An open wave trough over the Great Basin pushed across New Mexico bringing with it snow and high winds. Snow developed over northern and western portions of the state late on the 18th and spread east and south across the remainder of western and northern New Mexico by daybreak on the 19th.
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 open wave trough over the Great Basin pushed across New Mexico bringing with it snow and high winds. Snow developed over northern and western portions of the state late on the 18th and spread east and south across the remainder of western and northern New Mexico by daybreak on the 19th. Heavy snow and blowing snow were reported Wednesday over the northern and western higher terrain and the Continental Divide of western New Mexico. Aside from the snow, wind was the major impact with this system across southern and eastern New Mexico. Dangerous, damaging wind speeds occurred in eastern areas with some reduced visibility in blowing snow and dust. The entire system pushed quickly east into Texas late Wednesday afternoon allowing wind and snow to diminish across New Mexico.
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 18, 10:56 PM MST, 1 hour 4 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 1056 PM MST TUE DEC 18 2012 CORRECTED AVIATION DISCUSSION .AVIATION... 06Z TAF CYCLE A STRONG UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL CROSS NM FROM THE W EARLY THIS MORNING AND TODAY PRODUCING VERY STRONG WINDS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN AREAS...AND ACCUMULATING SNOW ACROSS WESTERN...CENTRAL AND N CENTRAL AREAS. A PACIFIC COLD FRONT ACCOMPANIED BY A BAND OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW WILL MOVE EASTWARD THROUGH WESTERN NM WITHIN A FEW HOURS OF SUNRISE...THEN IT WILL PROGRESS INTO CENTRAL AREAS DURING MID AND LATE MORNING. MODELS...AND TO A LESSER EXTENT SATELLITE IMAGERY...DEPICT A LINE OF SHARP CLEARING AS WINDS SHIFT OUT OF THE NW ON THE BACK SIDE OF THIS BAND. WIND SPEEDS WILL GRADUALLY STRENGTHEN ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS AND WEST EARLY THIS MORNING...THEN THE COLD FRONT WILL USHER STRONGER SPEEDS TO CENTRAL AREAS AS IT PROGRESSES EASTWARD. MEANWHILE...VERY STRONG WINDS WILL MIX DOWN TO THE SURFACE ACROSS THE PLAINS DURING THE MORNING HOURS WITHOUT THE AID OF THE COLD FRONT. 44 && .PREV DISCUSSION...920 PM MST TUE DEC 18 2012... .UPDATED... JUST ISSUED NPW HAS ADDED THE SAN FRANCISCO RIVER VALLEY INTO A WIND ADVISORY FOR LATE TON AND WED. OTHERWISE NO CHANGES ON WIND OR SNOW HIGHLIGHTS. UPDATED ZONES OUT SHORTLY WITH WSW OUT BEFORE 10 PM. CHJ .PREV DISCUSSION...251 PM MST TUE DEC 18 2012... CURRENTLY...DEEPENING TROUGH OVER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CIRCULATING BLUSTERY SOUTHWEST FLOW ACROSS NEW MEXICO...AS SURFACE LOW INTENSIFIES OVER SOUTHERN NEVADA AND SOUTHERN UTAH IN CLASSIC WESTWARD TILTING INTENSIFYING BAROCLINIC STORM CONFIGURATION. WEAK SURFACE TROUGH EXTENDS FROM EASTERN COLORADO ACROSS EASTERN NEW MEXICO...AND SUCCEEDING IN PRODUCING SOME GUSTS ALREADY ACROSS THE EXTREME SOUTHERN EDGES OF OUR FORECAST AREA. MODELS...IN GENERALLY GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH THE WEEKEND INTO MONDAY MORNING...AND EXHIBITING FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES THROUGH THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY. GOOD