An unseasonably strong upper level low pressure system over the Great Basin combined with a deep surface low pressure center over eastern Colorado produced widespread strong winds across New Mexico. The strongest winds developed over the west central plateau and western mountains as well as along and east of much of the central mountain chain, surrounding highlands, and adjacent 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.
An unseasonably strong upper level low pressure system over the Great Basin combined with a deep surface low pressure center over eastern Colorado produced widespread strong winds across New Mexico. The strongest winds developed over the west central plateau and western mountains as well as along and east of much of the central mountain chain, surrounding highlands, and adjacent plains. Numerous reports of gusts between 55 and 63 mph were received.
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 9, 2:18 AM MST, 6 hours 12 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 318 AM MDT MON MAY 9 2011 ...WINDY AND DRY CONDITIONS WILL BE PREVALENT ACROSS NEW MEXICO TODAY... .DISCUSSION...UPPER LOW IS CURRENTLY CHURNING AWAY OVER OREGON...AND ONLY MAKING A SLUGGISH PACE TO THE SOUTHEAST. REGARDLESS THE SOUTHWESTERLIES ALOFT HAVE RESPONDED UPWARD WITH 50 TO 60 KT NOTED AT 6 KM AGL PER AZTEC AND WHITE SANDS WIND PROFILERS. THIS TREND WILL CONTINUE INTO THE DAY WITH THE LEE SIDE SURFACE LOW BOTTOMING OUT NEAR 989 MB AND ADDING AN INCREASED SURFACE GRADIENT. THIS WILL CERTAINLY BE A STRONG WIND EVENT...BUT WILL NOT BE AS SEVERE AS SOME HAVE BEEN THUS FAR THIS SPRING. INHERITED WIND ADVISORY/WARNING HIGHLIGHTS HAVE REMAINED IN TACT. FROM A PRECIPITATION STANDPOINT...COVERAGE WILL BE CONFINED TO THE FAR NORTHWESTERN ZONES WITH ONLY MEAGER CHANCES TODAY FOR MEASURABLE AMOUNTS. OUTSIDE OF THESE AREAS...PRECIPITATION WILL BE AN UNATTAINABLE LUXURY THAT REMAINING ZONES JUST WONT HAVE...BUT RATHER SINGLE DIGIT HUMIDITIES AND SUB-ZERO DEWPOINTS THAT WILL ENHANCE CRITICAL TO EXTREME FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. WARM SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW OVER MOST OF THE STATE SHOULD IMPLY WARM OVERNIGHT TEMPS TONIGHT...SO HAVE HEDGED ABOVE MOS TEMPERATURE GUIDANCE. STRONGEST BELT OF MID LEVEL WINDS WILL ALSO BISECT NEW MEXICO TONIGHT AS THE LOW SPLITS...SHEDDING ONE PIECE OF ENERGY FAR INTO THE NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS WHILE THE WESTERN- MOST PIECE DIVES INTO ARIZONA. THE TREND OF TAKING THIS LATTER VORT MAX FARTHER SOUTH HAS CONTINUED THE PAST FEW MODEL RUNS. IT DOES NOT LOOK AS THOUGH THE SYSTEM WILL BE ABLE TO FULLY TAP INTO THE SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE FARTHER SOUTH...BUT IT WILL COME CLOSE...JUST ENOUGH TO TEASE NEW MEXICO WITH INCREASED CLOUD COVER GOING INTO THE DAYTIME TUESDAY. BY LATE TUESDAY AFTERNOON THE CENTER OF THE LOW WILL BE IN CENTRAL ARIZONA...SHIFTING THE STRONGEST WINDS FARTHER SOUTH AND EAST WITH FAIRLY SPARSE PRECIPITATION COVERAGE CONTINUING IN THE NORTHWESTERN ZONES. MAY NEED A WIND ADVISORY FOR SOME SOUTH CENTRAL TO EASTERN ZONES FOR TUESDAY...BUT WILL GET THROUGH TODAY/S EVENT BEFORE PINPOINTING THAT. INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING AND MID DAY WEDNESDAY THE LOW WILL LIFT NORTHEASTWARD...PASSING OVER THE NORTHERN TIER OF NEW MEXICO. THIS TIME FRAME STILL APPEARS TO BE THE BEST WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY FOR PRECIPITATION...AND WITH THE MORE SOUTHWARD TRACK OF THE LOW POPS WERE EXTENDED A BIT FARTHER SOUTH. STILL THE BULK OF THIS