Another month of below normal precipitation across Southwest New Mexico kept a majority of the region in Severe(D2) drought during the month of December.
Every event with a place to put it; 13 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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 EPZ wrote it up.
Another month of below normal precipitation across Southwest New Mexico kept a majority of the region in Severe(D2) drought during the month of December.
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 El Paso, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Nov 30, 2:38 PM MST, 9 hours 22 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EL PASO TX/SANTA TERESA NM 238 PM MST FRI NOV 30 2012 .SYNOPSIS... THE WEATHER PATTERN ACROSS THE BORDERLAND REMAINS STUCK IN THE WARM AND DRY MODE AS WE HEAD INTO DECEMBER. VERY PERSISTENT DRY WEST TO NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT IS BRINGING US THIS WEATHER PATTERN. THE MAIN AND STRONG JET STREAM REMAINS WELL TO THE NORTH BUT AT TIMES MINOR DISTURBANCES IN OUR FLOW PATTERN BRING US OCCASIONAL PERIODS OF MAINLY HIGH THIN CLOUDS. A SERIES OF WEAK COLD FRONTS IS FORECAST TO MOVE INTO THE BORDERLAND AROUND THE MONDAY AND TUESDAY TIME FRAME WHICH WILL BRING OCCASIONAL BREEZES AND COOL OUR TEMPERATURES SOMEWHAT...HOWEVER THEY SHOULD STILL REMAIN ABOVE NORMAL. && .DISCUSSION... HARD PRESSED TO FIND ANY SIG WX FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. TEMPS CONTINUE TO REMAIN AROUND 8 TO 10 DEG F ABOVE NORMAL PUSHING THE CALENDAR BACK ABOUT 2 TO 3 WEEKS. THE SUB TOPICAL JET IS FAR TO THE SOUTH AND THE STRONG POLAR FRONT JET IS THROUGH THE CENTRAL AND NORTHER ROCKIES. A HUGE VORTEX REMAINS ANCHORED OFF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST COASTLINE EJECTING LARGE HIGH ENERGY SYSTEMS INTO THE THE NORTHWEST PART OF THE UNITED STATES THEN TRAVELING EASTWARD BUT KEEPING US HIGH AND DRY. FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS KEEPING TRACK OF THE CIRRUS WHICH IS NEAR US WILL BE THE FORECAST CHALLENGE. AS THE SYSTEMS PLOW THROUGH THE CENTRAL ROCKIES...LEE SURFACE TROUGHING WILL DEVELOP BUT REMAIN FARTHER NORTH AND EAST THUS REDUCING ITS WIND IMPACT ON OUR CWA BUT WE SHOULD SEE SOME WEST BREEZES AT TIMES DURING THE AFTERNOONS THIS WEEKEND AND MORE ON THE MONDAY TUESDAY TIME FRAME IN THE 10 TO 20 MPH RANGE. A MUCH STRONGER IMPULSE IS FORECAST INTO THE CENTRAL ROCKIES AND BRUSHING THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES NEXT THURSDAY AND FRI WITH MORE BREEZY WESTERLY WINDS AND A FEW MORE CLOUDS BUT AT THIS TIME ANY PRECIP STAYS TO OUR NORTH. A MODERATE BACKDOOR COLD FRONT FROM THE EAST IS FORECAST TO FOLLOWING THIS SYSTEM THE FOLLOWING WEEKEND WITH COOLER TEMPS AND SOME CLOUDINESS. && .AVIATION....VALID 01/00Z-02/00Z. VFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO PREVAIL...WITH SOME HIGH CLOUDS MOVING OVER NORTHERN NEW MEXICO OVERNIGHT...AND A THIN BAND OF HIGH CLOUDS LIKELY MOVING ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA SATURDAY MORNING. DRAINAGE FLOWS WILL PREVAIL TONIGHT...WITH LIGHT WEST-SOUTHWEST WINDS EXPECTED SATURDAY AFTERNOON. && .FIRE WEATHER... DRY AND UNSEASONABLY WARM CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...ALONG WITH GENERALLY LIGHT WESTERLY WINDS. TEMPERATURES THIS AFTERNOON AND SATURDAY WILL FLIRT WITH DAILY RECORDS WHILE RUNNING 10 TO 15 DEGREES ABOVE SEASONAL. VENT RATES WILL IMPROVE THIS WEEKEND AREA-WIDE AS LOW LEVEL WINDS PICK UP SLIGHTLY. IN THE MEDIUM RANGE...A RATHER WEAK BACK DOOR COLD FRONT WILL MOVE IN FROM THE NORTH MONDAY NIGHT...BRINGING SLIGHTLY COOLER TEMPERATURES BY TUESDAY. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... EL PASO 44 73 44 72 44 / 0 0 0 0 0 SIERRA BLANCA 37 68 36 67 37 / 0 0 0 0 0 LAS CRUCES 34 70 34 69 34 / 0 0 0 0 0 ALAMOGORDO 31 69 32 68 35 / 0 0 0 0 0 CLOUDCROFT 31 56 31 53 30 / 0 0 0 0 0 TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES 34 69 35 68 36 / 0 0 0 0 0 SILVER CITY 42 64 40 63 41 / 0 0 0 0 0 DEMING 32 70 32 69 32 / 0 0 0 0 0 LORDSBURG 36 70 35 69 36 / 0 0 0 0 0 WEST EL PASO METRO 43 73 42 72 43 / 0 0 0 0 0 DELL CITY 29 72 29 71 31 / 0 0 0 0 0 FORT HANCOCK 37 73 37 71 37 / 0 0 0 0 0 LOAM LINDA 39 67 37 66 37 / 0 0 0 0 0 FAB ENS 42 74 42 73 42 / 0 0 0 0 0 SANTA TERESA 40 72 39 71 41 / 0 0 0 0 0 WHITE SANDS HQ 37 71 36 70 37 / 0 0 0 0 0 JORNADA RANGE 28 69 27 68 28 / 0 0 0 0 0 HATCH 34 70 33 69 36 / 0 0 0 0 0 COLUMBUS 39 71 38 70 39 / 0 0 0 0 0 OROGRANDE 39 70 38 69 39 / 0 0 0 0 0 MAYHILL 32 64 32 62 31 / 0 0 0 0 0 MESCALERO 32 64 31 62 31 / 0 0 0 0 0 TIMBERON 32 64 31 62 31 / 0 0 0 0 0 WINSTON 33 67 31 66 33 / 0 0 0 0 0 HILLSBORO 33 67 31 66 32 / 0 0 0 0 0 SPACEPORT 35 70 34 69 37 / 0 0 0 0 0 LAKE ROBERTS 33 61 30 60 33 / 0 0 0 0 0 HURLEY 39 66 38 65 38 / 0 0 0 0 0 CLIFF 27 67 28 66 28 / 0 0 0 0 0 MULE CREEK 22 64 22 63 26 / 0 0 0 0 0 FAY WOOD 35 65 33 64 33 / 0 0 0 0 0 ANIMUS 34 71 33 70 34 / 0 0 0 0 0 HACHITA 35 71 34 70 35 / 0 0 0 0 0 ANTELOPE WELLS 37 70 36 69 37 / 0 0 0 0 0 CLOVERDALE 37 69 35 68 35 / 0 0 0 0 0 && .EPZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NM...NONE. TX...NONE. && 20/25 NOVLAN / HARDIMAN
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EL PASO TX/SANTA TERESA NM 645 AM MST FRI NOV 30 2012 NMZ401>417-TXZ418>424-011245- UPPER GILA RIVER VALLEY-SOUTHERN GILA HIGHLANDS/BLACK RANGE- SOUTHERN GILA FOOTHILLS/MIMBRES VALLEY- SOUTHWEST DESERT/LOWER GILA RIVER VALLEY-LOWLANDS OF THE BOOTHEEL- UPLANDS OF THE BOOTHEEL-SOUTHWEST DESERT/MIMBRES BASIN- EASTERN BLACK RANGE FOOTHILLS-SIERRA COUNTY LAKES- NORTHERN DONA ANA COUNTY-SOUTHERN DONA ANA COUNTY/MESILLA VALLEY- CENTRAL TULAROSA BASIN-SOUTHERN TULAROSA BASIN- WEST SLOPES SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS BELOW 7500 FEET- SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 7500 FEET- EAST SLOPES SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS BELOW 7500 FEET-OTERO MESA- WESTERN EL PASO COUNTY-EASTERN/CENTRAL EL PASO COUNTY- NORTHERN HUDSPETH HIGHLANDS/HUECO MOUNTAINS-SALT BASIN- SOUTHERN HUDSPETH HIGHLANDS- RIO GRANDE VALLEY OF EASTERN EL PASO/WESTERN HUDSPETH COUNTIES- RIO GRANDE VALLEY OF EASTERN HUDSPETH COUNTY- 645 AM MST FRI NOV 30 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NM AND TX. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES FOR MOST OF THIS PERIOD. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. HEFNER
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
16 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
