An upper level storm system deepened along the California coastline on the 13th then ejected quickly eastward across New Mexico through the 14th. Widespread rain and higher terrain snow impacted central and western New Mexico.
Every event with a place to put it. 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 ABQ wrote it up.
An upper level storm system deepened along the California coastline on the 13th then ejected quickly eastward across New Mexico through the 14th. Widespread rain and higher terrain snow impacted central and western New Mexico. Heavy snowfall amounts were reported for the Gila region and the northern mountains. A line of strong thunderstorms developed out ahead of this storm system over the eastern plains where gusty winds and small hail were reported. Strong westerly winds then pushed across the east central and southeast plains as the storm exited northeast into the central plains states.
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 Dec 14, 4:48 AM MST, 1 hour 12 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 448 AM MST FRI DEC 14 2012 .AVIATION... 12Z TAF CYCLE STRONG UPPER LOW EJECTS EAST INTO NM TODAY. SCT-NUM RA SHOWERS WITH MVFR CIGS AND VSBYS...IN THE FORM OF SN ABOVE ABOUT 7500 FT. ISOLD THUNDER POSSIBLE WITH STRONGER SHOWERS THIS AFTN. STRONG WINDS WILL GUST BETWEEN 35 AND 50 KTS BY LATE MORNING MAINLY NEAR AND ESPECIALLY S OF INTERSTATE 40 CORRIDOR AND LOCALLY EVEN STRONGER FROM CENTRAL MT CHAIN EASTWARD IN THE AFTN. BRIEF BREAK IN PRECIP THIS EVENING WITH STRONG WINDS CONTINUING ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE SANGRE DE CRISTOS OVERNIGHT. TRAILING SYSTEM WILL BRING -SN TO KGUP AND KFMN AFT 08Z SATURDAY. 33 && .PREV DISCUSSION...324 AM MST FRI DEC 14 2012... WINTER STORM EVENT UNDERWAY WITH THE UPPER LOW CURRENTLY OVER THE FAR NORTHERN BAJA OF MEXICO...PULLING ENE INTO SOUTHWEST ARIZONA. TODAY'S FORECAST FOR NORTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO CONTAINS RAIN...THUNDERSTORMS...SNOW SHOWERS...HEAVY SNOW...BLOWING SNOW...BLOWING DUST AND POTENTIALLY DAMAGING WINDS. THE LATEST WATER VAPOR SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS A WELL DEVELOPED PACIFIC MOISTURE TAP STREAMING NE INTO NEW MEXICO IN ADVANCE OF THE UPPER LOW. RAIN AND HIGH TERRAIN SNOW SHOWERS HAVE DEVELOPED ACROSS SOUTHERN AND WESTERN NEW MEXICO...WITH BOTH GALLUP AND GRANTS REPORTING RAIN AND A DEWPOINT TEMPERATURE OF 33 AT 09Z. THE DEWPOINT TEMPERATURE HERE AT KABQ WAS 17 AS OF 09Z...BUT THAT WILL BE CHANGING WITH THE ONSET OF PRECIPITATION LATER THIS MORNING. RAIN IS ANTICIPATED ACROSS THE ALBUQUERQUE METRO TODAY...WITH AMOUNTS GENERALLY RANGING FROM 0.10 TO 0.20 INCH. THE POP/QPF/SNOW AMOUNT FORECAST REMAINS THE SAME FROM THE PREVIOUS FORECAST CYCLE WITH ONLY SMALL TWEAKS. THE WINTER STORM WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES ARE STILL VALID AND WE'RE EXPECTING SIGNIFICANT MOUNTAIN SNOWS WITH THIS WET SYSTEM. PWATS ARE ANTICIPATED TO BE NEAR TWO STANDARD DEVIATIONS ABOVE NORMAL LATER THIS MORNING. THE TUSCON UPPER AIR SOUNDING AT 00Z SHOWED A PWAT OF 0.58 INCH...AND THAT MOISTURE PROFILE HAS SHIFTED NE OVER OUR AREA. IN ADDITION TO THE SNOWFALL IMPACTS...WINDS ARE LOOKING TO BE MORE OF AN IMPACT WITH EACH MODEL RUN. THE LATEST MODEL SOLUTIONS ARE SHOWING 50-65KTS AT 700MB ACROSS CENTRAL AND EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA LATER TODAY. THE HIGH WIND WARNING ISSUED EARLIER FOR SOUTHEAST ZONES STILL LOOKS VALID GIVEN THE LATEST MODEL DATA...AND THE HIGH WIND WATCH ZONES WILL BE CONVERTED INTO WIND ADVISORIES. THE WIND ADVISORY AREA MAY NEED TO BE EXPANDED TO THE NORTHEAST LATER TODAY. THE WIND FORECAST FOR THE EAST SLOPES OF THE SANGRES...NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS AND THE SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS FOR TONIGHT IS ON THE UPTREND GIVEN RATHER BULLISH 06Z NAM12 DATA SHOWING STRONG DOWNWARD FORCING WITH BOUNDARY LAYER WINDS IN EXCESS OF 50KTS. WE'LL LIKELY END-UP WITH SOME ADDITIONAL WIND HIGHLIGHTS FOR THOSE ZONES LATER TODAY. THE SECOND UPPER LEVEL TROUGH...CURRENTLY BARRELING SOUTHEAST INTO THE WEST COAST...IS THE KICKER FOR TODAY'S SYSTEM AND WILL BE PROGRESSING EAST OVERNIGHT INTO