SHOULD STAY NORTH OF I-40. THE COLDER CORE OF THIS SYSTEM WILL HOST SOME TEMPERATURES FALLING TO 0 TO -3 C AT H7...AND SOME NORTHERN MOUNTAINS COULD TALLY A COUPLE TO A FEW INCHES. TEMPERATURES WILL BE NOTABLY COOLER AREAWIDE WEDNESDAY WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED FRONT. RIDGE QUICKLY ESTABLISHES ITSELF ON THURSDAY IN A BLOCKING PATTERN TO FINISH UP THE WORK WEEK. BY SATURDAY A QUICK MOVING SHORT WAVE TROUGH UNDERCUTS THE WESTERN CONUS LOW AND RIDES UP OVER THE RIDGE AXIS IN NEW MEXICO. THIS COULD PROVIDE SOME MID LEVEL MOISTURE AND DYNAMICS TO THE OTHER LOWER TROPOSPHERIC INGREDIENT...MOISTURE IN THE EAST VIA A BACK DOOR FRONTAL AND DRYLINE INTRUSION. ISOLATED POPS HAVE BEEN BUILT IN TO ACCOUNT FOR THIS REGIME. WINDS WILL LIKELY RETURN BY LATE NEXT WEEK AS THE RIDGE GETS WORKED ON BY FORCES TO THE WEST AND SLOWLY ERODES AWAY. 52 && .AVIATION...STRONG WINDS AND AREAS OF BLOWING DUST WILL BE THE MAIN CONCERNS FOR MUCH OF NEW MEXICO TODAY. EXPECT THE STRONGEST WINDS FROM LATE MORNING THROUGH LATE AFTERNOON WITH SUSTAINED WESTERLY WINDS OF 25 TO 40 KTS WITH GUSTS BETWEEN 40 TO 50 KTS EXPECTED. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL LIKELY OCCUR OVER THE WESTERN HIGH TERRAIN AND ALONG I-40 FROM CLINES CORNERS TO TUCUMCARI. BLOWING DUST WILL REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO BELOW ONE MILE AT TIMES. OVER THE NORTHERN HIGH TERRAIN..PARTICULARLY THE NORTHWEST MOUNTAINS...EXPECT ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WITH SOME SNOW POSSIBLE ABOVE 7500 FEET OVERNIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING. NEXT AVIATION DISCUSSION SCHEDULED FOR 21Z. KW && .FIRE WEATHER...CRITICAL TO EXTREMELY CRITICAL CONDITIONS EXPECTED TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THE CURRENT PATTERN SETUP WILL BE ONE OF A FIRE WEATHER GROWING PATTERN WITH STRONG WINDS AND EXTREMELY DRY CONDITIONS EXPECTED. EXPECT THE WORST CONDITIONS TO OCCUR ALONG AND EAST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS...ESPECIALLY FROM THE SANDIA MANZANOS EAST ACROSS CLINES CORNERS TO TUCUMCARI AS TEMPERATURES SOAR TO SOME 10 TO 15 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL COUPLED WITH HUMIDITIES IN THE 2 TO 6 PERCENT RANGE... WINDS FREQUENTLY GUSTING BETWEEN 45 AND 60 MPH AND HAINES INDICES OF 5 AND 6. THIS WILL BE THE ZONE OF EXTREMELY CRITICAL CONDITIONS TODAY. EXPECT PUTRID OVERNIGHT RECOVERIES ONCE AGAIN MAINLY FROM THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY EAST TO WEST TEXAS WITH FAIR TO POOR RECOVERIES OVER THE WEST. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED WETTING PRECIPITATION IS STILL A POSSIBILITY OVER THE NORTHWEST MOUNTAINS THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT BUT NOT MUCH QPF EXPECTED. CONFIDENCE FOR CRITICAL CONDITIONS HAS INCREASED ENOUGH TO UPGRADE THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH TO A RED FLAG WARNING FOR TUESDAY. ONCE AGAIN THE MAIN THREAT AREAS WILL BE ALONG AND EAST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN ALTHOUGH WE DO EXPECT CRITICAL CONDITIONS TO OCCUR OVER THE SOUTHWEST. TEMPERATURES WILL BE COOLER WITH BELOW NORMAL READINGS FORECAST FROM THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS WEST BUT STILL EXPECTING ABOVE NORMAL TEMPS ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS WHERE THE HIGHEST LIKELIHOOD FOR CRITICAL CONDITIONS WILL OCCUR. DUE TO THE COOLER MAX TEMPERATURES...WE EXPECT GOOD OVERNIGHT RECOVERIES TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING CENTRAL AND WEST BUT REMAINING POOR OVER THE EAST. COOLER