START CONSENSUS MOVES SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TROUGH RAPIDLY TO THE FOUR CORNERS BY TOMORROW MORNING...AND THEN ACROSS NORTHERN NEW MEXICO AND INTO OKLAHOMA AND NORTH TEXAS BY LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT. UPSTREAM RIDGE BUILDING OUT OF ARIZONA ACROSS THE SPINE OF THE ROCKIES AND INTO THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES OF CANADA WILL SHIFT OVER NEW MEXICO BY LATE THURSDAY...AS NEXT NORTH PACIFIC SYSTEM DEEPENS OFF VANCOUVER ISLAND ON THE CANADIAN WEST COAST. ZONAL FLOW WILL PERSIST ACROSS NEW MEXICO THROUGH THE WEEKEND...AS THE CLOSED SYSTEM OPENS TO A WAVE AND BEGINS SOUTHWARD DIG ALONG THE WEST COAST HEADING INTO MONDAY. GFS AND ECMWF DIVIDE ON FEATURE PLACEMENT FROM MONDAY ONWARD...WITH GFS DIGGING CLOSED LOW SMACK OVER ARIZONA ON CHRISTMAS DAY...WHILE EUROPEAN ECMWF COLLEAGUES BYPASS NEW MEXICO AND DIG TROUGH INTO THE HEART OF TEXAS...AND CLOSE OFF LOW OVER THE MIDDLE MISSOURI RIVER VALLEY ON CHRISTMAS. GFS PLAYS CATCH UP WITH ECMWF ACROSS THE EASTERN HALF OF THE COUNTRY HEADING TOWARD THE LAST HALF OF CHRISTMAS WEEK...BUT SIGNAL FOR NEW MEXICO WILL BE RIDGING...WITH HIGHLY AMPLIFIED ECMWF PAINTING A STRONGER RIDGE THAN THE MORE PROGRESSIVE GFS SOLUTION. WITH SOME KEY DIFFERENCES EMERGING FOR A KEY HOLIDAY PERIOD...WILL SIDE WITH HPC COLLEAGUES AND EASE FORECAST TOWARD ECMWF SOLUTION...BUT RETAIN THE ESSENCE OF THE COMMON PICTURE...AND THAT IS SOME TROUGHINESS AND UNSETTLED WINTRY WEATHER OVER NEW MEXICO FOR THE FIRST PORTION OF THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY PERIOD OVERNIGHT...SNOW DEVELOPING OVER THE NORTH AND WEST BY MIDNIGHT WILL START SPREADING EAST AND SOUTH ACROSS WESTERN AND NORTHERN NEW MEXICO BY DAYBREAK. SNOW WILL PILE UP OVER THE SAN JUAN SUMMITS AND SLOPES...OVER THE WEST SLOPES OF THE CHUSKAS...AND OVER THE SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS AND UPPER GILA REGION. STRENGTHENING SOUTHWEST FLOW WILL ADD GOOD ROUNDS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW BY MORNING...ESPECIALLY NEAR THE ARIZONA BORDER AND EAST TO THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE...STRONGEST WINDS OVER THE SOUTHWEST MOUNTAIN SUMMITS. FOR WEDNESDAY...MUSCULAR OPEN WAVE TROUGH WILL MAKE EASTWARD TRIP ACROSS NORTHERN NEW MEXICO WITH AUTHORITY THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING...SPREADING BROAD SWATH OF SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ACROSS THE NORTH...AND DANGEROUS WIND SPEEDS WITH REDUCED AMOUNTS OF BLOWING SNOW TRADING OUT FOR BLOWING DUST THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. WITH A COMPLETE SUITE OF WIND AND WINTER WEATHER STATEMENTS ON THE STREET...WILL KEEP HEAVY SNOW OVER THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS...AND EMPHASIZE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW THREAT AS CHIEF HAZARDS AWAY FROM THE MAIN SNOW ACCUMULATION AREAS. ALTHOUGH SNOWFALLS MAY BE MODEST DUE TO THE FAST MOVING STORM...THE BLOWING AND DRIFTING MAY PILE UP SNOW IN SOME ODD SPOTS...AND DRIFT MODEST AMOUNTS OF SNOW INTO PILES ON ROADS. WIND SPEEDS WILL DECREASE GRADUALLY THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING...AS SNOWFALL TAPERS OFF MORE RAPIDLY HEADING INTO WEDNESDAY NIGHT. REAL WINTER FANS WILL ALSO ENJOY THE RAPIDLY FALLING TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE DAY ON WEDNESDAY...WITH SPOTS WEST RUNNING NEARLY 20 DEGREES BELOW MID DECEMBER NORMALS...AND 5 TO 15 DEGREE DEPARTURES BELOW NORMAL COMMON CENTRAL AND EAST...A LITTLE CLOSER TO NORMAL NEAR THE TEXAS BORDER. FOR THURSDAY...1045 MB HIGH BUILDING INTO WESTERN COLORADO UNDER RIDGE OVER THE SOUTHWEST U.S...AS WEDNESDAY WINTER STORM LONG GONE INTO THE LOWER ARKANSAS RIVER VALLEY AND OVER THE OZARK PLATEAU. WIND SPEEDS WELL REDUCED AS WELL...AS TEMPERATURES MAKE A START ON REBOUNDING FROM WEDNESDAY BELOW NORMAL PLUNGE. MOST SPOTS WILL RUN 5 TO 15 DEGREES BELOW LATE DECEMBER NORMALS FOR THE DAY UNDER CLEARING SKIES. FOR FRIDAY...RIDGE REMAINING IN PLACE ACROSS THE SOUTHWESTERN U.S....BUT BEGINNING EASTWARD SHEAR IN ADVANCE OF DEEPENING SYSTEM ON THE WEST COAST. WARMING TREND WILL BRING TEMPERATURES BACK UP TO NEAR LATE DECEMBER NORMALS. SURFACE LOW OVER THE NORTHEAST PLAINS WILL IMPART SOUTHERLY COMPONENTS TO SOME LOCALLY BREEZY FRIDAY AFTERNOON WINDS. OUTLOOK...WEEKEND THROUGH MONDAY...WEST COAST TROUGH PUSHING CLOUD COVER INTO THE WESTERN U.S...AND TURBULENT ZONAL FLOW ACROSS NEW MEXICO ON SATURDAY. WINDS WILL GRADUALLY BACK TO THE SOUTHWEST AS TROUGH APPROACHES ON MONDAY...WITH CLOUD COVER INCREASING GRADUALLY OVER THE NORTHWESTERN QUADRANT OF THE STATE. WITH DIFFERENCE SPLIT BETWEEN VERY STORMY GFS AND A BACKED OFF AND FURTHER EAST ECMWF...SNOW SHOWERS COULD BEGIN OVER THE NORTHWEST LATE SUNDAY NIGHT WITH EXPANSION IN AREA THROUGH THE DAY ON MONDAY. STEADY TEMPERATURE TRENDS NEAR LATE DECEMBER NORMALS. SHY .FIRE WEATHER... A POTENT TROUGH WILL CROSS THE REGION ON WEDNESDAY BRINGING WINDY TO VERY WINDY CONDITIONS TO THE SOUTHWESTERN AND SOUTH CENTRAL ZONES AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS...AND TO ALL ZONES WEDNESDAY. THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING SIGNIFICANT SNOW TO THE NORTHERN AND WESTERN MOUNTAINS LATE TONIGHT THROUGH LATE AFTERNOON WEDNESDAY. STRONG HIGH PRESSURE AND A MUCH DRIER AIR MASS WILL FOLLOW ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. THE BEST CHANCE FOR WETTING PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY WILL BE IN WEST CENTRAL NM AND THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS...WHERE THE PROBABILITY OF MODERATE SNOW AMOUNTS IS HIGH. THE SOUTH CENTRAL AND EASTERN ZONES WILL SEE MUCH LOWER PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS. AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM RECOVERIES ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS TONIGHT WILL BE ONLY FAIR TO GOOD...AS SOUTHWEST WINDS AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS MIX DRIER AIR TO THE SURFACE. RECOVERIES ACROSS WESTERN AND NORTHERN NM WILL BE VERY GOOD TO EXCELLENT...AS PRECIPITATION AND INCREASING DEW POINTS KEEP RELATIVE HUMIDITY QUITE HIGH. WINDS WEDNESDAY WILL RANGE FROM 20 TO 30 KTS IN THE LOWER ELEVATIONS TO 35 TO 45 KNOTS IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS. WIND GUSTS UP TO 60 KTS ARE EXPECTED IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS...ESPECIALLY IN ZONES 107... 