The entire zone remained in Severe(D2) drought through the month. The Cooperative Observer at Gila Hot Springs reported 0.77 inches of rain which was 0.55 inches below normal.
The southwest portion of the zone was in Moderate(D1) drought while the remainder of the area was in Severe(D2) drought. The White Signal Cooperative Observer reported 0.89 inches of rain which was 0.43 inches below normal.
The western half of the zone remained in Moderate(D1) drought while the eastern portion of the zone was in Severe(D2) drought. The Cooperative Observer reported 0.45 inches of precipitation which was 0.42 inches below normal.
The far southern areas of the zone were in Severe(D2) drought through the month while the remainder of the zone was in Moderate(D1). The Redrock Cooperative Observer reported 0.26 inches of rainfall which was 0.76 inches below normal.
The eastern half of the zone was in Severe(D2) drought through the month with the western half in Moderate(D1). The Cooperative Observer in Antelope Wells reported 0.76 inches of rainfall which was 0.25 inches below normal.
The entire zone remained in Severe(D2) drought through the month. The Deming ASOS reported 0.48 inches of precipitation which was 0.14 inches below normal.
Severe(D2) drought continued through the entire month of December. The Cooperative Observer at Hillsboro reported 0.48 inches of rainfall which was 0.34 inches below normal.
The entire zone remained in Severe(D2) drought through the month of December. The Truth or Consequences ASOS reported 0.55 inches of precipitation which was 0.11 inches above normal.
Severe(D2) drought continued through the month of December. The Cooperative Observer at the Jornada Range reported 0.36 inches of rain which was 0.33 inches below normal.
The entire zone remained in Severe(D2) drought through the month. The Cooperative Observer at New Mexico State University reported 0.14 inches of precipitation which was 0.43 inches below normal.
Severe(D2) drought continued through the month of December. The Cooperative Observer at the White Sands National Monument reported 0.12 inches of precipitation which was 0.53 inches below normal.
The northern half of the zone was in Severe(D2) drought through the month while the southern half remained in Moderate(D1) drought. The Cooperative Observer at Orogrande reported 0.18 inches of precipitation which was 0.43 inches below normal.
The entire zone remained in Severe(D2) drought through the month. The Cooperative Observer in Mountain Park reported 1.52 inches of precipitation which was 0.23 inches above normal.
Severe(D2) drought persisted through the month of December. The Cloudcroft Cooperative Observer reported 1.78 inches of precipitation which was 0.44 inches below normal.
The entire zone remained in Severe(D2) drought during the month of December.
The entire zone remained in Severe(D2) drought through the month of December.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New Mexico in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in New Mexico, December 2012
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: 425109, 425110, 425111, 425112, 425114, 425117, 425120, 425123, 425129, 425131, 425132, 425133, 425134, 425135, 425136, 425137.