TEMPERATURES WILL PERSIST INTO WEDNESDAY WITH READINGS SOME 10 TO 20 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL EXPECTED FROM THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND POINTS WEST. THREAT FOR STRONG WINDS AND VERY DRY CONDITIONS LAP OVER INTO WEDNESDAY GENERALLY TO THE EAST OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAIN CHAIN AND ACROSS THE EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST PLAINS. SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY MAY ALSO BE AFFECTED. AM CONCERNED THAT THE COOLER TEMPS MAY OFFSET CRITICAL CONDITIONS BY KEEPING RH VALUES UP A BIT. HIGHEST CONFIDENCE FOR RED FLAG WOULD BE OVER THE EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST. WILL ALLOW THE DAY SHIFT TO HAVE A FURTHER INSPECTION OF THE THREAT AND WILL HOLD OFF ON A WATCH FOR NOW. UPPER RIDGE WILL GRADUALLY SETTLE INTO THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT BY THURSDAY AND FRIDAY WITH LESS WIND EXPECTED. THIS WILL SQUASH THE THREAT FOR CRITICAL CONDITIONS. LONG RANGE GFS AND ECMWF STILL INDICATE MOISTURE BEING DRAWN NORTH UNDER THE RIDGE AXIS BY NEXT WEEKEND WITH INCREASING CHANCES FOR SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY OVER THE EAST. MODELS HAVE INDICATED AN OMEGA BLOCKING PATTERN THE PAST FEW DAYS AND TRENDS OF THIS PATTERN SEEM TO CONTINUE IN THE GFS THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. KW && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... FARMINGTON...................... 70 39 66 40 / 20 10 10 30 DULCE........................... 67 32 64 31 / 20 10 20 30 CUBA............................ 71 36 65 32 / 5 5 10 20 GALLUP.......................... 67 34 61 32 / 5 5 10 20 EL MORRO........................ 68 33 58 28 / 5 5 5 10 GRANTS.......................... 73 40 64 35 / 5 5 5 10 QUEMADO......................... 72 37 63 30 / 0 0 5 5 GLENWOOD........................ 81 45 71 40 / 0 0 5 0 CHAMA........................... 65 32 57 30 / 20 10 20 30 LOS ALAMOS...................... 69 44 64 40 / 5 5 5 10 PECOS........................... 70 42 64 35 / 0 0 0 5 CERRO/QUESTA.................... 68 36 62 34 / 5 5 5 20 RED RIVER....................... 61 34 55 29 / 5 5 5 30 ANGEL FIRE...................... 64 36 59 31 / 5 5 0 20 TAOS............................ 72 37 65 35 / 5 5 5 10 MORA............................ 70 41 63 36 / 5 0 0 10 ESPANOLA........................ 79 40 72 38 / 5 5 5 10 SANTA FE........................ 75 43 67 37 / 5 0 0 5 SANTA FE AIRPORT................ 77 43 70 39 / 5 0 0 5 ALBUQUERQUE FOOTHILLS........... 79 51 71 44 / 0 0 0 5 ALBUQUERQUE HEIGHTS............. 80 54 72 46 / 0 0 0 0 ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY.............. 82 49 74 43 / 0 0 0 0 ALBUQUERQUE WEST MESA........... 82 51 74 44 / 0 0 5 5 LOS LUNAS....................... 83 49 76 43 / 0 0 0 0 RIO RANCHO...................... 81 51 73 43 / 0 0 5 5 SOCORRO......................... 85 54 79 46 / 0 0 0 0 SANDIA PARK/CEDAR CREST......... 77 45 71 37 / 0 0 0 0 TIJERAS......................... 79 49 72 43 / 0 0 0 0 MORIARTY/ESTANCIA............... 80 42 70 40 / 0 0 0 0 CLINES CORNERS.................. 77 44 67 37 / 0 0 0 0 GRAN QUIVIRA.................... 80 48 71 41 / 0 0 0 0 CARRIZOZO....................... 81 53 76 47 / 0 0 0 0 RUIDOSO......................... 77 50 67 41 / 0 0 0 0 CAPULIN......................... 80 44 74 42 / 0 0 0 10 RATON........................... 81 43 76 43 / 0 0 0 10 SPRINGER........................ 82 46 76 42 / 0 0 0 5 LAS VEGAS....................... 76 45 70 39 / 0 0 0 5 CLAYTON......................... 