Two successive upper level storm systems effectively brought a one-two punch to New Mexico. Winter weather began on the 31st of January when an arctic cold front blasted through the eastern plains.
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.
Two successive upper level storm systems effectively brought a one-two punch to New Mexico. Winter weather began on the 31st of January when an arctic cold front blasted through the eastern plains. Snow began that evening in earnest across the eastern plains and central mountain chain. Rain also changed to snow across the west as temperatures cooled. Snow continued into the 2nd, which was then followed by extremely cold temperatures. Snow totals exceeded one foot in many mountain locales, while somewhat lower amounts were noted below 7500 feet. This event continued into early February.
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 Jan 31, 4:15 AM MST, 6 hours 45 minutes earlier.
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</html>HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 625 AM MST MON JAN 31 2011 NMZ501>540-011300- 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- 625 AM MST MON JAN 31 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THE COMBINATION OF A FAIRLY MOIST AND STRONG LOW PRESSURE TROUGH ALOFT MOVING INTO NEW MEXICO FROM THE WEST AND AN INTENSELY COLD ARCTIC AIRMASS DRIVING IN FROM THE NORTHEAST WILL RESULT IN AN INCREASING LIKELIHOOD OF SNOW ACROSS NORTH...WEST AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO TODAY AND THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA TONIGHT. BEHIND THE ADVANCING COLD FRONT MARKING THE EDGE OF THE ARCTIC AIRMASS...STRONG NORTH AND NORTHEAST WINDS OF 15 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO NEARLY 40 MPH WILL CREATE DANGEROUSLY LOW WIND CHILL VALUES...ESPECIALLY TONIGHT. MORE DETAILS CAN BE FOUND IN THE WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE ISSUED EARLIER THIS MORNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THE MAJOR WINTER STORM EVENT WILL CONTINUE TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY AS THE SECOND UPPER LEVEL LOW APPROACHES TUESDAY THEN MOVES THROUGH WEDNESDAY. AFTER A POTENTIAL LULL IN SNOWFALL COVERAGE OR INTENSITY THROUGH THE MORNING TO MIDDAY PERIOD TUESDAY...SNOW WILL LIKELY INCREASE AGAIN ACROSS MOST OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. THE GREATEST ACCUMULATIONS ARE MOST LIKELY TO FALL FROM THE GENERAL VICINITY OF THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TO THE EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN FROM LATER TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY. IN ADDITION... THE ARCTIC CHILL WILL OVERSPREAD CENTRAL AND MUCH OF WESTERN NEW MEXICO TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT...THOUGH WINDS WILL NOT BE QUITE AS STRONG NOR TEMPERATURES QUITE AS COLD AS COMPARED TO NORTHEAST NEW MEXICO...WHERE READINGS OF 5 TO 15 DEGREES BELOW ZERO ARE LIKELY IN THE NORTHEAST PLAINS AND 10 TO 25 BELOW IN THE SANGRE DE CRISTOS AND NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS. STRONG NORTH AND NORTHEAST WINDS OF 15 TO 30 MPH WITH SOME HIGHER GUSTS TUESDAY INTO TUESDAY NIGHT WILL CREATE DANGEROUSLY LOW WIND CHILL VALUES. MORE DETAILS CAN BE FOUND IN THE WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE ISSUED EARLIER THIS MORNING. 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 STARTING MONDAY THROUGH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/ABQ OR BY CALLING 1.888.386.7637. 43
29 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Between 4 and 5 inches of snow fell around Gallup, with lesser amounts further south. This event continued into February.
Snow amounts varied between 8 and 15 inches across the San Juan Mountains. Chama received the greatest amount at 15 inches, though most of the SNOTELs in the area picked up between 8 and 10 inches. This event continued into February.
The Vacas Locas SNOTEL reported about 8 inches of snow. This event continued into February.
Around 4 inches of snow fell around Crownpoint. This event continued into February.
Up to 4 inches of snow fell around Clayton. This event continued into February.
Snow totals varied from 3 to 8 inches across the far northeast highlands, though the highest amounts were reported southwest of Wagon Mound. This event continued into February.
Up to 4 inches of snow fell across Harding County. This event continued into February.
Between 3 and 7 inches of snow fell across the west central highlands. Amounts included 4 inches at Grants and nearly 7 inches around Acoma. This event continued into February.
Around 8 inches of snow fell in and near Magdalena. Elsewhere, 3 to 6 inch amounts were common. This event continued into February.
Over a foot of snow was reported at the Tres Ritos and Gallegos Peak SNOTELs as well as the Sipapu Ski Area. This event continued into February.
Between 8 and 12 inches of snow fell across the northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains. This event continued into February.
Between one and two feet of snow fell across the southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains. This event continued into February.
Between 8 and 15 inches of snow fell across the east slopes of Sangre de Cristo Mountains. This event continued into February.
The highest snow totals were generally along and west of Interstate 25 where 6 to 12 inches of snow was reported. During the evening of the 31st, 3 to 4 inch snow rates existed at times around San Jose. This event continued into February.
Up to 4 inches of snow fell across eastern San Miguel County. This event continued into February.
Between 2 and 6 inches of snow fell across Guadalupe County, though the highest amounts were across western portions of the county. This event continued into February.
In Reserve, up to 6 inches of snow fell. This event continued into February.
Between 4 and 6 inches of snow fell around Taos. This event continued into February.
Generally 3 to 4 inches of snow fell around the Santa Fe area, however, localized higher amounts up to 6 inches were reported. This event continued into February.
On the east side of Albuquerque, 4 to 6 inches of snow was common. West of Interstate 25, amounts were generally 1 to 2 inches. Three to 6 inches was also common around Belen, Los Lunas and Bosque Farms. Spotters also reported hearing thunder around Albuquerque. This event continued into February.
Eight to 13 inches of snow fell across the mountains, though locally higher amounts were reported around Sandia Peak. This event continued into February.
Six to 8 inches of snow was common across the central highlands. This event continued into February.
Four to six inches of snow fell around Socorro, however further east toward Bingham, around 10 inches of snow was reported. This event continued into February.
About 9 inches of snow fell in Moriarty, while near Stanley, 6 inches of snow was reported. This event continued into February.
Between 7 and 13 inches of snow fell across the south central highlands. This event continued into February.
Approximately 5 inches of snow fell in Carrizozo. This event continued into February.
Amounts varied significantly across the south central mountains. However, around Alto and Ruidoso, more than a foot of snow was common. The highest elevations around Sierra Blanca received 18 inches or more. This event continued into February.
Between 3 and 10 inches of snow fell across eastern Lincoln County. The highest amounts were noted several miles north of Encinoso. This event continued into February.
Around 6 inches of snow fell around Dunken. This event continued into February.
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, January 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: 271031, 271035, 271036, 271030, 271055, 271052, 271056, 271032, 271033, 271037, 271038, 271039, 271040, 271053, 271057, 271059, 271034, 271041, 271042, 271043, 271045, 271047, 271044, 271046, 271048, 271049, 271050, 271061, 271062.