NOT SEEM TO BE HANDLING THIS AIR STREAM PARTICULARLY WELL BUT MOISTURE GENERALLY ABOVE 8-9 THOUSAND FEET MSL. WILL MASSAGE POPS ACROSS SW/SC AREAS TO ACCOUNT FOR A BIT MORE COVERAGE ALTHOUGH ALIGNMENT OF JET AXIS NOT FAVORABLE AND BECOMING EVEN LESS FAVORABLE AS THE DAY PROGRESSES. MAIN CONCERN ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN AREAS WILL BE WIND. INITIAL PACIFIC COLD FRONT APPEARS TO HAVE EMERGED EAST OF THE SANGRES EARLY THIS MORNING... EXTENDING SOUTH-SOUTHWESTWARD INTO SWRN PART OF STATE. WIDESPREAD ADVISORY LEVEL WINDS HAVE PERSISTED MUCH OF THE NIGHT WITH LOCALIZED HIGH WIND CRITERIA OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF CENTRAL/SOUTH CENTRAL NM. EVEN PARTS OF THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY HAVE SEEN ADVISORY LEVEL WINDS MUCH OF THE NIGHT INCLUDING AREAS FROM BELEN TO SOCORRO. WILL EXTEND THE WIND ADVISORY FOR AREAS ALONG/IMMEDIATELY EAST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN TO INCLUDE MUCH OF OUR SC ZONES. WILL LET PREVIOUSLY ISSUED WIND ADVISORIES EXPIRE FROM THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY WESTWARD ALTHOUGH WINDY CONDITIONS TO PERSIST BUT NOT NEAR AS STRONG AS SATURDAY. MAX TEMPS COOLER ACROSS THE BOARD TODAY...ESPECIALLY WEST. GENERALLY ZONAL TRENDING SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT FOR MONDAY. WEAK BACKDOOR FRONT INTO THE NORTHEAST LATE TONIGHT/MON AM SHOULD NOT BE HUGE FACTOR AS IT WASHES OUT AS QUICKLY AS IT DROPS IN. KEPT LOW GRADE POPS ACROSS THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS EARLY MONDAY...OTHERWISE DRY. DAYTIME TEMPS NEAR TO A FEW DEGREES BELOW SEASONAL AVERAGES. STRENGTHENING SWLY FLOW TUESDAY...WITH QUASI SPLIT PATTERN DEVELOPING. LOOKS LIKE NEXT LOW LATITUDE WAVE APPROACHES TUESDAY NIGHT OR EARLY WEDNESDAY WITH ANOTHER WIND BAG SCENARIO FOR MID-WEEK. ALSO WILL BE CLOSELY MONITORING A SHALLOW MODIFIED ARCTIC BOUNDARY THAT COULD FLIRT WITH OUR FAR EASTERN COUNTIES BY WEEK/S END. KJ && .AVIATION... COMPLEX WEATHER EXPECTED OVER THE FORECAST AREA DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. INCREASING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IN THE EC/SE PLAINS WILL ALLOW IFR CIGS/FOG TO IMPACT THIS AREA THROUGH MID/LATE MORNING. MOISTURE WILL BE SCOURED OUT THEREAFTER TO ALLOW FOR VFR CONDITIONS. STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE CENTRAL MTS INTO THE ADJACENT PLAINS WHERE 20-35G45KTS WILL BE COMMON THROUGH LATE AFTERNOON...IMPACTING KAXX/KLVS/KCQC/KSRR. MEANWHILE...MVFR/IFR CIGS AND SNOW SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TO PERSIST IN THE NW THIRD OF THE REGION. MTN OBSCURATIONS ARE LIKELY WITH THIS ACTIVITY WITH CONDITIONS SLOWLY IMPROVING AFTER 07Z/MON. TAF SITES THAT WILL BE IMPACTED INCLUDE KFMN/KGUP AND KSAF TO A LESSER EXTENT. ACTIVITY WILL DIMINISH FROM WEST-EAST DURING THE EVENING/OVERNIGHT HOURS. NEXT AVIATION DISCUSSION SCHEDULED FOR 22Z. DPORTER && .FIRE WEATHER... CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL BE CURTAILED THROUGH MONDAY... WITH A SLOW INCREASING THREAT EACH AFTERNOON ACROSS THE ERN PLAINS STARTING TUESDAY. MEANWHILE...VERY GOOD/EXCELLENT VENTILATION RATES WILL BE COMMON ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA THROUGH LATE IN THE UPCOMING WORK WEEK...EXCLUDING MONDAY. UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL CONTINUE TO BRING UNSETTLED WEATHER TO THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT TODAY WITH WETTING PRECIPITATION WITHIN THE NORTHWEST HIGH TERRAIN...PARTICULARLY THE WEST FACING SLOPES OF THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS. MEANWHILE...WINDY CONDITIONS SHOULD PREVAIL INTO LATE AFTERNOON ALONG THE ERN SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AS WELL AS THE ADJACENT HIGH PLAINS. EVEN THOUGH PROJECTED WIND SPEEDS ARE A TICK HIGHER THAN MODELS PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT...MOISTURE PROFILES WILL BE TOO HIGH TO SUPPORT ORGANIZED CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. A BRIEF HOUR IS POSSIBLE IN THE SE PLAINS...BUT THREAT APPEARS MINIMAL ATTM. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE 5-15 DEGREES BELOW/ABOVE NORMAL OVER WRN/ERN NM RESPECTIVELY. WITH INCREASED MOISTURE...HAINES VALUES ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN THE VERY LOW CATEGORY. SYSTEM WILL SHOVE EAST FOR MONDAY...HOWEVER SOUTHWEST FLOW MAY ALLOW FOR ELEVATED WIND SPEEDS ALONG/JUST EAST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS... WHERE SOME GUSTS ARE POSSIBLE DURING PEAK HEATING. FORTUNATELY...IT WILL BE WELL BELOW CRITICAL THRESHOLDS WITH HUMIDITIES DROPPING INTO THE 10-15 PCT RANGE IN THE LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY AND SOUTH OF I-40 IN THE ERN PLAINS. EXPECT FAIRLY POOR RECOVERIES MONDAY NIGHT ACROSS THIS SAME REGION. A DRY FRONTAL PASSAGE WILL CLIP THE ERN PLAINS MON NIGHT...BUT WILL BATTLE DRIER AIR TO THE WEST ON TUESDAY. SPLIT FLOW IS PROGGED DURING THIS PERIOD AS AN UPPER LOW CUTS OFF OVER THE ERN PACIFIC. GRADIENT AND AFTERNOON MIXING MAY BE STRONG ENOUGH TO SHOVE THE MOISTURE EAST OF THE FORECAST AREA. WITHIN THE DRIER SECTOR...AN HOUR OR TWO OF CRITICAL CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP. AFOREMENTIONED ERN PACIFIC WAVE WILL MIGRATE INTO THE DESERT SW FOR WEDNESDAY...THEN SWING THROUGH THE STATE DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. A MORE PROLONGED PERIOD OF CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS MAY FORM DURING THE PEAK HEATING HOURS. ZONAL FLOW IS PROGGED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST PERIOD...BUT CONFIDENCE IS NOT VERY HIGH IN THIS SOLUTION. MODELS SUGGEST THAT AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF WIDESPREAD CRITICAL CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE ERN PLAINS AS GRADIENT APPEARS RELATIVELY TIGHT...WITH A DRY AIR MASS IN PLACE. WILL NEED TO MONITOR WITH FUTURE MODEL RUNS. DPORTER && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... FARMINGTON...................... 42 20 43 22 / 40 30 5 0 DULCE........................... 38 15 40 12 / 50 50 5 0 CUBA............................ 43 21 45 18 / 40 40 5 0 GALLUP.......................... 40 13 44 15 / 40 30 5 0 EL MORRO........................ 40 16 44 17 / 40 20 0 0 GRANTS.......................... 46 21 48 19 / 30 10 0 0 QUEMADO......................... 47 19 50 20 / 30 10 0 0 GLENWOOD........................ 53 29 55 28 / 20 5 0 0 CHAMA........................... 35 8 38 -5 / 70 60 10 5 LOS ALAMOS...................... 44 22 47 20 / 30 20 5 0 PECOS........................... 46 20 46 18 / 20 20 5 0 CERRO/QUESTA.................... 42 11 44 10 / 50 30 5 0 RED RIVER....................... 38 9 35 11 / 50 40 5 0 ANGEL FIRE...................... 39 8 40 9 / 50 30 5 0 TAOS............................ 43 15 46 16 / 30 30 5 0 MORA............................ 46 19 47 18 / 20 20 5 0 ESPANOLA........................ 49 20 52 21 / 30 20 5 0 SANTA FE........................ 46 22 47 20 / 20 20 5 0 SANTA FE AIRPORT................ 48 22 49 23 / 20 20 5 0 ALBUQUERQUE FOOTHILLS........... 51 26 51 25 / 20 10 0 0 ALBUQUERQUE HEIGHTS............. 54 28 51 28 / 10 10 0 0 ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY.............. 55 25 53 25 / 10 10 0 0 ALBUQUERQUE WEST MESA........... 52 27 52 27 / 20 10 0 0 LOS LUNAS....................... 56 27 53 26 / 10 10 0 0 RIO RANCHO...................... 52 26 53 26 / 20 10 0 0 SOCORRO......................... 63 30 57 28 / 5 5 0 0 SANDIA PARK/CEDAR CREST......... 48 22 48 25 / 10 20 0 0 TIJERAS......................... 51 24 48 24 / 10 10 0 0 MORIARTY/ESTANCIA............... 53 23 49 22 / 10 10 0 0 CLINES CORNERS.................. 50 20 47 23 / 5 10 0 0 GRAN QUIVIRA.................... 58 27 51 26 / 5 5 0 0 CARRIZOZO....................... 61 28 57 25 / 5 5 0 0 RUIDOSO......................... 53 28 52 30 / 10 10 0 0 CAPULIN......................... 45 19 42 18 / 10 10 5 0 RATON........................... 47 18 47 16 / 20 10 5 0 SPRINGER........................ 51 20 50 19 / 10 10 5 0 LAS VEGAS....................... 49 20 49 20 / 10 10 5 0 CLAYTON......................... 56 22 48 21 / 10 5 0 0 ROY............................. 54 24 46 24 / 0 10 5 0 CONCHAS......................... 63 27 56 27 / 0 5 0 0 SANTA ROSA...................... 63 27 58 28 / 0 5 0 0 TUCUMCARI....................... 64 27 56 26 / 0 5 0 0 CLOVIS.......................... 66 30 57 26 / 0 5 0 0 PORTALES........................ 69 30 58 27 / 0 5 0 0 FORT SUMNER..................... 68 31 61 28 / 0 5 0 0 ROSWELL......................... 76 38 69 33 / 0 0 0 0 PICACHO......................... 66 32 64 29 / 5 0 0 0 ELK............................. 60 30 60 30 / 5 0 0 0 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES... NMZ515-521>524-526-528-529-539-540. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 5 AM MST MONDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ501>506-510-512>514. && 41/46