89 51 82 47 / 0 0 0 0 ROY............................. 84 51 76 45 / 0 0 0 5 CONCHAS......................... 91 55 84 48 / 0 0 0 0 SANTA ROSA...................... 87 54 82 48 / 0 0 0 0 TUCUMCARI....................... 92 56 87 49 / 0 0 0 0 CLOVIS.......................... 90 54 85 49 / 0 0 0 0 PORTALES........................ 92 54 87 49 / 0 0 0 0 FORT SUMNER..................... 91 58 86 49 / 0 0 0 0 ROSWELL......................... 94 59 90 53 / 0 0 0 0 PICACHO......................... 88 58 82 50 / 0 0 0 0 ELK............................. 84 56 76 47 / 0 0 0 0 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES... NMZ505-506-508-515-521>524-526-528-529-531>533-539-540. RED FLAG WARNING FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ101>109. RED FLAG WARNING FROM 9 AM TO 9 PM MDT TUESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ103-104-106>109. WIND ADVISORY FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES... NMZ501>504-507-509>514-516>520-525-527-530-534>538. && 52/17
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 547 AM MDT MON MAY 9 2011 NMZ501>540-101200- 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- 547 AM MDT MON MAY 9 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT WINDY CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP TODAY THROUGHOUT NORTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. AREAS WITHIN THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL PARTS OF THE STATE ARE EXPECTED TO OBSERVE THE STRONGEST WINDS WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO 60 MPH. CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE ALSO EXPECTED THROUGHOUT MOST OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO TODAY DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND VERY LOW HUMIDITY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY STRONGEST WINDS WILL SHIFT INTO THE MIDDLE RIO GRANDE VALLEY...THE SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS...AND THE EASTERN PLAINS ON TUESDAY WHERE AGAIN CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED. BREEZY TO WINDY CONDITIONS WILL BE COMMON OVER MUCH OF THE AREA ON WEDNESDAY. SOME BRIEF AND LOCALIZED CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS MAY BE POSSIBLE IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS AND SOME OF THE ADJACENT EAST CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS. WEATHER CAN CHANGE VERY RAPIDLY. ALWAYS USE THE LATEST FORECASTS... WATCHES AND WARNINGS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY WIND DAMAGE OR HIGH WIND GUSTS EXCEEDING 50 MPH TO THE ALBUQUERQUE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AT 1.888.386.7637 OR VIA THE WEB AT WEATHER.GOV/ABQ. 52
5 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Magdalena Ridge Observatory recorded high wind gusts for several hours. The peak wind gusts of 67 mph occurred between 9 and 11 am MST.
The Sierra Blanca AWOS as well as the Smokey Bear RAWS reported peak wind gusts of 63 mph. Both also recorded high wind gusts for several hours.
The Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility's Transwestern Pump Station northeast of Encinoso recorded a peak wind gust of 61 mph at 115 pm MST, though a 58 mph gust was recorded as early as 1130 am MST.
The Santa Fe ASOS recorded a peak wind gust of 60 mph, which was likely aided by microburst winds.
The Clines Corners ASOS recorded a peak wind gust of 58 mph.
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, May 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: 290270, 290274, 290272, 290275, 290276.