113 AND 114. WIND GUSTS IN THE LOWER ELEVATIONS WILL RANGE FROM 40 TO 50 KTS. VENTILATION WILL AS A RESULT BE VERY GOOD TO EXCELLENT. RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL BE HIGH ACROSS THE REGION WEDNESDAY...AS THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN LOW LEVEL MOISTURE TO THE ENTIRE AREA. GUSTY WINDS WILL SUBSIDE ACROSS THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL ZONES WEDNESDAY EVENING...BUT WILL PERSIST ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS THROUGH THE MID EVENING HOURS. RECOVERIES SHOULD BE VERY GOOD TO EXCELLENT THURSDAY MORNING...AS HIGH PRESSURE MOVES IN FROM THE WEST WITH LIGHT WINDS EXPECTED. POOR VENTILATION WILL PREDOMINATE ACROSS THE ENTIRE REGION THURSDAY AND FRIDAY IN A VERY LIGHT WIND REGIME...AS HIGH PRESSURE SLOWLY MOVES ACROSS AND EAST OF THE REGION. THURSDAY AND FRIDAY WILL ALSO FEATURE VERY LOW DAYTIME RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AS A DRY AIR MASS MOVES ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST U.S. 28 && .ABQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 6 PM MST WEDNESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ508-520>526-533>540. WIND ADVISORY FROM 10 AM TO 6 PM MST WEDNESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ530>532. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 6 AM TO 6 PM MST WEDNESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ507-518-519-527>529. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 PM MST WEDNESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES...NMZ501>506-510>517. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM MST WEDNESDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES... NMZ509. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM 600 AM MST TUE DEC 18 2012 NMZ501>540-191300- 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- 600 AM MST TUE DEC 18 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SNOW WILL BEGIN OVER THE WESTERN AND NORTHERN MOUNTAINS THIS EVENING THEN INCREASE IN AREAL COVERAGE AND INTENSITY AFTER MIDNIGHT. SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS ARE ALSO PROJECTED TO STRENGTHEN LATER TONIGHT OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 40 WHERE GUSTS TO AROUND 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY MUCH COLDER TEMPERATURES WILL SPREAD AREAWIDE WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT ALONG WITH STRONG WINDS GUSTING TO POSSIBLY AS HIGH AS 60 TO 70 MPH MAINLY EAST OF INTERSTATE 25 AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 40. ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL ALSO CONTINUE OVER THE NORTH AND WEST WEDNESDAY...BUT SHOULD BEGIN TAPERING OFF WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. VISIBILITIES WEDNESDAY MAY BE REDUCED IN AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN AND BLOWING DUST IN THE EASTERN PLAINS AND LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY. ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM COULD IMPACT THE REGION EARLY NEXT WEEK WITH A REINFORCEMENT OF MUCH COLDER AIR AND SPOTTY SNOWFALL. 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 AND PEAK WIND SPEEDS THROUGH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/ABQ OR BY CALLING 1.888.386.7637.
25 high wind, 7 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Snowfall amounts around 7 inches were reported at the Navajo Whiskey SNOTEL along with winds of 35mph from nearby RAWS data. The combination of cold temperatures, snow, blowing and falling snow, likely created winter storm conditions for several hours during the early afternoon on the 19th.