SATURDAY TOWARD OUR AREA. THE 06Z NAM12 SHOWS THIS TROUGH AFFECTING OUR AREA SATURDAY WITH A BONUS ROUND OF SNOW. EXPECT ONLY A SHORT-LIVED 6-12HR BREAK BETWEEN THE TWO SYSTEMS. ADDITIONAL ADVISORIES WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED FOR WESTERN AND NORTHERN ZONES FOR SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT. SOME RATHER SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL TOTALS ARE FORECAST FROM THE FIRST AND SECOND SYSTEMS COMBINED...MAINLY TO THE WESTERN AND NORTHERN MOUNTAINS. AMOUNT BETWEEN ONE AND TWO FEET OF SNOW ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE PEAKS OF THE WESTERN AND NORTHERN MOUNTAINS BY EARLY SUNDAY. A DRY NORTHWEST FLOW WILL PREVAIL BY MONDAY WITH A FEW LINGERING HIGH TERRAIN SNOW SHOWERS POSSIBLE. OTHERWISE...EXPECT BENIGN WEATHER TO START-OFF THE WORK WEEK WITH TEMPERATURES MODERATING. ANOTHER UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL PUSH ACROSS WEDNESDAY OR WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY...BRINGING WINDY CONDITIONS AND MORE SNOW...MAINLY TO THE MOUNTAINS. 11 .FIRE WEATHER... AREAS OF LIGHT PRECIPITATION BEGINNING TO DEVELOP OVER WESTERN AND SOUTHERN NM EARLY THIS MORNING. THESE AREAS SHOULD CONTINUE TO EXPAND AND INTENSIFY THROUGH THE LATE MORNING HOURS. CURRENT PRECIPITATION OVER WRN NM IS FALLING AS RAIN BELOW ABOUT 8000 FEET. EXPECT SNOW LEVELS TO FALL TO AROUND 7000 FEET BY AROUND MID-DAY WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE PACIFIC COLD FRONT. PLENTY OF WIND WILL ACCOMPANY THIS SYSTEM...ALLOWING FOR VERY GOOD TO EXCELLENT VENTILATION RATES OVER ALL BUT FAR NORTHERN NM. 20 FT WIND SPEEDS WILL BE STRONGEST GENERALLY SPEAKING NEAR AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 40 AND SOME GUSTS MAY REACH BETWEEN 45 AND 60 MPH IN THAT AREA. WHILE WIND SPEEDS WILL BE FAR INTO CRITICAL RANGE LATE MORN AND AFTN FRI...RH WILL BE WELL OUTSIDE OF CRITICAL VALUES...ABOVE ABOUT 30 PERCENT IN EVEN THE DRIEST SPOTS. WIDESPREAD WETTING PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED FOR MOST SPOTS IN THE DISTRICT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE FAR NORTHEAST PLAINS. AS A STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENT SETS UP OVER NORTHERN NEW MEXICO TONIGHT...VERY STRONG TO POTENTIALLY HIGH WIND IS POSSIBLE TONIGHT ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTOS MTNS. BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR WHITEOUT CONDITIONS IN BLOWING SNOW ARE POSSIBLE FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING AS A RESULT. A SECOND...SOMEWHAT WEAKER...STORM SYSTEM FOR THE WEEKEND IS SOMEWHAT COLDER THAN TODAY/S SYSTEM AND IS EXPECTED TO BRING WIDESPREAD LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW TO MANY PORTIONS OF WESTERN... NORTHERN AND CENTRAL NM SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY MORNING. EXPECT VENT RATES IN THE GOOD TO EXCELLENT CATEGORY MOST PLACES FOR SATURDAY AND GOOD TO VERY GOOD FOR SUNDAY. WEATHER PREDICTION MODELS REMAIN IN GOOD AGREEMENT FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK. A DRY NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WILL TRANSITION OVER THE REGION SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY WITH A RATHER FLAT/WEAK RIDGE ALOFT BUILDING OVERHEAD LATE MONDAY INTO TUESDAY. SOME DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN THE MODELS CONTINUES WITH REGARD TO THE TRACK OF A MID WEEK SYSTEM. AT THIS POINT IN TIME...THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS STAND THE BEST CHANCES FOR ACCUMULATING SNOW WITH STRONG WEST WINDS THE MAIN IMPACT ELSEWHERE. 33 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ533>537. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT MST TONIGHT FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ501-502-505-507-515-517-518-521-527. HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ526-538>540. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL MIDNIGHT MST TONIGHT FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ503-504-506-508-510>514-516. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM MST THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ523-524-526. && 34