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 656 AM MST SAT FEB 19 2011 NMZ501>540-201300- 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- 656 AM MST SAT FEB 19 2011 CORRECTED TYPO THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT...STRONG SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN AND ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS. WIND GUSTS TO 50 OR 55 MPH WILL BE COMMON. WIND SPEEDS MAY STRENGTHEN ACROSS THE SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS AND ADJACENT HIGH PLAINS TONIGHT...WHEN THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR GUSTS TO 65 MPH. SHOWERS...THUNDERSTORMS AND HIGH TERRAIN SNOW SHOWERS WILL ALSO DEVELOP ACROSS CENTRAL AND WESTERN NEW MEXICO TODAY. SOME THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE WIND GUSTS AROUND 55 MPH. SNOW LEVELS WILL DROP ACROSS NORTHWEST NEW MEXICO TONIGHT...WHEN A FEW TO SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW ACCUMULATION IS POSSIBLE. PLEASE REVIEW THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY AND WIND ADVISORY FOR MORE DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY SUNDAY...STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN AND ACROSS THE ADJACENT HIGH PLAINS...BUT DIRECTIONS WILL SHIFT OUT OF THE WEST AND SOUTHWEST. GUSTS TO 50 OR 55 MPH WILL BE COMMON...EXCEPT POTENTIALLY UP TO 65 MPH ACROSS THE SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS AND ADJACENT HIGH PLAINS. ACROSS NORTHWEST NEW MEXICO THE HEAVIEST SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL END BY SUNDAY MORNING. HOWEVER...LIGHT ADDITIONAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE POSSIBLE SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT...ESPECIALLY IN THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS. TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...THE LATEST MODEL RUNS HAVE SHIFTED THE TIMING OF A POTENTIALLY STRONG WIND EVENT FROM TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY TO THURSDAY. ITS POSSIBLE THAT FUTURE MODEL RUNS WILL REVERT TO THEIR PREVIOUS TIMING...BUT THE LATEST MODEL OUTPUT INDICATES THE POTENTIAL FOR SOUTHWEST WINDS TO GUST TO 50 MPH ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN AND ADJACENT HIGH PLAINS THURSDAY AFTERNOON. DESPITE THE WEAKER WIND SPEEDS ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY IN RECENT MODEL RUNS...SOUTHWEST WINDS STILL LOOK STRONG ENOUGH FOR WIDESPREAD CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS EASTERN NEW MEXICO TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. 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 AT WEATHER.GOV/ABQ OR BY CALLING 1.888.386.7637. 44
4 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The KSRR AWOS began reporting severe wind gusts during the early morning hours, however, severe gusts became more frequent during the late morning and afternoon hours. The highest wind gusts of 66 mph were recorded at 835 and 935 am, as well as at 155 pm.
In addition to the strong wind gusts, sustained winds over 40 mph plagued the Ruidoso area as well. For a period in the afternoon, winds were sustained at 52 mph. Sustained winds over 40 mph were most consistent between 815 and 935am and again between 1235 and 315pm.
The Las Vegas ASOS recorded severe wind gusts of 58 and 59 mph several times during the four hour period. The highest gust of 59 mph was recorded at 926 am.
The Columbia Scientific Balloon Facilities TransWestern Pump weather station north-northeast of Encinoso recorded a 60 mph wind gust.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, February 2011
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: 274104, 274107, 274110, 274116.