Snowfall amounts of 6 to 8 inches were reported along the Highway 550 corridor around Cuba. Treacherous travel conditions and numerous high profile vehicles were crashed in the area. The combination of snow and wind created winter storm conditions for several hours from the predawn hours on Wednesday through the early afternoon hours.
Snowfall amounts between 3 and 11 inches were reported across the area from COOP observers and SNOTEL sites. The combination of snow, blowing snow, and reduced visibilities created hazardous travel conditions across the region for several hours early Wednesday morning.
Snowfall amounts between 1 and 4 inches were reported across the region with gusty winds, difficult travel conditions, and blowing snow. The main area of snow and blowing snow was reported in the region well south of Gallup toward Fence Lake.
Snowfall amounts between 4 and 8 inches were reported across the area from COOP observer and SNOTEL sites. The combination of snow, blowing snow, and reduced visibility created difficult travel conditions along the Interstate 40 corridor with numerous accidents reported.
Snowfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches were reported across the region from COOP observers, ski sites, and SNOTEL data. The combination of snow, blowing snow, reduced visibilities, and hazardous travel conditions likely created winter storm conditions for several hours late Wednesday morning.
Snowfall amounts of 5 to 9 inches were reported across this region from COOP observers, ski sites, and SNOTEL data. The combination of snow, blowing snow, reduced visibilities, and hazardous travel likely caused winter storm conditions to develop by the early afternoon hours on Wednesday.
Top of Taos ski area.
Magdalena Ridge Observatory experienced high sustained winds peaking between 55 and 63mph early on the 19th with gusts peaking between 70 and 86mph. Observations in the lower elevations surrounding this location support high winds likely in many other areas in the San Mateo and Magdalena Mountains.
Magdalena Ridge Observatory experienced high sustained winds peaking between 55 and 63mph early on the 19th with gusts peaking between 70 and 86mph. Observations in the lower elevations surrounding this location support high winds likely in many other areas in the San Mateo and Magdalena Mountains.
Double Eagle II airport reported peak sustained winds to 41 mph.
Ruidoso Regional airport reported peak wind gusts to 59 mph on and off for a couple hours.
Clovis AWOS reported peak sustained winds up to 43 mph for several hours.
Tucumcari Municipal airport reported peak winds up to 60 mph for several hours.
Dunken RAWS reported peak winds up to 63 mph for over an hour.
Melrose Range RAWS reported peak sustained winds up to 40 mph.
Belen airport reported peak sustained winds up to 41 mph.
Dora mesonet reported peak sustained winds up to 50 mph for several hours.
Top of Sandia Tram reported gusts between between 70 and 80 mph from late morning on the 19th into the late afternoon.
Moriarty airport reported peak sustained winds around 40 mph.
Clines Corners reported peak sustained winds to 43 mph for several hours.
Transwestern Pump CSBF reported sustained winds around 46 mph.
Roswell ASOS reported peak wind gust to 58 mph.
Nogal APRSWXNET reported peak wind gust to 59 mph.
Dunken RAWS reported peak wind gust to 63 mph.
Dora mesonet reported peak wind gusts up to 62 mph.
Union Pacific Railroad site 426 reported peak sustained winds around 40 mph.
Belen airport reported peak wind gust to 58 mph.
Fort Sumner airport reported peak wind gust to 59 mph.
Tucumcari Municipal airport reported peak wind gust to 60 mph.
Roof blown off the First Baptist Church at West Grand Ave and Giddling Street.
Cannon Air Force base reported peak wind gust to 64 mph.
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: 416991, 416992, 416995, 416993, 416994, 416996, 416997, 417061, 417086, 417087, 417090, 417089, 417098, 417093, 417094, 417095, 417096, 417097, 417143, 417145, 417092, 417142, 417099, 417106, 417110, 417119, 417146, 417132, 417137, 417140, 417062, 417141.