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 504 AM MST FRI DEC 14 2012 NMZ501>540-151300- 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- 504 AM MST FRI DEC 14 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A WINTER STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA TODAY AND TONIGHT...BRINGING SIGNIFICANT SNOW AND WIND IMPACTS. WINTER STORM WARNINGS... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES...HIGH WIND WARNINGS AND WIND ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT. SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED IN THE WESTERN AND NORTHERN MOUNTAINS. POTENTIALLY DAMAGING WINDS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS...ADJACENT HIGHLANDS AND SOUTHEAST PLAINS. POTENTIALLY DAMAGING WINDS MAY DEVELOP TONIGHT ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE SANGRE DE CRISTOS AND ACROSS THE NORTHEAST HIGHLANDS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY A SECOND WINTER SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT...BRINGING ANOTHER ROUND OF SNOW. WESTERN AND NORTHERN AREAS HAVE THE BEST SHOT AT RECEIVING ACCUMULATING SNOWS FROM THIS SECOND SYSTEM AND ANOTHER ROUND OF WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED. SNOW MAY CONTINUE WELL INTO SUNDAY NIGHT ACROSS THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS. 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. 11
The Cannon AFB radar (KFDX), 38 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:27 UTC.
8 heavy snow, 3 high wind, 3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Remote automated weather stations within the region reported liquid equivalents between 0.50 and 0.90 inches, which taking temperatures into account should average between 4 and 10 inches. Gusty winds up to 35 mph were also reported in the region which likely lead to areas of blowing snow. Difficult travel conditions were reported per NMDOT.
Trained spotters and SNOTEL reports across the area indicated between 5 and 12 inches of snowfall mainly in the region around the Gila Mountains. Gusty winds to near 40 mph were also reported with this event.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 4 to 11 across this region from trained spotters, COOP, and SNOTEL sites. Gusty winds were also reported with this event along with difficult travel conditions per NMDOT.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 2 to 7 across this region from COOP and SNOTEL sites. Gusty winds up to 45 or 50 mph likely occurred in the high terrain with this event along with difficult travel conditions per NMDOT. Winter storm conditions were most likely present for several hours.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 3 to 8 inches across this region per trained spotters and SNOTEL data. Gusty winds up to 50 mph were likely with this event along with difficult travel conditions per NMDOT.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 2 to 8 inches across this region per trained spotters, ski sites, SNOTELs, and COOP data. Gusty winds up to 50 mph were likely with this event along with difficult travel conditions per NMDOT.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 8 to 14 inches across this region per ski sites and SNOTEL data. Gusty winds up to 50 mph were likely with this event along with difficult travel conditions per NMDOT.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 3 to 6 inches across this region per trained spotters and the public. Gusty winds up to 40 mph were likely with this event along with difficult travel conditions per NMDOT.
Various RAWS and ASOS stations within this region reported wind gusts around 55 mph and the entire region surrounding it saw winds gusts as high as 60 to 65mph. It is likely that high wind gusts to 58 mph occurred across this zone.
Cannon AFB AWOS reported peak wind gust to 63 mph at 127pm then 58 mph again at 238pm as thunderstorms moved through the area.
West Texas mesonet at Dora.
Clovis AWOS sites reported peak wind gust of 66mph as a line of thunderstorms moved through the area.
Dunken.
Angel Fire Airport.
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: 416892, 416893, 416894, 416895, 416896, 416897, 416898, 416899, 416900, 416906, 416904, 416905, 416901, 416903.