As an upper level closed low skirted across northern New Mexico, a back door cold front squeaked into the northeast. While snow showers were scattered across much of northern and western New Mexico, snow amounts were enhanced in favored upslope regions of the east slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
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.
As an upper level closed low skirted across northern New Mexico, a back door cold front squeaked into the northeast. While snow showers were scattered across much of northern and western New Mexico, snow amounts were enhanced in favored upslope regions of the east slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. This quick-hitting storm system left over a foot of snow in some of the high peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
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 Nov 7, 2:07 PM MST, 5 hours 53 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 207 PM MST MON NOV 7 2011 .DISCUSSION... MAIN CHANGES INCLUDED TRANSITIONING NORTHEAST ZONES FROM THE WINTER STORM WATCH TO A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. JUST DIDNT FEEL THAT THE BACK DOOR FRONT WOULD MAKE AS MUCH OF A HEADWAY INTO OUR CWFA SO MAIN ACCUMULATIONS ALONG THE COLORADO BORDER AND HITTING AREAS LIKE THE FAR NORTHERN SANGRES AND RATON PASS. ALSO HAVE SOME HIGHER STORM TOTAL SNOW AMOUNTS FOR THE WEST SLOPES OF THE JEMEZ AND LOWER SAN JUANS DUE TO UPSLOPE EFFECTS. NEXT ADVISORY WILL COME OUT BETWEEN 3 TO 4 PM. DOPPLER RADAR SHOWS THAT THE MAIN FRONTOGENETIC BAND HAS STARTED TO PUSH INTO THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS. COLD CORE PRECIPITATION ASSOCIATED WITH THE 3 STANDARD DEVIATION CLOSED LOW REMAINS OVER CENTRAL ARIZONA. THUS SNOW ACCUMULATIONS SHOULD BEGIN IN EARNEST...ESPECIALLY ABOVE 7000 FEET THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS THE WEST. MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW THE MAIN BAND OF PRECIPITATION SHIFTING NORTHWARD TONIGHT AND FAVORING THE NORTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS. NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS AND NORTHEAST PLAINS SHOULD GET INTO THE MAIN BANDED ACTION LATER TONIGHT AND LAST INTO TUESDAY MORNING. DIMINISHING EFFECTS DURING THE AFTERNOON AS THE SYSTEM PIVOTS OFF TO THE NORTHEAST. UPSLOPE PRECIPITATION SHOULD CONTINUE ACROSS THE NORTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS INTO TUESDAY EVENING AND HAVE ADJUSTED POPS ACCORDINGLY BUT THE MAIN ACCUMULATION PERIOD WILL BE THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING. HAVENT ADJUSTED HIGHLIGHTS EXCEPT FOR WHAT IS MENTIONED ABOVE. LATER SHIFTS MAY HAVE TO END THE WESTERN MTN ADVISORY EARLY BASED ON LATEST MODEL GUIDANCE. SNOW TOTAL GRIDS ARE COMING OUT SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAD IN THE EARLIER SHIFT ALTHOUGH LOCALLY 8 TO 10 INCHES POSSIBLE IN REMOTE AREAS OF THE NORTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS. IT DOES APPEAR THAT BOTH DIFFLUENCE ALOFT AND THE BEST FRONTOGENETIC EFFECTS LINE UP THE BEST ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST AREAS TONIGHT. LAPSE RATES ALSO LOOK TO BE FAIRLY STEEP WITH 6.5 TO 7.5 C/KM. THERMODYNAMICS SUGGEST DENDRITIC SNOW GROWTH UNDER THE COLD CORE LOW. CONTINUED WITH SLIGHT CHANCE POPS INTO WEDNESDAY ACROSS NORTHEAST AREAS AS MODELS SHOW A WEAK WAVE COMING DOWN THE BACKSIDE OF THE MAIN PACIFIC TROUGH. DRIER THURSDAY AS RIDGING TAKES SHAPE OVER THE INTERMOUNTAIN WEST. DECIDED TO LOWER OR TAKE POPS OUT FOR THE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY PERIOD. NONE OF THE MODELS ARE SHOWING PRECIPITATION DURING THIS PERIOD ALTHOUGH CLOUD COVER SHOULD GRADUALLY INCREASE AHEAD OF THE NEXT PACIFIC SYSTEM. THAT SYSTEM IS PROGGED MORE FOR THE SUNDAY INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK PERIOD. SORT OF A SPLIT FLOW SITUATION SO TIMING WILL PROBABLY GET ADJUSTED EVEN FURTHER UNDER SAID CONDITIONS. TEMPERATURES LOOK TO REMAIN BELOW NORMAL THROUGH MOST OF THE PERIOD. THEY START TO TREND A BIT WARMER...ESPECIALLY OVERNIGHT LOWS...AHEAD OF THE NEXT PACIFIC SYSTEM. THAT WOULD BE THE WEEKEND PERIOD. 50 && .AVIATION... STORM SYSTEM IN IN ARIZONA SWEEPING EASTWARD ACROSS NEW MEXICO OVER THE NEXT 18 HRS. COLD FRONT TO DROP SOUTH ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS TONIGHT. MOST AREAS TO REMAIN AT VFR TO MVFR CONDITIONS THROUGH THE DAY TUESDAY...BUT AREAS WITH CIGS AND VSBYS DROPPING TO IFR/LIFR IN RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS WITH MOUNTAIN OBSCURATIONS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY...AND EVEN AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM THROUGH 02Z THIS EVENING. MOST LIKELY PLACES FOR IFR OR LIFR CONDITIONS WILL BE GUP AND SAF. CANNOT RULE OUT BRIEF IFR CONDITIONS FMN...LVS...TCC AND ABQ. NEXT AVIATION DISCUSSION SCHEDULED FOR 10Z. CHJ && .FIRE WEATHER... NO SIGNIFICANT FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS THROUGH NEXT WEEK. POOR VENTILATION RATES WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY MOST AREAS. WINDY CONDITIONS POSSIBLE NEXT WEEKEND. CURRENT STORM TO MOVE ACROSS NEW MEXICO TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS EXPECTED INTO TUESDAY FAVORING AREAS NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40. FAIRLY WIDESPREAD WETTING PRECIPITATION IN THESE AREAS WITH SUBSTANTIAL SNOWFALL IN THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS INTO THE NORTHEAST. TEMPERATURES WILL BE WELL BELOW NORMAL ON TUESDAY. WEAK DISTURBANCE WILL CROSS NEW MEXICO WEDNESDAY BUT WITH ONLY CLOUDS...LITTLE OR NO PRECIPITATION EXPECTED. TEMPERATURES TO REMAIN BELOW NORMAL. VENTILATION RATES WILL BE POOR AREA WIDE WEDNESDAY AS WINDS DROP SHARPLY. RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE THURSDAY WILL BRING DRY WEATHER WITH MILDER TEMPERATURES AND LOWER RH VALUES...AND ANOTHER DAY OF MOSTLY POOR VENTILATION RATES. WINDS TO BEGIN TO PICK UP FRIDAY AS A STORM APPROACHES THE CALIFORNIA COAST. WINDY PERIOD NEXT WEEKEND WITH GOOD TO EXCELLENT VENTILATION RATES. TEMPERATURES WILL BEGIN TO TREND DOWNWARD AND RH VALUES HIGHER OVER THE WEEKEND. THE RH VALUES SHOULD PREVENT ANY CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS NEXT WEEKEND. INCREASING CHANCES OF PRECIPITATION AS WELL NEXT WEEKEND. BULK OF THE STORM EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE STATE SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY. CHJ && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... FARMINGTON...................... 29 43 21 43 / 40 10 0 0 DULCE........................... 23 39 12 42 / 60 20 5 5 CUBA............................ 25 39 15 42 / 60 20 5 5 GALLUP.......................... 22 41 15 44 / 40 10 0 0 EL MORRO........................ 21 36 15 39 / 40 10 0 0 GRANTS.......................... 23 42 17 44 / 30 10 0 0 QUEMADO......................... 22 40 16 46 / 30 10 0 0 GLENWOOD........................ 28 51 24 56 / 20 5 0 0 CHAMA........................... 22 35 7 37 / 80 40 20 5 LOS ALAMOS...................... 29 40 23 39 / 50 20 5 5 PECOS........................... 25 40 20 37 / 40 20 5 5 CERRO/QUESTA.................... 24 35 10 35 / 80 30 10 5 RED RIVER....................... 17 30 10 31 / 80 50 10 5 ANGEL FIRE...................... 20 33 6 33 / 70 40 10 10 TAOS............................ 26 40 15 40 / 70 20 10 5 MORA............................ 26 38 15 36 / 60 30 10 10 ESPANOLA........................ 30 46 21 46 / 40 20 5 5 SANTA FE........................ 26 40 21 39 / 40 20 5 5 SANTA FE AIRPORT................ 27 43 22 43 / 30 20 0 5 ALBUQUERQUE FOOTHILLS........... 31 47 27 47 / 30 10 0 0 ALBUQUERQUE HEIGHTS............. 33 48 29 47 / 20 10 0 0 ALBUQUERQUE VALLEY.............. 33 50 27 50 / 20 5 0 0 ALBUQUERQUE WEST MESA........... 31 49 28 49 / 30 10 0 0 LOS LUNAS....................... 31 51 27 51 / 20 5 0 0 RIO RANCHO...................... 31 49 27 49 / 30 10 0 0 SOCORRO......................... 32 54 27 53 / 10 0 0 0 SANDIA PARK/CEDAR CREST......... 27 45 21 46 / 30 10 0 5 TIJERAS......................... 27 46 22 46 / 30 10 0 0 MORIARTY/ESTANCIA............... 26 44 23 41 / 20 10 0 5 CLINES CORNERS.................. 26 42 21 40 / 20 10 0 0 GRAN QUIVIRA.................... 28 46 24 45 / 20 10 0 0 CARRIZOZO....................... 29 47 26 44 / 10 0 0 0 RUIDOSO......................... 27 47 26 44 / 10 0 0 0 CAPULIN......................... 23 33 19 35 / 60 50 10 10 RATON........................... 27 39 18 43 / 70 60 10 10 SPRINGER........................ 27 42 20 43 / 60 40 10 10 LAS VEGAS....................... 23 41 19 39 / 50 20 5 5 CLAYTON......................... 30 44 26 46 / 50 30 10 0 ROY............................. 29 42 25 40 / 50 30 5 10 CONCHAS......................... 34 50 28 48 / 20 20 5 0 SANTA ROSA...................... 34 50 29 47 / 10 10 0 0 TUCUMCARI....................... 36 50 28 49 / 20 10 5 0 CLOVIS.......................... 36 51 29 48 / 10 5 0 0 PORTALES........................ 37 54 29 50 / 10 5 0 0 FORT SUMNER..................... 36 53 28 48 / 10 5 0 0 ROSWELL......................... 39 60 33 52 / 5 0 0 0 PICACHO......................... 33 54 29 46 / 5 0 0 0 ELK............................. 30 52 28 46 / 5 0 0 5 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 PM MST TUESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ515-527-528-530. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 5 AM MST TUESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ502-505-506. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM MST TUESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ503-504-510>514. && 50/40
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 605 AM MST MON NOV 7 2011 CORRECTION TO CHANGE MDT TO MST. NMZ501>540-081300- 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- 605 AM MST MON NOV 7 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT AN UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL ENTER WESTERN NEW MEXICO LATER TODAY...CROSSING THE STATE TONIGHT. A FEW TO SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW ACCUMULATION WILL BE POSSIBLE IN WEST CENTRAL AND NORTHERN NEW MEXICO TODAY INTO TONIGHT...THE GREATEST AMOUNTS ON THE HIGHER TERRAIN...THEN ALSO IN THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT. THE NORTHEAST PLAINS MAY ALSO RECEIVE A FEW INCHES OF SNOW ACCUMULATION TONIGHT. OVERALL THE HIGHEST ACCUMULATIONS WILL LIKELY FALL ON THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS AND THE NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTOS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY SOME SNOW WILL LINGER TUESDAY MORNING AND POSSIBLY INTO THE EARLY AFTERNOON FROM THE SANGRE DE CRISTOS ON EAST...BUT ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS DURING THIS PERIOD SHOULD BE LIGHTER THAN THE PRIOR OVERNIGHT HOURS. ANOTHER SNOW AND RAIN MAKER WILL BE POSSIBLE FOR THE WEEKEND. THIS SYSTEM MAY BE A LITTLE WARMER...AT LEAST INITIALLY...AND FORCE MORE OF THE SNOW TO SOMEWHAT HIGHER ELEVATIONS. GUSTY WINDS MAY ALSO ACCOMPANY THIS SYSTEM CREATING BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW POTENTIAL...ESPECIALLY IN THE HIGH COUNTRY. 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. 43
5 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Areas near Arroyo Seco received 8.5 inches of snow. Elsewhere, amounts were closer to 4 inches.
The northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains received the brunt of the snowfall. Areas around Red River, including the ski area, received between 11 and 14 inches of snow.
Though most areas received between 4 and 7 inches of snow, isolated locations received well more than that. The cooperative observer in Eagle Nest reported a whopping 19 inches of snow with this storm.
Areas between Springer, Cimarron and Rayado were the hardest hit locations within the far northeast highlands. Between 4 and 8 inches of snow was common. Eight inches was reported 6 miles east-southeast of Cimarron by a trained spotter.
The northern half of Union County received between 2 and 5 inches of snowfall.
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, November 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: 346832, 346833, 346834, 346835, 346968.